On December 18th, 2023, Asia Society Seattle hosted a roundtable discussion on the intricacies of Asian American perspectives on their motherlands and their place in America. The featured speaker was Neil Ruiz, Head of New Research Initiatives at Pew Research Center.

Ruiz presented key findings from Pew Research Center’s 2023 research on Asian Americans. Beginning with the study’s methodological foundation, Ruiz emphasized the comprehensive methodology of their report, which intricately examined the diverse ethnic identities of Asian Americans spanning South, East, and Southeast Asia. The Pew Research Center team conducted surveys and focus groups with over 7,000 Asian Americans for this study. Pivotal themes from the research included Asian American demographic shifts, existing data gaps on the population, and nuanced aspects of race-based and ethnicity-based self-identification. Furthermore, Pew’s research shed light on the pluralistic experiences of racialized discrimination, national policies, and the essence of being an American.

Following the presentation, Ruiz engaged with attendees in a candid Q&A session and group discussion focusing on the report’s findings.

For additional information regarding Neil Ruiz and Pew Research Center’s work on Asian Americans, please visit their website.