Central Asians in the U.S.

In the U.S., Central Asians are often forgotten in the movement for racial justice. Thousands of Central Asians — including individuals from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan — reside in the United States, yet there is no formal acknowledgment of their existence. The U.S. Census itself does not mention Central Asians under any racial/ethnic category. This erasure hides the challenges that Central Asians face as a minority group, hinders their access to resources, and limits their power to organize and advocate for themselves on a systemic level.

As a diverse community distinct from other ethnic groups in language and culture, Central Asians have unique struggles and lack access to support services provided by other race- and ethnicity-based organizations. Which is why it is important to address and represent the needs of the Central Asian Community in the U.S.