Extended Interviews:
Being Asian in America

Pew Research Center developed a video documentary to highlight the stories we heard in our 2021 Asian American focus group project. The videos, recorded in late 2021 and early 2022, illustrate what emerged from the 66 focus group discussions.

To protect the privacy of our focus group participants, we recruited a separate group of individuals for the video documentary project, all of whom consented to share their stories publicly. The stories they shared reflect opinions, experiences and perspectives similar to those we heard in the focus groups. The video interviews reflect the views and opinions of individual video participants and may not reflect the views of Pew Research Center or its funders.

The following video clips were not included in our documentary but present stories thematically relevant to “what it means to be Asian in America.”

James on his family’s history in Arkansas and his career as a surgeon. (5 minutes)

Pa Houa on how her perception of racism she’s experienced as a Hmong American has evolved over time. (4 minutes)

Tokiko on her experience growing up as a Japanese American and being detained with her family during WWII. (6 minutes)

Mali on her journey from Laos to the U.S. as a child refugee and the influence of Lao culture on her identity. (7 minutes)

Surinder on the impact of the model minority myth on children. (3 minutes)

Angel on the importance of speaking Chinese with her children at home. (3 minutes)

Helen on escaping Vietnam with her sister on a boat to Thailand before settling in the U.S. (4 minutes)

June on her experience growing up as a Japanese American and being detained with her family during WWII. (7 minutes)

Brent on the differences between living in Arkansas, Asia, and the New York metropolitan area. (3 minutes)

Buntha on navigating language barriers in the hospital after a severe head injury. (3 minutes)

Shahid on the racism his family experienced in the aftermath of 9/11. (2 minutes)

Diane on the importance of her grandmother in preserving her Chinese culture. (2 minutes)

Cher on the history of Hmong people and his experience adjusting to life in the U.S. (2 minutes)

Acknowledgments

Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts, its primary funder. The video clips were funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, with support from the Long Family Foundation, the Sobrato Family Foundation and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.

We would also like to thank the Leaders Forum for its thought leadership and valuable assistance in helping make these video clips possible.