A recent survey by The Asian American Foundation in Washington, D.C., found that four out of five Asian Americans do not feel that they truly belong, and more than half of the respondents have felt uncomfortable or unsafe due to their race.
So how does that match up with life in Hawai’i? For Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, The Conversation is exploring this over the next couple of days.
First up is Prajwal, a project manager from India whose first landing place in the U.S. was Charlotte, North Carolina. He and his wife now call Hawaiʻi home and will welcome their first child any day now.
"I love it here in Hawaiʻi. That's one of the reasons why I'm staying here, because people think I'm local, and I love it," he said. "It has been a good experience till now and I hope that continues."
This interview aired on The Conversation on May 23, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
