In the fall of 2021, with support from a Luce Foundation grant, Pew Research Center embarked on a project exploring the experiences and views of Asian Americans, the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States. The focus group study included participants of different languages, immigration or refugee experiences, educational backgrounds, and income levels from across the country and was designed to capture the voices of many ethnic subgroups whose perspectives have not been well-represented in traditional surveys.
Earlier this month, the Center released an interactive report with key takeaways from the study accompanied by a collection of publications that “capture in people’s own words what it means to be Asian in America.”
Reflections from participants revealed common sentiments including:
In a Q&A about the study, Neil G. Ruiz, associate director of race and ethnicity research at Pew Research Center, said, “We’re committed to providing a more complete picture of all people who live in the United States...We conducted this project to capture the diverse voices and experiences of Asian Americans and understand what it means to be Asian in America. This study aims to expand the depth and breadth of our understanding of racial and ethnic identity by asking Asian Americans to describe their attitudes and experiences in their own words, without preset response options.”
Interactive quote sorter: In Their Own Words: The Diverse Perspectives of Being Asian in America
Expanded interviews: Extended Interviews: Being Asian in America
Q&A: Why and how Pew Research Center conducted 66 focus groups with Asian Americans
