Caste in the United States A Survey Of Caste Among South Asian Americans

Equality Labs EQUALITY LABS

Equality Labs works at the intersection of education, art, community research, and technology to support South Asian religious, ethnic, and cultural minority movements dealing with intractable systems of oppression. Equality Labs is the first South Asian American human rights and technology start-up whose leadership is centered around women, gender non-conforming, trans, and queer people.

ISBN: 978-0-692-94411-0 First published in 2018 by Equality Labs. www.equalitylabs.org [email protected]

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Suggested citation: Zwick-Maitreyi, M., Soundararajan, T., Dar, N., Bheel, R.F., and Balakrishnan, P. (2018) Caste in the United States. A Survey of Caste among South Asian Americans. Equality Labs, USA. Caste in the United States

A Survey of Caste Among South Asian Americans

Equality Labs 2018 “If Hindus migrate to other regions on earth, Caste would become a world problem” Statesman, Civil Rights Leader, and Author of India’s Constitution

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, 1916 Acknowledgments

Equality Labs would like to thank our co-sponsoring organizations including, the Dalit American Coalition, Ambedkar Association of North America, Friends for India’s Education, Boston Study Group, Ambedkar International Mission, International Campaign for Dalit Humans Rights, all of the U.S. Sri Guru Ravidassia gurudwaras, Dalit American Women’s Association, and Ambedkar International Center.

We are thankful to all the organizations in the diaspora who have helped us to disseminate the survey. This includes several South Asian religious institutions and community based organizations such as South Asian Americans Leading Together, The Alliance for Justice and Accountability, the Bangladeshi Historical Project, South Asian Histories for All, Indian American Muslim Council, South Asia Solidarity Initiative, Association for India’s Development, Desis Rising Up and Moving, and Alliance of South Asians Taking Action.

We are also grateful to the many academics, community leaders, religious leaders, and organizers who helped to design, review, sharpen the analyses, and vet the conclusions made in this survey. In particular we want to thank Professors Huma Dar, Dr. Chinnaiah Jangam, Dr. Cornel West, Lama Rangol, Jesenia Santana, Smita Narula, Benjamin Kaila, Suthamalli Ganga, Gary Bagha, Thilakavathy Soundarajan, Dr. T.S.S. Rajan, Theeba Soundararajan, Vasugi Karunakaran, Sabiha Basrai, Design Action, A. Karunakaran, Purva Pandey, Smitha Dandge, Susan Celia Swan, Bilkis Paali, Shabana Sharda, Sainaba Ali, Harjit Kaur, Sandra Ordonez, Anne Gorrissen, Davinder Prasad, Sana Uddin, Teesta Tora, Kasseem Rahemwalla, Fahd Ahmed, Gurpal Singh, Prachi Patankar, Sonia Joseph, Robindra Deb, Sinhack, Khalid Azam, Khalid Ansari, Mussadique Thange, Kashif-ul-Huda, Anirvan Chatterjee, Barni Qaasim, Sham Vishal Bhat, Vinay Bhat, Anasuya Sengupta, Barnali Ghosh, Sharmin Hossain, and Eve Ensler for their support and love. We also thank all of the organizations and academics who have endorsed this survey. A full list can be found at Equalitylabs.org.

We also thank our parents and our families who have created and held the foundation for us to do this work. Thank you for your love and support. We could not do the fight we do without you.

This report has been authored by Maari Zwick-Maitreyi, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, and Natasha Dar with additional input from Prathap Balakrishnan and Ralph F. Beel.

We finally extend sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in this survey. In particular, the Dalit Bahujan and Adivasi American community whose resilience, strength, and commitment to endure has inspired us throughout this project. 6 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Survey Results Methods Introduction Contents Notes andReferences Appendix VI:SurveyQuestions Appendix V:Resources forTeachers Appendix IV:AdivasiResponses Appendix III:DistributionofAge, GenderAndSexual Orientation Appendix II:Methodologyin-Depth Appendix I:CasteintheDiasporaDemographicAnalysis Conclusion Recommendations Key ConclusionsforCaste-basedDiscrimination intheUnitedStates Survey DevelopmentandInstitutionalSupport Key ConclusionsforDemographicAnalysis Land andProperty Ownership Educational Attainment Household Income Time SinceMigration Religious Institutions South AsianProgressiveOrganizations Workplaces Colleges andUniversities Schools Verbal AbuseandPhysicalAssault Caste DiscriminationinInterpersonalRelationships Caste DiscriminationinFoodPreferences Caste inPlacesofReligious Worship Caste DiscriminationatLocal Businesses Caste DiscriminationintheWorkplace Caste DiscriminationExistsinSchools The FearofBeingOuted Evidence ofCaste-basedDiscriminationintheUnitedStates The HistoryofCasteintheSouthAsianAmericanDiaspora What isCasteApartheid? Who isaSouthAsianAmerican? Other Resources -Books andPapers: Other Resources -Articles: Caste FAQs Further Cleaninguptasks included: Data AnalysisMethods Survey Hurdles ...... 50 20 40 29 29 29 29 26 25 30 30 28 46 45 45 39 36 42 35 23 38 38 38 32 32 43 43 34 33 37 10 16 16 15 21 21 18 31 17 9 8 8

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9 11 11 17 13 41 12 18 21 21 16 10 37 27 33 34 34 32 23 35 36 22 25 26 40 40 40 20 ...... Age Distribution of Respondents Respondents Identifiers of Sexuality Respondents Gender Identifiers of Figure 18: Time of Migration to the United States Figure 18: Time of Migration to the United in each Caste Group Figure 19: First Generation Learners Figure 12: Caste in Places of Worship Places of Worship in Figure 13: Denied Leadership and Caste Figure 14: Vegetarianism Partnerships Figure 15: Caste in Romantic and Slurs Figure 16: Experiencing Casteist Jokes Figure 17: Experiencing Physical Assault Figure 7: Caste Group Distribution of Respondents Figure 7: Caste Group About Caste being “Outed” Figure 8 Worried in Schools Figure 9: Caste Discrimination Figure 10: Caste Discrimination in the Workplace Businesses Local Figure 11: Caste Discrimination At Figure 1: Caste as a SocioReligious Structure SocioReligious Figure 1: Caste as a (1) newspapers Asian immigrants in 19th century Coverage of South Figure 2: Racist (2) newspapers Asian immigrants in 19th century Coverage of South Figure 3: Racist Figure 4: A.K. Mozumdar Thind Figure 5: Bhagat Singh 1919 Columbia University, B.R. Ambedkar graduating from Figure 6: Dr. List of Figures and Tables of Figures List Table 2: Educational Attainment Across Caste 2: Educational Attainment Table Figure 23: Age, Gender and Sexual Orientation Gender and Sexual Figure 23: Age, Caste 1: Household Incomes of South Asian Immigrants by Table Figure 20: Affirmative Action in Countries of Origin Action Figure 20: Affirmative and Property Ownership Origin vs. Diaspora Figure 21: Land Figure 22: Sample flyer Used 8 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES T document withsomecrucialconcepts. To understandtheimplicationsofthisreportwewanttoground openingofthis communities canworktowardscasteequitytogether. of Casteexperience intheSouthAsianAmericanimmigrantcommunity in2017sothatour of itscurrentimpactthroughoursurvey. Ouraimistobetterunderstandthefullspectrum examination ofthehistoryCasteinUnitedStates diaspora,aswellanexamination diasporic communities.Thisreportaimstoaddresstheissueatits core, throughbothan immigrants willeitherchoseto identifybytheirCaste, asinthecase ofDalit-Americans,or including casteism,racism,and religiousfundamentalism.ThisiswhyCaste-oppressed other Caste-oppressedimmigrants, whothengoontoenduremultiplied systemsofbias (as explained below)andreligious fundamentalism.Thisincludes Dalits origin, orevenmorepoignantly, thosewhoaresurvivorsoftheviolence ofCasteapartheid South AsianAmericanimmigrantswhoeithercomefromother South Asiancountriesof practicing theHindufaith.Thissimplifiesrichdiversity ofour community, homogenizing not onlyIndiannationalorigin,butreduceSouthAsianAmericans immigrants toonlythose racialized as“ Within thecontext ofmainstreamAmericansociety, SouthAsianAmericansareoften decide whoisaffordedtherightsandprotectionsofnation’s laws. perceptions aboutwhoandwhatis the SouthAsianAmericanpopulation,andcommunitiesof coloras awhole, isexpanding in California,NewYork, NewJersey, Texas, Illinois,andtheCarolinas.Therapidgrowthof 4.3 millionSouthAsianAmericanswholiveintheU.S. Ourlargest populationsaresituated Tibet, Maldives,andtheCaribbean.We arethefastest-growingmajorethnicgroupwithover the world,thatincludesIndia,Nepal,Bangladesh,Pakistan, Afghanistan, SriLanka, Bhutan, religious, tribalandCasteaffiliations. Wecomefromoneofthemostpopulousregions The term Who isaSouthAsianAmerican? Introduction Increasingly, CastehasbecomeamatterofconsiderableweightinSouth Asian embedded itselfintheUnitedStates. his isthefirstcomprehensivesurveythatdetails extent towhichCaste South AsianAmerican brown ”. Mostassumethatweareall“Indian” and“Hindu”-termsthatassume, encompassespeoplesofseveraldifferentnational, American, whilealsochallengingtheinstitutionsthat 2 3 , Adivasis 1 4 has , and CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 9

Caste is LOW HIGH TO RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES ACCESS/OWNERSHIP , which means “race, , which means “race, education, employment, etc. our internal structures our internal structures DALITS resources i.e. arable land, clean water, resources i.e. casta” and Caste determines access to opportunities Caste determines access to opportunities for advancement as well as to ownership of for advancement as well as to ownership

”. Each Caste group encompasses ”. Caste communities that were forced by Caste forced Caste communities that were and and bonded agricultural labor, apartheid slave into manual scavenging. like undignified sanitation work spiritually jobs considered for Branded untouchable polluting, they struggle against extreme violence and discrimination. 5

Caste) Priests Warriors ( Peasants Merchants SHUDRAS VAISHYAS BRAHMINS KSHATRIYAS jati ” and “ Caste group) ( ADIVASIS It was applied by white colonials during the 17th century C.E. to refer to It was applied by white colonials during 6 varna is the system of religiously codified exclusion that was established in Hindu exclusion is the system of religiously codified 7 Indigenous people of South Asia. For For Indigenous people of South Asia. and political/cultural self-determination they fight against the stripping autonomy, of their ancestral land and its natural resources. Figure 1: Caste as a Socio-religious Structure as a Socio-religious 1: Caste Figure lineage, or breed.” lineage, Asia. The native terms for existing in South witnessed the system of social codification they Caste are often “ of Caste hegemony. Apartheid?What is Caste “ itself stems from the Spanish and Portuguese The word “Caste” to these faiths to escape Caste and gain access to education, business, and political business, Caste and gain access to education, to these faiths to escape Castes by Hindu the “upper” of which were traditionally reserved for representation - all scriptures. to is Asian American immigrant networks the challenge for equity within South Therefore, communities must grapple with both racism understand how our by their religious identity. identity. by their religious Americans in South Asian identity understand that religious it is important to In this context, non-Hindu religious This is because many with Caste. linked can also be closely communities Sikhism, including Buddhism, to Caste, emerged as a challenge in the subcontinent traditions also converted Many Christian and Muslim South Asians faiths. Jainism, and Ravidassia scripture. Hindu origin myths state that different people were created from different parts of from created Hindu origin myths state that different people were scripture. hierarchically according to ritual status, purity, body and were to be ranked God Brahma’s Crucially, with a Caste. at birth, is ranked and occupation. By this system, everyone life. that person’s and is unalterable throughout inherited from the family one is born into within it several individual Castes varying in cultural and social practices, and who are limited in cultural and social practices, within it several individual Castes varying within the pyramid. from structural power by their placement Caste apartheid 10 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES inequalities, theusurpationoftheirlandandrights,theyalsoexperience brutalviolence Caste-oppressed groupscontinuetoexperience profoundinjusticesincludingsocioeconomic “untouchables” of Castes.Theygobytheterm Outside thefourCastegroupstructurearepeopleconsideredlower thanthelowest lowest rankingShudrasarealsotermedCaste-oppressed. Those atthebottomofCastehierarchyare classes. People inthesethreeCastegroupsareoftenreferredto asthe“upper”Castes. Kshatriyas, been priests,scripturalknowledge-keepers, andlegislators.Belowtheminstatusarethe There arefourmainCastegroups.Thoseattheverytop to many. equal toaDalitinstatus.This wasunthinkable another landviaseacouldeffectively become a CasteHinduwhoattemptstoemigrate and irrevocablelossofone’s Caste. Therefore, out ofthesubcontinent,resultsinanimmediate Hindu religiousbelief, thecrossingofoceans, taboo of for this,oneofthekey reasonswastheHindu East andSoutheastAsia.Ofthemanyreasons much laterthanotherAsianimmigrantsfrom Most SouthAsiansintheUnitedStates arrived Peril The Dusky our community. crucial tounderstandingthetextures of is untoldinmanyhistorybooks but is Adivasis, andotherCaste-oppressedimmigrantsmigratedtotheUnited States. Thisstory It istofleethisCasteapartheidandreligiousfundamentalisminSouth AsiathatmanyDalits, Diaspora ofCaste intheSouthAsianAmerican The History 2,500 years. where despitethecontemporaryillegalityofsystem,ithaspersisted andthrivedfor oldest, mostpersistentculturesofimpunitythroughoutSouthAsia, mostnotablyinIndia, water androads.Thisentiresystemisenforcedbyviolence maintained byoneofthe places ofworship, andbeingdeniedaccesstoschoolsotherpublicamenitiesincluding Their experience ismadeupofhavingtoliveinsegregatedghettos, beingbannedfrom The 13 goes ontodeterminetheoutcomesofyourwholelife-fromwhere onecanliveanddie, The Casteonebelongstocandetermineyourperceivedlevelofritual purityorpollutionand at thehandsof“upper”Castes.

to whatonecaneat, “Untouchables” 17 “kala pani” whowerekingsandwarriors.Theyarefollowedby 16

8 andthe (blackwater).Accordingto in particular, areforcedintoasystemofCasteapartheideventoday. 14 whatone’s occupationcanbe, Adivasis Dalit , ortheindigenouspeoplesofSouthAsia.Together these 9 meaning“broken butresilient”, formerlyknownas , 10

Immigrants in 19th Century Newspapers (1) Immigrants in19thCentury Figure 2:Racist Coverage ofSouthAsian Shudras 15 andevenwhoonecanmarry. ortraditionalpeasants.Manyofthe Brahmins Vaishyas, , whohavetraditionally orthemerchant 11 , 12 , CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 11

19 .

21 Figure 4:Figure A.K. Mozumdar and who arrived on the and who arrived on 18 ship workers, from the state of ship workers, Punjab Coast of the United States. West The majority of populations from of populations from The majority to who then were free South Asia fear of blasphemy travel without and were the Caste-oppressed - the Dalits, Adivasis, non-Hindus the first So, Muslims, and Sikhs. immigration wave of South Asian 1897 that took place between mostly of and 1924 consisted farmers and Sikh men who were transcendentalism movement The ebb of 20 party, and Indian members of the party, Ghadar nations by barring immigrants from specific countries. Under this Act, South Asian American Act, South Asian American nations by barring immigrants from specific countries. Under this and they were not seen immigrants failed the standards of whiteness required for citizenship country. as fit to own land, buy houses, or even bring their spouses to their new led to the paralyzing Immigration Act of 1917 which was the most sweeping immigration sweeping immigration led to the paralyzing Immigration Act of 1917 which was the most It was the first bill aimed at restricting had passed until that time. act the United States inadmissible persons, and immigrants by imposing literacy tests, creating new categories of Zone altogether. barring immigration from the Asia-Pacific 1924 with the intent These immigration restrictions grew under the Immigration Act of from “undesirable” to preserve the ideal of American homogeneity and limit immigration Despite the fact that the majority of initial immigrants were Sikh, the American press simply categorized all South Asians of homogenization that erased the This ignorance began the first wave as “Hindoos”. This homogenization was coupled with a racist and xenophobic diversity of our community. us as the “Hindoo or propaganda campaign against South Asian Americans, branding This of life. American way that was taking American jobs and destabilizing the Dusky Peril” immigration policies like the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the Chinese Exclusion immigration policies like prevent a specific ethnic which was the first law implemented to group from immigrating to the United States. then filled by South Chinese labor created a demand that was Asian immigrants. indigenous peoples, brown immigrants, African Americans, and African indigenous peoples, brown immigrants, over equitable access to citizenship. government the U.S. influx of Chinese labor to support the gold the In the 1800’s, industry led to mines, rail road construction, and garment resulted in racist a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment. This movement, the was determined States citizenship in the United this time, At only Under the Naturalization Act of 1790, race. by one’s of “good character” immigrants who were free white persons battle between could be citizens. This setup a 100+ year Immigrants in 19th CenturyImmigrants (2) Newspapers spiritual leaders, students, Asian American immigrants included A smaller group of South with members of the Caste-ediverse and interacted and other intellectuals who were mostly and spiritual movements connections to universities American intelligentsia because of their members of the Indian Freedom This included that were popular at the turn of the century. Figure 3: Racist Coverage of South Asian Coverage 3: Racist Figure 12 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES “casteless”. unlike whitefolks who, areinmany ways,seeninherentlyas“high” Casteand therefore people ofAfrican origin,blackpeopleareoftenseenas impure similar toDalitsandAdivasis to itsoriginsinanti-Dalitnessandanti-Adivasiness.Inaddition to racistperceptionsof This racializedperceptionofCastemapsanti-blacknessin SouthAsianAmericancommunities law. Theirexclusion isrelatedtotheir being“non-Aryan”, “notwhite”, andtherefore, “inferior”. and Caste-oppressedimmigrantscouldnevermake thesameclaims towhitenessenterthe within theSouthAsiancommunity, onlysomecanaspiretowhiteness.SouthAsianreligious These twocasesclearlyshowthedangersofhomogenizing the South Asiancommunity. Even miscegenation lawsintheUnitedStates. would characterizeThindasbeingsomeonewhobe sympathetic totheexisting anti- They feltthatexpressing “disdainforinferiors” wouldcharacterizeThindasbeingwhiteand American regardstheNegro, speakingfromamatrimonialstandpoint.” “The highCasteHinduregardstheaboriginalIndianMongoloid in thesamemanneras stated thatThindhadarevulsiontomarryinganIndianwomanof the“lowerraces” asserting, largely succeededinthesubcontinentatpreventingrace-mixing. Infact,Thind’s lawyers although someracialmixingdidindeedoccurbetweentheCastes, theCastesystemhad contending thathetoowasamemberoftheCaucasianrace. Thindalsomaintainedthat, Caucasian raceforthepurposesofcourt,Thindarguedthathe wasawhitepersonby Since the Caucasian becauseof“unbroken racialandlinguisticties”. that hispeople, the argued that“high-CasteHindus” shouldbeclassifiedas“freewhitepersons.” Heasserted This waslateroverturnedandrevisitedintheimmigrationcaseof BhagatSinghThind.Thind Caste identityprovidedevidencethatsufficientlysupportedhis claimtowhiteness. became thefirstSouthAsianAmericanwhowasgrantedcitizenship. Thiswasbecausehis the hierarchythatpreventsinter-marriage. Hiscasewasfoundsufficientlycompellingandhe Singh Thind Figure 5:Bhagat Ozawa v. UnitedStates 24 Aryans , weretheconquerorsofIndigenouspeopleIndiaand In Mozumdar’s testimonyhesharesthenatureof Casteand something thattheyhistoricallysharedwithCaucasians. they hadpure“Aryan” bloodandthatthoseracialoriginswere blood”. Theyexplained thatbecausetheywere“upper”Caste, they identifiedthemselvesas“highCasteHindu,offullIndian whom arguedthattheypassedthewhitenesstestbecause immigrants, A.K.MozumdarandBhagatSinghThind,bothof Famously, thefirstcaseswerebroughtby“upper”Caste citizenship werefirmlyrootedinCaste. and unfortunatelytheargumentsofIndianimmigrantsfor challenges toIndianexclusion inimmigrationcourtsbegan, It isinthewake ofthesexenophobic lawsthatthefirst Privilege Aspiring to Whitenessthrough Caste courtcasehadjustdefinedawhitepersonasbeingofthe 23 22

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27 Figure 6: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar B.R. Ambedkar 6: Dr. Figure Columbia from Graduating 1919 University, 26 , 25

consciousness and Black resistance building. As consciousness and Black resistance building. , where he went on to become the leader , where he went on to become the leader 28 “(Unlike in America) I would well anticipate the dire consequences which the dire consequences which in America) I would well anticipate “(Unlike sure were sure to follow if my (Caste) identity was discovered - as it was on return from America to the subcontinent. B.R. Ambedkar, - Dr. to be.” As we move onward in history to the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, race and origin Act, race and origin As we move onward in history to the 1965 Immigration and Nationality a and this resulted in related stipulations were finally removed from citizenship procedures students from post- new wave of immigrants from South Asia who were professionals and largely “upper” Caste, Independent India. These South Asian American immigrants were Indian cities. upper class, the most educated, and came from the newly independent The Brain Drain new anti-Caste legacy in the US that begins with him new anti-Caste legacy in the US that begins like but also includes many more Dalit figures, Mugowalia. It is from Ghadar leader Mangu Ram to end Caste pride and continue the commitment their legacy that Dalit Americans derive apartheid. were defining to his life and struggles back in South were defining to his life and struggles Asia the of the anti-Caste revolution, even authoring Constitution of a newly independent India. at Columbia University a B.R. Ambedkar started Dr. he found easy friendship amongst non-South Asians, he found easy friendship amongst non-South and even wrote to the great African-American DuBois, revealing his deep sense intellectual, W.E.B of solidarity with the Black struggle. in America Ambedkar states that his experiences Using these opportunities, he was able to study and eventually attend Columbia University in attend he was able to study and eventually Using these opportunities, New York. during the City, York lived in Harlem, in New From 1912 to 1916, Ambedkar studied and Black a potent time of Harlem Renaissance, on his papers on Caste and economics, he worked The Rise of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar The Rise of Dr. figure of is the historical Caste supremacy and anti-blackness to this history of An exception B.R. Ambedkar. Dr. funded by early in India. His education was Ambedkar belonged to a Dalit family Dr. Indian princes. some progressive-minded Action programs put into place by Affirmative For these reasons, throughout South Asian Imigration histories, we find instances of “upper” find instances histories, we South Asian Imigration reasons, throughout For these from to dissociate whiteness in order to be associated with Asians as eager Caste South was famously anti- Gandhi who like “upper” Caste persons This even includes blackness. in South Africa. his time as an immigrant black during 14 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Asian immigrants.Theculture, religion,andpracticesofCaste-oppressedimmigrants were Caste immigrantswhoestablished“upper”Hinducultureas thenormforallofSouth Asian immigrantcivic,religious,andpoliticalinstitutionsbeingcreated mostlyby“upper” away fromSouthAsiancommunitiesaltogether. ThisledtothedevelopmentofmanySouth carried theirCasteattitudeswiththem.Asaresult,mosthidDalit identityorstayed heavily caste-istsince“upper”CasteHindus,whovastlyoutnumbered them,prominently However, beingsmallinnumber, theyfoundthemselvesinimmigrationnetworks thatwere the firstgenerationtobenefitfrom AffirmativeActionprogramsintheircountriesoforigin. Caste-oppressed immigrantsbecamethetrailblazersfortheircommunities astheywere American callforprofessionalimmigrants.Inthiswave, asmallgroupofDalitandother These immigrantscameseekingWestern opportunitiesandtookadvantageofthe reveals thepersistence ofCasteandwhya survey suchasthisis neededevenmoretoday. fact thatsucha battleexists inthediasporaandisaffecting mainstreamAmerican textbooks report hasbeen underminedby“upper”Caste Hindufundamentalist lobbyinggroups.The for thefuture? real history. Ifchildrendonotknowtheirpasthowcan theybeprepared tomake decisions Caste andreligiousviolence spoke withpassionabouttheneedforchildrento learnthe statements onCasteandthe non-Hindu religionsofSouthAsia. They arguedassurvivorsof that asked the CaliforniaBoardofEducationtoreviseinaccurateandideologically driven priviledged allies,andChristianalliesunitedtoformamulti-faith andinter-Castecoalition Dalit, Adivasi,andotherCaste-oppressedcommunitiesunited with Muslim,Sikh,Caste the oppressionofCaste. communities. Theyaremeanttoabsolve“upper”Castecommunities ofaccountabilityfor diminish thehistoricalandpresentrealityofCasteitsviolence againstCaste-oppressed of violentconquestinSouthAsia.Alltheseargumentstaken asawhole aremeantto into thehistoryofIndusValley CivilizationwhiletryingtovilifyIslamassolelyareligion Buddhist, andIslamictraditions.Additionally, theyattemptedtointroducemythicaldetails while atthesametimediminishingchallengestoCaste andBrahmanism bySikh, edits includedtryingtoerasethewordDalit,originofCaste inHinduscripture, with AncientSouthAsia,inparticular, thosethatseektoilluminatetheissueof Caste. Caste membershiphascontinuedtoworkcontestthechapters oftheframeworkdealing 2005 and2016,acoalitionofHindufundamentalistgroupswith a predominantly“upper” textbook publisherswhowillwritelessonstofittheseframeworks. Foraperiodbetween History andSocialScienceforpublicreview. Every sevenyearstheState ofCalifornia’s BoardofEducationsubmitsitsframeworks for Caste faultlines.Akey contemporaryexample istheissue oftheCaliforniaTextbook Battles. Caste-oppressed immigrants,wecanbegintoseecracks appearinginthecommunityalong As thepopulationofSouthAsianscontinuestogrowinAmericaa waythataddsmore The Battlefor CasteinCalifornia Textbooks make themovetoemigrate. oppressed peopleandsuppliedthemwithenoughupwardmobility thattheyneededto of Caste-oppressedpeoplesoutHinduism. was theriseinorganizedCaste-oppressedresistance had nowbenefitedfrom Affirmative Actionpoliciesandwelfareschemes.Alsoimportant was becauseofseveralfactorsinSouthAsiaincludingthefactthat moregenerationsinIndia demographics ofSouthAsiansandbrought“lower”Castepopulations inlargenumbers.This migrations, particularlyinthetechsector. Increasingly, thesemigrationsshiftedtheCaste After 1990, furtherimmigrationlegislationallowedforthelatestwave ofskilledworker roots inthiswaveofimmigration. sidelined andthusthefoundationforcurrentstructuralCastediscrimination intheUShadits 36 , 37

This ledtoadecisivevictorythat evenatthetimeofpublicationthis 31 ,

32 ,

33 34 30 Theseframeworks then goontoinform . ThesefactorsempoweredmoreCaste- 29 aswellcontinuedconversions 35 Their CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 15

38 was directed to all those 39 38 and was endorsed by all the major anti-Caste and was endorsed by all the major anti-Caste typeform.com

ver a period of eight months, a team of South Asian academics, anti-Caste activists, anti-Caste months, a team of South Asian academics, ver a period of eight a survey to to create and policy advocates, came together community members, the eight In of Caste amongst South Asian Americans. assess the demographics Methods but also deeply specific to their geographies. Through this survey, we learned that in order but also deeply specific to their geographies. Through this survey, we need to use to best gather and represent Caste information for these communities, plan to follow this study up with secondary surveys targeted particularly to their histories. We investigations on the same. please see Appendix I. For more details on the methodology used in the survey, Ravidassia gurudwaras, Dalit American Women’s Association, and Ambedkar International gurudwaras, Dalit American Women’s Ravidassia Center. Sikhs, and people Christians, want to note here that for certain communities - Muslims, We Fiji, in Africa, South Asian communities with long-held roots in the colonially indentured interlinked, and historically are not only complex and the Caribbean, the issues of Caste linguistic networks, and social media. linguistic networks, The survey was hosted at including the Dalit American Coalition, Ambedkar organizations in the United States, Ambedkar Group, Study Education, Boston India’s Association of North America, Friends for Sri Guru all of the U.S. for Dalit Humans Rights, International Mission, International Campaign heritage from present day Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, heritage from present day Bangladesh, It was open to people of Kenya. and Guyana, Fiji, Tanzania, Maldives, Trinidad/Tobago, Caste affiliations. different religious, political, tribal, and community listservs, survey through direct contacts, The survey team distributed the online religious, cultural, and South Asian community organizations, immigrant organizations, months of dissemination, slightly over 1,500 people responded to the 47-question survey. 47-question to the slightly over 1,500 people responded months of dissemination, questionnaire This web-based, self-reported, self-administered - those having subcontinental identifying as “South Asian” diaspora in the United States Methods O 16 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES T Caste Group Figure 7: Caste Group DistributionofRespondents no existing dataexists forustocorrelateourfindings.However, itmaybeusefultonote Since thisisthefirstsurveyaimingtomapSouthAsiansCaste-wise intheUnited States, impacts ofCasteininstitutions. The followingsectionexamines indepthourdatathatrevealsCasteattitudesandstructural includes schools,workplaces,placesofbusiness,andreligiousinstitutions. mainstream institutionsthathavesignificantSouthAsianimmigrant populations.This United States Discriminationinthe Evidence ofCaste-based Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Survey ResultsSurvey Adivasi Shudra Other Dalit all ofthemajorSouthAsianAmericaninstitutions.Further, theyextend intoAmerican with Castestatus,ritualpurity, andsocialexclusion havebecomeembedded within he resultsofour2016surveydefinitivelyfindthatalltheinequalities associated 0% 5%10% 15%20%25%30%35% 1% 6% 8% 9% Percentage ofTotal Respondents 18% 24% 33% CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 17 52%

41 , 40 A.P. 25% Percentage of Respondents Percentage “Friends who came over to our house did not eat when they saw books books “Friends who came over to our house did not eat when they saw - at my home and guessed my Caste” Ambedkar on Dr. 5% 1% 0% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Dalit because of the small Adivasi sample size of only 12, we have included results in a table because of the small Adivasi sample size Shudra Vaishya

Brahmin

Kshatriya Many South Asians who identify as being from the “lower” Castes – especially Dalits, from the “lower” Castes – especially Many South Asians who identify as being This is reflected by the fact that our Caste.” Adivasis, and Shudras – tend to “hide their more about being from these Castes worry much survey shows that those who identify as being “outed.” Group Caste Note that where possible, we have tried to indicate diasporic Adivasi immigrant responses. we have tried to indicate diasporic Adivasi Note that where possible, But, within Appendix IV. The Fear of Being Outed All the results of the survey, have nevertheless, been normalized to the total number of nevertheless, been normalized to the have survey, All the results of the group so that biases are eliminated. respondents in each are all and land ownership, education, income Demographics including, time since migration, I. and presented in Appendix presented and analyzed by Caste group It is possible that Dalits in the diaspora who often find themselves in the receiving end of in the in the diaspora who often find themselves It is possible that Dalits of a survey the outcomes on had more reason to place weight Caste-based discriminations data. This, in combination with a number with lived experience that could validate their Dalits to could have encouraged more endorsing the survey, of anti-Caste organizations respond. that some countries in South Asia have surveyed their populations and found that Dalits and found that their populations Asia have surveyed countries in South that some 3-4% and Brahmins, approximately of the population an average of 15-18% represent the is unclear whether It in our survey. representation groups have elevated Both of these South Caste groups of distribution of reflects the actual in our survey Caste distribution participated. or that some groups disproportionately Asians in the diaspora, Figure 8: Worried About One’s Caste Being “Outed” Caste About One’s 8: Worried Figure Percentage of Total Respondents of Total Percentage 18 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Caste reportthesame. institutions inthediaspora. From thedata,weseethat practices fromthenormalizeddepictionsofIndian“upper”CasteSouth Asianculture. framework forwhytheirfamilieshadsuchdifferentsocial,cultural, economic,andreligious Parents understoodthathiding causeshavoconchildreninthefamily whodonotreceivea Many reportedfeelingsofguiltforhidingtheirCasteandwishedthey couldbemore“brave.” remain isolatedfromtheirSouthAsianpeersaltogether. This fearofbeingoutedanditsconsequencescancauseCaste-oppressed immigrantsto and socialnetworks, orevenfacebullying,abuseandviolence. families couldberejectedfromSouthAsianculturalandreligious spaces,loseprofessional they sustainedaroundthesecrecyoftheirCaste. Beingoutedmeantthattheyandtheir Anecdotally, severalrespondentsexpressed significantamountsofpsychologicalturmoil explored thisissueinK-12 schoolsaswellininstitutionsofhighereducation. The issueofCastediscriminationinschoolswasexplored inaseriesofquestionsthat Caste DiscriminationExists inSchools issue intheUnitedStates. In theseways,Castecontinuestobeasignificantmentalhealth and communitywell-being Caste Group Figure 9:Caste DiscriminationinSchools Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra Dalit 0% 10%20%30%40% 0% 2% 3% 8% could havecalledouttheir Castebullyingforwhatitwas.” through “Indianculture”. Theywouldmake funofthefact that IatemeatandwasChristian.Inway, myreligion parents hidfrommethat IwasDalit.Butifhadknown 40% ofDalitstudentsreportfacingdiscriminationineducational not knowitatthetimebut theywereBrahmin...andmy and Brahminfamilies,soIneverfeltconnectedto them and familyhistorysortof alienatedmefromthem.Idid In contrast,onlyupto3%ofrespondentswhowere“upper” “Most IndiansinmyschoolwereupperCasteHindus Percentage ofRespondents 41% - S.J.

CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 19

K.A.

we get to see K. (myself) everyday!” - upper Caste and urban backgrounds, would make would make upper Caste and urban backgrounds, them were planning to go to visit the local Zoo. One of them were planning to go to visit the local Zoo. them said, I don’t need to go to the Zoo to see animals, need to go to the Zoo to see them said, I don’t were many incidents where other Indian kids from rich, “I am an Adivasi student. In my undergrad in Iowa, there Casteist jokes on me. One in particular was that a few of on me. Casteist jokes T.R. Word that my family was Dalit spread like wildfire, my child became wildfire, family was Dalit spread like that my Word me Caste Hindu children. It angered secluded from other to face the my heart that my child had and it broke 21st century in the feeling of being an outcaste in the - United States!” “In the United States, when my child was in second grade, she used to she used to in second grade, when my child was “In the United States, mother Once the kid’s with an upper Caste Hindu kid. have play-dates of the conversation, our house and during the course had come over to understood to be the we follow Buddhism, which is came to know that interacted with us. This was the last time that family religion of Dalits. Schools, universities and colleges need to understand that Caste dynamics exist amongst dynamics exist to understand that Caste Schools, universities and colleges need out the nuances break to hope in future versions of this survey South Asian students. We higher education so school administrators, counselors, and versus of discrimination in K-12 safe learning environment communities to ensure a faculty can work with Caste-oppressed for all. peers belong to a “lower” Caste, immediately ask to move to other living quarters, forbid immediately ask to move to other peers belong to a “lower” Caste, them from South Asian student groups exclude cooking of non-vegetarian food, or socially and professional networking circles. numbers of first and because of the higher This is especially relevant in graduate schools second-generation immigrants they serve. of higher education. in schools is in institutions Another area of Caste-based discrimination students. This can by their fellow South Asian Many respondents report discrimination upon learning that their some South Asian students, include discrimination in housing when Parents report that their children are treated differently in school by other South Asian school by other differently in their children are treated report that Parents or Muslim, feel Dalit, Christian, Sikh, growing up their parents. Children students and all South Asian that homogenizes in white America by South Asian culture alienated and Hindu culture. Caste Indian as belonging to an “upper” identities 20 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Caste DiscriminationintheWorkplace Ultimately, theyoftendonotreporttheirdiscriminationorcorrect theirsituation. be givenweight,andfearbeingdismissedorsufferingothernegative consequencestotheircareer. Employees feelthatCasteisnotwell-understoodbyotherAmericans, feeltheirconcernswillnot equitable workplaces. hire SouthAsianAmericanimmigrantsshouldconsiderwhencrafting HRpoliciestocreatesafeand workplace Caste-ediscrimination.Thisisanareaofconcernthatcompanies thatworkwithand 43 that approximately 40%ofwomenexperience discrimination intheworkplacebasedongender To showthisincontrastwithotherprotectedclassesofpeople, datafromnationalsurveysreport Caste. 12%ofShudrasalsoreportthesame. surveyed inthediasporareportedbeingtreatedunfairlyattheirworkplacebecauseof reported bythoseofCaste-oppressedbackground inplacesofemployment. One ofthemoststrikingfindingsthisreportis exceptionally highratesofdiscrimination Figure 10:Caste DiscriminationintheWorkplace

Caste Group However, unlike categoriessuchasgender, nospecificlegislation exists toprotectpeoplefrom Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra Dalit think recruitersmaydenymeemployment”- working inthefieldofDalitandAdivasirightsbecauseI “I’m afraidtoputinmyresumethatIhaveexperience 0% 0% 0% 12% 1% and stillmanagetokeep friendsorbusinessnetworks.” - “It becomesdifficulttodiscloseyourCasteasaDalit circles, Castemanifestsaspositioning“desi”ahomogenous among activists,butinpractice, manystillact(out)theirupper idea withoutregardtoactualdifferencesinCasteaffiliations or nationalorigin.Thisisperformedespeciallytopander Western eyes.Thereissomeacknowledgmentofdiversity Percentage ofRespondents 20% “In academicandsomeactivistfeminist/anti-racist/queer 40% M.B. 60% 67% Caste privilege.” - 67% ofDalits

A.K. P.R. 42, CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 21

40% “untouchable” 42% 25% churches, and mosques. 42 30% 22% 20% 15% many who do not, what of them?” - K.V. what of them?” many who do not, 20% 10% Percentage of Respondents Percentage Percentage of Respondents Percentage 14% 10% 7% word for African Americans, then why a Caste slur for me? I me? a Caste slur for then why Americans, African word for 5% used Caste slurs on company forums. Would they use the N- they use the forums. Would slurs on company used Caste 5% 5% 7% “I had to report to HR when other South Asians in the company Asians in the company other South report to HR when “I had to was happy I had power as a VP in my company, but what of the but what of the a VP in my company, I had power as was happy 0% 3% 0% 0% 0% Dalit Dalit Shudra Shudra Vaishya Vaishya Brahmin Brahmin

Kshatriya Kshatriya

aste Discrimination at Local Businesses at Local Discrimination aste

Caste Group Caste Caste Group Caste spectrum of religions including Hindu temples, Sikh gurudwaras, Caste in Places of Religious Worship in Places of Religious Caste made that they were 40% of Dalits and 14% of Shudra respondents reported Approximately over a This data extended to feel unwelcome at their place of worship because of their Caste.

restaurants, and even in retail stores staffed or managed by other South Asians. For many Dalits, by other South in retail stores staffed or managed restaurants, and even perceived to their can be triggering and read as alluding being rejected in service status. C a place of business or at other Caste-group report feeling discriminated Dalits more than any stated to be in corporate environments, This is most commonly Caste. service because of their Figure 12: Caste in Places of Worship 12: Caste Figure Figure 11: Caste Discrimination at Local Businesses Discrimination 11: Caste Figure 22 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES that wasnot “There wasonefamilyinour gurudwaras too. male andBrahmin.Butthisframeworkhasbeenextended intochurches,mosques,and Because ofHindureligiousmandates,headsplacesworship arealmostalways Figure 13:Deniedleadership inplacesofworship Caste Group Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra out. Theyquitthebhajanclassshortlyafter.” - Dalit Brahmin 0% 0% 0% Unacceptable...another formofracism” - other votersfromvoting for herbecauseshewasChamar... lower Casteranforpublic office, peopleactivelydiscouraged (Dalits) inanyoftheirsocial activities.Alsowhenaladyfrom “The Punjabicommunitydoesn’t includelowerCasteChamars changed ourlastnamegrowingup.” - growing up...it evenaffectsmarriageprospects!Myparents of Iyengarsmademefeelless“cool”...not‘Hindu’enough thus fallasaShudraCaste. Iyengars(Brahmins)andchildren “In thetempleespecially, weseeCaste. We areShettyand andtheywerealwaysmadetofeelleft 5% 5% marry meandmyhusband.AllintheUSA!” - us. Ilostfriends.Thepriestatthegurudwararefused to a guyfromdifferentCaste. Myin-lawsalsodisowned “I wasdisownedbymyfamilybecauseIfellinlovewith 8% bhajan Percentage ofRespondents 10% (religioushymn)class 15% 20% M.J. K.N. P.M. 25% 28% J.A. 30% CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 23 60% 63% 50% 45% 40% 34% 30% (Dalit) temples of worship. (Dalit) temples S.S. 43 20% Percentage of Respondents Percentage 18% 16% 10% difficult, it’s a struggle. My culture and language are dying My culture a struggle. difficult, it’s and no desire to learn and my “community” has no clue I It is a huge reason why to. about it. There is no one to relate - suffer from depression.” 0% Dalit Shudra Vaishya Brahmin

Kshatriya

aste Discrimination in Food Preferences aste Caste Group Caste environmental, or animal welfare concerns, vegetarianism in South Asian communities is vegetarianism in South environmental, or animal welfare concerns, It can be a hot to Caste mandates and religious dictates. quite different. It is deeply linked button religious and political issue. many Shudra whereas Dalit, Adivasi, and “Upper” Caste Hindus are often vegetarian, C and South Asian spaces is the mixed-Caste issue of contention in mixed-race, A key who are vegetarian or While most Americans seemingly innocuous issue of food preference. by personal, influenced to be an individual choice, vegan understand their food preferences

American diaspora to take it as a moral conversation to explore how Caste discrimination how Caste discrimination explore it as a moral conversation to to take American diaspora structural and its remove and move with moral clarity to operates in their institutions open to all. truly can be so that our institutions of faith interpersonal manifestation For example, it is known within the community that many Dalit Gurdwara congregation Dalit Gurdwara community that many it is known within the For example, Caste leadership a “Jatt” dominated by gurudwaras” have since left “mainstream members Guru Ravidassia their own Shri and established perplexing is deep and existentially faith community one’s of acceptance within The problem within the South Asian ask all communities of faith We people. to many Caste-oppressed Figure 14: Vegetarianism and Caste 14:Figure Vegetarianism knows about South Asian culture is savarna. So being from a Muslim Adivasi Asian culture is savarna. So knows about South I am very used to. is something my experience the erasure of background, even have the I would not Otherwise, Erasure is just something I deal with. very it’s Socially, the Muslim South Asian community. community I have now, “Everything is savarna (“upper” Caste) - dominant. Everything everyone (“upper” Caste) - dominant. “Everything is savarna 24 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES even inthediaspora. preferences matter. ItisnowclearfromthedatabelowthatCasteandfoodchoicearelinked their perceived“untouchability”. Thereisdeep, inherentinjusticehereandthisiswhyfood Their Caste-enforcedproximity toanimaldeathandmeatisfundamentallythereasonfor animals, disposingofcarcassesorprocessinganimal-basedproducts, suchasleather. communities. ManyDalitcommunities,forexample, wereforcedtotraditionallyworkwith Adivasi, andShudraseatingmeat,isthatthiswasnotachoiceforsome Caste-oppressed The ironyoftheassignmentpuritytovegetarianismandpollution totheDalits, Castes celebratetheirvegetarianismbecauseofbeliefthat itispurer. and enjoymeat,meatincontemporaryHindusocietyisassociated withpollution.So“upper” communities arepredominantlynon-vegetarian.Despitethefact thatVedic Hindusconsume and offerdiversityinfoodchoicestomake allwelcome. We hopethatspacestoinviteSouthAsianAmericans will take thispointtoheart vegetarian-only meals.Foritsendsamessageof“upper”CasteHinducultural hegemony. South AsiansfeelstigmatizedinAsianspacesandorganizations thatprioritize community culturalandorganizingspaces.ManyoftheCaste-oppressed andnon-Hindu In suchvolatilecontexts, foodpreferencescomplicateSouthAsianexperiences inmixed- consuming beefhasbeenbannedforallothercommunities. suspicion ofconsumingbeef. BecausethecowisconsideredasacredanimalinHinduism, many MuslimsandDalitsarepubliclylynchedinIndia,byHindu fundamentalists onthevery are alsoprominentlyassociatedwitheatingbeefandworking cowproducts.Infact, reported beingnon-vegetarian. overwhelming majority(>90%)ofallMuslim,Christian,andSikh respondentsinthissurvey It ispertinenttonoteherethatreligionalsoabiginfluencerofvegetarianism. higher inotherCaste-groups. Shudra respondentsreportbeingvegetarianorvegan,andthisnumberisuptothreetimes In thediaspora,tooweobservethisCaste-basedfoodpreference. - altogether andIamconsideringthatoptionmore andmore.” won’t beisolatedfromtheirfriendsbutI’dreallyrathernot go me thewholenight.Igotopartiesformykids sothey VEGETARIAN” inlargeletters.Nooneatemycurryandavoided the othersideoftable, inacornerandlabeledit“NON- a chicken curryandtheysetmydishaside, allthewayon vegetarian dishesontheir“auspicious” day. Onetime, Icooked “upper” Castefolks mayostracizeme forbringingnon- potluck parties,Iamreallynervousaboutwhatcook.The “We areaShudraCastefamily. At Diwaliandotherfestival D.S. ThisisreplicatedinIndiawherethesesamecommunities 44 Under 20%ofDalitand An CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 25

Rejected Rejected a partner Been rejected by a partner 40% 41% 33% 30% 28% 20% 18% Percentage of Respondents Percentage 13% 10% 8% 7% 7% 5% 5% 45 0% Dalit Shudra

Vaishya

Brahmin Kshatriya Caste Group Caste Figure 15: Caste in Romantic Partnerships in Romantic 15: Caste Figure and friendships and the experience of mixed Caste individuals as well. of mixed and friendships and the experience example, several Dalits explained that they have or would reject an “upper” Caste partner several Dalits explained example, family’s partner’s never deal with their potential outright because they knew they could treatment of them. Caste respondents from Caste partners, “upper” Despite reported rejections from “upper” rejecting a partner Caste groups generally did not report and Vaishya Brahmin, Kshatriya, the problem of Caste hope future iterations of this survey will illuminate We based on Caste. In addition to our several anecdotal submissions on this matter, our quantitative data on this matter, In addition to our several anecdotal submissions rejected from were most often shows that Dalit and Caste-oppressed respondents on their Caste the They are also rejecting partners based partnerships because of Caste. experiencing Partners together. understand both these data points to be linked most. We of further inter-Caste begin to feel a need to be more discerning rejection based on Caste, For based on a sense of self-preservation. partnerships and therefore reject partners in a way that can be emotionally arduous. in a way that can be only is there a Caste- Not is Dalit. multiplied when one of the partners These turbulences are because of families can be considered taboo by non-Dalit but a Dalit partner level disparity, that they are thought to bring with them. pollution” the “spiritual relationships, in particular, heterosexual partnerships, necessitate partners navigate several partnerships, necessitate heterosexual relationships, in particular, complications. of Caste disparities. A because end before they can reach their potential Many relationships even outright rejection at discrimination, and to experience can expect “lower” Caste partner This puts pressure on partners family. Caste partner or partner’s the hands of their “upper” Caste Discrimination in Interpersonal Interpersonal in Discrimination Caste Relationships itself is maintained Since Caste interpersonal relationships. dimensions to all Caste adds often inter-Caste romantic Caste community, own marriage within one’s by heterosexual 26 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES happened attheengagementcausedourfamiliestobebroken up. were ShudrasandAdivasis. the “upper”Castesreportingsame. Theonlyothergroupsreportingthissignificantly experiencing Caste-basedderogatoryjokes orcomments. present athigher-than-expected ratesinthediaspora The manifestationofCaste-basedhateintheformverbalandphysical abuseisalso V Figure 16:ExperiencingCasteist Jokes andSlurs would notacceptherandmistreatedfamilymembers.Despite Caste Group I amstillsaddenedbythelossofmyloveandhatethatCastehas relationship tothelevelofanengagementceremony, eventsthat “I hadlovedsomeonewhowasfroma“lower”Caste. Myparents erbal AbuseandPhysical Assault Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra Dalit struggling topersuademyfamilymembersandbringingthe 0% 5% 5% me becausehismotherwantedhimtomarrysomeone “A veryeducatedmantoldmehecouldnolongerdate from thesameCaste” - 9% been amajorreasonforourbreakingup.” - 10% you arefromalowerCaste!”.” - proud tosay, “Ican’t eventhinkofdatingyoubecause Caste openlyaskingmemyandthenfeeling “I clearlyremembermyflatmateswhowere“upper” Percentage ofRespondents 20% 30% M.R. 30% . Almost60%ofDalitsreport Comparethiswithjust5-9%of 40% R.B. 50% V. J. V. 59% CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 27 25% 26% 20% knives.” 15% N.L. This number reflects that over a quarter of Dalits This number reflects that over a quarter 10% Percentage of Respondents Percentage (Dalit) friends and when some G.B. 5% Chamar 26% of Dalits who responded said they had faced physical assault in 26% of Dalits who responded said they “In graduate school, an “upper” Caste man , on finding out that I was one of the “lower” Castes, tried to tell me that I because of that and tried to sexually was probably a “slut” - misbehave with me.” 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% “Often Caste jokes are made by my colleagues without realizing are made by my colleagues Caste jokes “Often I would laugh along And they would expect my Dalit background. Caste like I belong to a “high” with them because they assume - themselves.” Dalit Shudra Vaishya Brahmin we were jumped in the parking lot by a Jatt gang with Kshatriya

of us Chamars tried to get leadership in our gurdwaras, Caste Group Caste the form of hate crimes. We take this seriously and recommend the inclusion of Caste and take the form of hate crimes. We that aims to protect anti-hate crime legislation ethnicity in the strengthening of our existing orientation, and gender. religion, sexual xenophobia, against violence based on race, Even more shocking, based on their Caste. the United States This is especially physical aggression. who responded said that they had experienced had reported the same at all. no other group poignant when you consider that in comparison, that take phenomenon with repercussions This data establishes Caste as a dangerous Figure 17: Experiencing Physical Assault Physical Experiencing 17: Figure “We are a group of “We 28 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES structural, interpersonal,andinternalconsequencesthatwemust address. summary ofthedatashowsscopeproblem.Casteinits manifestationshas It isclearfromthefindingsofthisreportthatCastedefinitively existsinthediaspora.A Discrimination intheUnited States Key Conclusionsfor Caste-based data outliningincome, educationandotherinformationgatheredfromthesurvey. In additiontothisdata,includedinAppendixIisasummary ofthe collectionofdemographic South Asiancommunity. following areourimmediaterecommendationsforthemany stakeholders whoworkwiththe These resultsrevealseriouslevelsofdiscriminationandviolence withinourcommunities.The live infearoftheirCastebeing“outed.” ONE INFOUR ONE INTWO Caste. rejected inaRomantic Partnership OVER at aplaceofbusiness 20% because oftheirCaste. made tofeel 40% derogatory jokes 60% treated unfairly TWO OUTOFTHREE discriminated against ONE INTHREE or physicalassault 25%

of Dalitswhorespondedsaidtheyhad

40% of Dalitsand of Dalitrespondentsreportfeeling of Dalitsreport unwelcome attheirplaceofworship ofDalitRespondents havereportedbeing ofallDalitrespondentsand attheir ofallShudrarespondents

Dalit studentsreportbeing orcomments.

14% basedontheirCaste. experiencing

during theireducation. because oftheirCaste.

workplace ofShudrarespondentswere Dalits surveyedreportedbeing Caste-based . onthebasisof

discriminated

faced

` verbal CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 29 Recommendations Recommendations This includes knowing and being vocal about the existence of Caste and working to prioritize This includes knowing and being vocal about the existence the visibility of Caste-oppressed communities in programs. HR departments get training that recommend that as part of their diversity workshops, We where South Asians helps address the level of Caste discrimination in American workplaces are present. Workplaces and non-profits dealing with the South Asian community it is For all government, corporate, required for interacting crucial that sensitivity to Caste be part of the cultural competencies with this community. sensitize themselves to the issue of Caste. Anti-hazing and bullying discrimination policies sensitize themselves to the issue of Caste. Caste in order to adequately for students and staff must be updated to specifically mention experiences on campuses. This will act as a deterrent to Caste reflect the reality of lived discrimination in their institutions. of higher learning. Many of these students then go on to seek professional careers and then go on to seek professional of higher learning. Many of these students Some then go on to become naturalized citizens permanent residency in the United States. some of the most Caste- reveals that these places are also This report of the United States. have reported a wide range of discriminations, ed sites for South Asian students. Students to verbal and even physical assault. from social exclusion student services recommend that institutional disciplinary committees and international We resources for teachers. Colleges and Universities into institutions students is arriving directly A cohort of newly immigrating South Asian also familiarize themselves with Caste and its implications for their students. also familiarize themselves with Caste and be vigilant when subjects are also uniquely placed to and school administrations Teachers of South Asian history and global politics. Caste or religion are taught in the context like and history of Caste made to feel that their narrative Caste-oppressed students must not be Appendix V contains other to this report itself, is erased or misrepresented. In addition Schools identities navigate complex South Asian children schools are often places where young K-12 school curriculum, a principally Eurocentric during formative periods of their lives. Within religion in South Asian and roots of Caste and many teachers are not aware of the nuances they racial dynamics, recommend that in addition to educators understanding We society. 30 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES fight bothwhitesupremacyandCasteapartheidinourjourneytowards equityforallofour progressive SouthAsianAmericancommunityremainscommitted totheideathatwemust that organizationvisionand/ormissionstatementsmentionCaste explicitly, sothatevery The mostimportantrecommendationwecanmake forSouthAsianorganizationsistoensure hegemonies ofcaste, religion,geography, andfaith. that constraintheotherminoritycommunitieswithinthiscategory. Theseincludinternal South Asiancategoryasa“race” wemustalsoacknowledgetheinternalhegemonies It iscrucialthatthehomogenizingofSouthAsianidentityshouldstop. Whileusingthe South AsianProgressive Organizations: all seekingGod. Religious institutionsmustcommittoensuringthataplaceofworshipiswhollywelcoming to Caste-based discriminationcaseswithinourreligiousinstitutions. We stronglyrecommendthesettingupofinfrastructureforreporting andmanagementof that Caste-baseddiscriminationwillnotbetolerated. Our missions,boards,ceremonial,charitable, andvaluesprocessesmustexplicitly maintain Caste-based divisionamongstourleadershipandmemberships. South AsianreligiousorganizationsintheUnitedStates mustcommittotheeradicationof Despite originsinHinduismandHinduscripture, CasteisnotjustaHinduproblem.Allofour Religious Institutions these allfronts. South AsiaagainstDalits,Adivasisandreligiousminorities,weadvise deepsensitivityon religious, relationship, andsociallocators.Especiallyinthecontext ofongoingviolencein South Asianimmigrantnetworks muststopreplicatingCasteprivilegethroughfood, communities’ experiences. de-prioritizing celebrationsoffaithholidaysasawaytoacknowledge thepluralityofour marking onlyHindufestivalsasourmarker ofculturalsolidarity. Inparticular, werecommend celebrate thisdiversityincommunities,andnotnarrowourSouthAsian experience to We alsoencourageSouthAsianAmericanorganizationstoorganize culturaleventsthat expressly mentioncommunitiesoftenmarginalizedthroughCaste andreligion. advocacy, organizing,andoutreacheventsareinclusive. Immigrantnetworks mustalso decentering ofIndianHindu“upper”Casteexperiences asthenorm,ensuringthatpolicy of SouthAsianconversationsaboutequity. Theprocessmustbeginwiththerecognitionand Ravidassia, andSikhbackgrounds. Thesecommunitiesneedtobeinvolvedintheshaping geographic diversity, especiallythecommunitiesthatarefromBuddhist,Christian,Muslim, South AsianAmericanimmigrantnetworks mustworkthentosupportCaste, religious,and communities. TheerasureofCasteisnolongeranoptionforanyone inourmovements. CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 31

s the Caste spectrum of immigrants in the U.S. has experienced profound changes has experienced U.S. s the Caste spectrum of immigrants in the of Caste and to understand the dimensions in the past 20 years, we must continue all South Asians in the diaspora. provide for the safety and well-being of Conclusion accountability, and most of all justice in all of our communities. accountability, solidairity with grassroots Ambedkarite anti-caste movements in our countries of origin. This anti-caste movements in solidairity with grassroots Ambedkarite is an opportunity we must not squander. always heard in our hope that the data in this report tells the stories we haven’t We reject harmful and to create spaces that communities and inspires intentional efforts opportunities for dialogue, this report opens new discriminatory ideologies. Instead, we hope with a broad brush. Recognition of the prevalence of Caste - often hidden in plain sight in with a broad brush. Recognition of before the challenge step that must be taken the diaspora - is the first and most critical can be addressed. addressing discrimination and erasure the errors of history as is uniquely situated to redeem The South Asian American community and in in the United States around Caste well as set the tone for a progressive conversation U.S. Institutional leaders, civic leaders, educators, policy makers, and community organizers leaders, civic leaders, educators, policy makers, Institutional U.S. Asians to paint South attempts and resist in the community the heterogeneity must recognize A 32 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Figure 18:TimeofMigration to theUnited States In thissection,weuseresultsfromthesurveytomapCaste-wise generaldemographic Demographic Analysis Caste intheDiaspora APPENDIX I Percentage of Respondents Asia. processes possiblysupportedbyfamilywealth,educationandCaste privilegeinSouth American diaspora.“Upper”Casteimmigrantshavehadanearlier startontheirmigration respondents couldberepresentativeofelevatednumbersBrahmin immigrantsinthe We believethatoneofthereasonsforissuehighrepresentation ofBrahmin Time SinceMigration The genderandsexuality spreadsofrespondentscanbefoundinAppendixII. reflection ofthegeneraldemographicsSouthAsianAmericans. The surveysampledrespondentslargelyfrom18-49yearsofage. We understandthistobea markers ofSouthAsiansintheUnitedStates. 1–10 years ago 47 30% 50% 60% 20% 40% , 48 , 49 Time ofFirst Migration 11–20 years11–20 ago 46

21–50 years21–50 ago Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra Dalit CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 33

2% 17% 32% 24% 25% Dalit Caste 5% 17% 26% 26% 26% Shudra 8% 18% 24% 22% 29% Immigrants by Caste by Immigrants Vaishya making less than $24,999 a year. 4% 17% 33% 25% 20% 50 Kshatriya Shudra, Vaishya and Kshatriya Shudra, Vaishya 5% 13% 35% 22% 25% make less than $24,999 a year make Brahmin in the diaspora are still Brahmins of

Dalits make less than $24,999 a year. less than $24,999 a year. make of of the members of the

10% Only 30% 25% groups $100,000 to $249,999 $100,000 to 99,000 $50,000 $25,000 to $49,999 than $24,999 Less $250,000 or more $250,000 lowest median incomes regardless of race or national background. Caste segregated data Caste segregated or national background. lowest median incomes regardless of race gradations within these communities. also informs us of existing and between $50,000 a fourth of respondents from each Caste group make Approximately do stand out: some factors However, per year. $100,000 a high median together have been reported to make immigrants taken Indian and Pakistani is not true for all This per year in the United States. household income of over $100,000 Bangladeshi immigrants report some of the For example, people of South Asian background. Household Income Household Incomes of South Asian 1: Household Table Dalits reporting the most recent migrations. Dalits reporting the Caste-oppresseds of South Asians diversifies with increasing As the Caste distribution importance of increasing that Caste itself will become a factor inclusions, we anticipate within our communities. A majority of migrants arriving from 20-50 years ago were Brahmins, Vaishyas and Vaishyas ago were Brahmins, from 20-50 years of migrants arriving A majority groups. lead on the Caste-oppressed have had a relative These migrants Kshatriyas. with increasing migrations are steadily Dalit and Shudra results show that our However, 34 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Table 2:EducationalAttainment Across Caste Educational Attainment Figure 19:FirstGeneration Learners inEachCaste Group is withrespecttootherCastecommunities. reflects theaspirationsofourcommunityandhowunderdevelopedimmigrationpathway stipends andfellowshipsaffordedbytheirinstitutions.Theirparticipation inoursurvey mostly thegraduateandpost-graduatelevels.Reported incomesthenmost likely reflect overcome Castebarriers.Theirapproachtoimmigrationhasbeen enterasstudents,at We believethatmanyDalitsseekingsuccessare outsideofIndiatotry Why thendohighlyeducateddemographicstranslatetolowincomes forDalits? groups, Dalitsalsoreportedthehighestratesoffirstgenerationlearning. reported thattheireducationalattainmentwasinthepostgraduate level.OfalltheCaste Interestingly, despitebeinglowlevelearners,almosthalfofDalits andShudrassurveyed income. In theUnitedStates, thereexists astrongcorrelationbetweeneducationalattainmentand Post-graduate High school Graduate school Four-year college Caste Group vocational training Trade/technical/ Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra Dalit 0% 5% 6% 11% 10% 14% Brahmin 17% Percentage ofRespondents 26% 45% 23% 6% 1% 20% Kshatriya 30%40% 36% 35% 19% 9% 1% Vaishya 30% 39% 19% 13% 0% Shudra 50%60% 40% 30% 22% 7% 1% Dalit 49% 12% 31% 5% 3% CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 35 76% over three- 48% Percentage of Respondents Percentage 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 30% 40% 7% 2% 5% 0% 10% 20% 0% 10% Dalit Shudra

Vaishya

Brahmin Kshatriya Caste Group Caste The unexpected shift observed is the decline in the ownership of land or property amongst shift observed is the decline in the ownership of The unexpected causes behind such a the Brahmins in the diaspora. If there are significant sociological to be investigated. but they remain decline, Economic disparities in migrational beginnings become clear when one considers that Economic disparities in migrational beginnings become clear when Asia when compared “upper” Caste South Asians still own more land and property in South to their Dalit counterparts. it clear that this overall pattern of land and property ownership from this survey make Results is still following Caste-ed patterns in the United States. Caste groups - Kshatriya, Brahmin and Vaishyas. And it is the only explanation for why Dalits And it is the only explanation Brahmin and Vaishyas. Caste groups - Kshatriya, of where policy can have a such levels of educational attainment. This is surely an example the difference in the battle for equity in the face of injustices. make Land and Property Ownership The success of South Asian Affirmative Action programs in developing an educated and The success of South Asian Affirmative the fact that is strongly supported by skilled labor force capable of migrating, or their migrating stated that they themselves fourths of Dalits and almost half of Shudras programs. family members were recipients of these to members of other Since these programs are Caste-based, they have not been available are most likely indicative of the democratizing outcomes of Affirmative Action schemes that indicative of the democratizing outcomes of Affirmative are most likely Action was instituted most robustly Affirmative have run in India for over 60 years. In India, education and origins, in state-funded for people with Dalit, Adivasi and Caste-oppressed of upward resulted in a powerful wave has likely work in the 1950s through the 1990s. This the nation. social mobility for the most deprived in These educational achievements are extraordinary, especially considering the severe especially considering These educational achievements are extraordinary, face in South Asia. and Shudras continue to restrictions on access to education Dalits this, we point to historical conditions. In explaining educational attainment waves of migration and Both the relatively recent Dalit and Shudra This is further supported by this next chart which shows that Dalit American immigrants chart which shows that Dalit This is further supported by this next generation learning. report some of the highest levels of first Figure 20: Beneficiaries of Affirmative Action in Countries of Origin in Countries Action Affirmative of 20: Beneficiaries Figure 36 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES by CasteevenintheUnited States. The origin andit their migratingfamilymembers Over 75% students. and arelikely doingsobecausetheyareenteringtheimmigrationprocessas Over 30% attained isatthe Almost 50% than 20yearsago. oppressed, mostofwhomarerecentmigrants,havingarrivedinAmericaless “upper” Castes. Over 50% Key Conclusionsfor Demographic Analysis they areearningforthewholeoftheirfamiliesbackhome. States. Fortheyarenotearning,justforthemselvesandtheir communities intheUS,but opportunities availabletothehistoricallyoppressed,evenpostmigration, totheUnited This isboundtoplaceanadditionalburdenonthestandardsofliving andfinancial Shudras. migrants andfirstgenerationallearnersearnerswhoareoften Dalits,Adivasis,and in theimmigrationoftheirrelativestoUnitedStates. Thisisespeciallytrueofrecent strategies tosupportfamilieswhoaredependentonandhaveheavily borrowedtoinvest significant portionsmaybere-investedincountriesoforiginsthrough immigrantremittance At thispoint,itisalsoappropriate tonotethat,oftheresourcesearned inthediaspora, and Shudrasarestillcommunitiesonthepathwaytoestablishedmiddleclasslives Taking theseobservationstogether, itstartstobecomeclearthatsocioeconomically, Caste Group Kshatriya Brahmin Vaishya Shudra overall patternoflandand propertyownershipcontinuestobeinfluenced Dalit Figure 21: Land and Property Ownership Originvs.DiasporaFigure 21:LandandProperty 0% was acontributingfactor to theirmigration. of of of 10% ThesemigrantshavehadarelativeleadonDalitsandCaste- of Dalits Dalits migrants arrivingfrom20-50yearsagowereBrahminsandthe postgraduate level Dalits andShudras inthediasporaarestill and 20% and nearly50% Percentage ofRespondents 30% received Affirmative Actionintheircountry 40% surveyedreportedthattheir 48% 50% 56% 56% making $24,999orlessayear

of 60% Shudras 68% 70% 73% 70% 76% statedthattheyor 78% 80% education 92% 93% . 90% Dalits of

Diaspora Origin CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 37 Figure 22: Sample Flyer Used 22: Sample Flyer Figure people 51 was directed to all those in

52

with the URL for the survey within the body of the email alongside a brief text orientation. a brief text with the URL for the survey within the body of the email alongside in cities in the East also distributed physical fliers in South Asian dense neighborhoods We for example speakers, Coast. For some organizations with largely regional dialect and West our fliers were translated to Punjabi. around Punjabi-speaking Gurdwara membership, brought to us by conducted regular calls and answered questions and concerns We respondents and potential respondents. direct contacts, community listservs, community direct contacts, community listservs, community and linguistic South Asian religious, cultural, organizations, immigrant organizations, and social media. networks messaging, social media text reached out to organizations and individuals via phone, We several large South Asian organizations to email their constituents asked and/or e-mail. We Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Trinidad/ Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, It was Kenya. and Guyana, Fiji, Tanzania, Tobago, open to people of different religious, political, tribal, and Caste affiliations. through Our team distributed the online survey responded to the 47-question survey. responded to the 47-question survey. The online survey as “South diaspora identifying the United States - those having subcontinental heritage Asian” India, from present-day Bangladesh, Bhutan, States. States. months, a team of Over a period of eight anti-Caste activists, community Caste experts, members, and policy advocates came together In the eight months of to create the survey. dissemination, slightly over 1,500 Equality Lab’s survey of Caste in the South Asian survey of Caste in the South Asian Equality Lab’s of extensive study is the first American diaspora its effects in the United Caste distribution and APPENDIX II APPENDIX In-Depth Methodology 38 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES • • • • The followingwerethekey goalsintheframingofsurveyquestions Development Support Survey andInstitutional • • • • • responses: The firststepwasthe“clean-up” ofthedata.Inthisstage, weeliminatedthefollowing Data Analysis Methods • • • improve infutureiterationsofthesurvey. During andafterthecollectionofresponses,werecognizedseveral placeswherewecould HurdlesSurvey different backgrounds. Questionswereadjustedaccordingtothe feedbackwereceived. Initial surveytestingwasdoneongroupsoffivetotenfocusgroup respondentswith American MuslimCouncilamongothers. Associations forIndia’s Development,AllianceforSouthAsiansTaking Action,Indian Asian organizationsintheUnitedStates, includingSouthAsianAmericansLeading Together, American Women’s Association.ThesurveywasalsoofficiallyendorsedbythelargerSouth International Mission(AIM),AmbedkarAssociationofNorthAmerica (AANA),andtheDalit- organizations intheUnitedStates includingtheDalitAmericanFoundation,Ambedkar The surveywashostedattypeform.com andwasendorsedbyallthemajoranti-Caste Caste nameandgroup). Eliminate responsesfromthose whointentionallylefttheirCaste identity blank(i.e. both report. We setasideresponsesfrom otherdiasporas(Europe, Africa etc.)forfollow-upinanother Responses from respondentswhoindicatedthattheyhadnoSouth Asianheritageatall. Responses thatwereintentionallyillogicalandmisleading Incomplete andduplicateresponses task ofthesurvey. Thishurdleisfurtherdiscussedinthedataanalysis sections. Some respondentsrefusedtodisclosetheirCasteidentityeventhough thiswasthemain experience andnotamoregeneralizedsurveysuchasthisone. these communities,weneededtousesurveystargetedspecifically totheircommunity geographies. We learnedthatinordertobestgatherandrepresent informationfor Caste arenotonlycomplex andhistoricallyinterlinked, butalso deeplyspecifictotheir indentured SouthAsiancommunitiesinAfrica, Fiji,andtheCaribbean,issuesof For certaincommunities,like Muslims,Christians,andpeoplewithrootsinthecolonially We needthesurveytranslatedtoregionaldialectsforsomecommunities. should nottake morethan15minutestocomplete. To keep thesurveyasshortanduser-friendlypossible. We estimatedthatoursurvey activists inthediaspora. To minethestoriesofdiscrimination.We hadalready widelyencounteredanti-Caste the UnitedStates To identifytheCaste-basedexperiences ofpeopleintheUnitedStates diaspora To includeallpersonsidentifyingasSouthAsians. . 53 : while in

CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 39 61 , 60 , 59 , 58 , 57 , 56 , 55 , 54

specific to their Dalit heritage were stated in open-ended questions, these have been in open-ended questions, specific to their Dalit heritage were stated highlighted as meaningful. of their South Asian inter-race heritage were identified by the Caste of Respondents parent. Matching open-ended long form answers in “Others”, “Please Explain” or “Additional or “Additional “Please Explain” answers in “Others”, open-ended long form Matching not identify as if someone did for example, rubric of the survey with the Comments” the but mentioned because of Caste a romantic partner against having discriminated answer. same in the long form which of the know or identify stated their Caste names but did not For respondents who we Dalit or Adivasi) they belonged to, Shudra, Kshatriya, Vaishya, Caste groups (Brahmin, census reports, and records, names to groups based on the scholarly matched their Caste government gazettes. as the Caste of inter-Caste heritage were identified who reported being Respondents Caste as a particular themselves. Where they did not identify group they had chosen a person of Shudra and For example, the uppermost Caste group was assumed. group, of data analysis. If experiences to be Shudra for the purposes Dalit heritage was taken and clarity. Where necessary, names, dates, and other identifying information have been Where necessary, and clarity. redacted or changed to preserve confidentiality. too small to yield reliable results and therefore, anecdotal, and self-reported information is anecdotal, and self-reported too small to yield reliable results and therefore, in the diaspora. their Caste-ed experiences presented as a secondary means to represent use of statistical testing to establish the we did not employ the In this version of the survey, plan to do so in future iterations. statistical significance of results, but we spelling, for grammar, Anecdotal responses to open-ended questions have all been edited survey. Findings were presented in the form of percentages where each percentage has percentages where Findings were presented in the form of survey. in each Caste group. been normalized to the percent of respondents numbers. these percentages to whole Throughout this report, we have rounded communities were some Muslims, and indentured Caste group sample sizes for Adivasis, Taken together, our cleaning process reduced our sample size from an initial set of 1534 reduced our sample size from our cleaning process together, Taken respondents to 1200 respondents. to each question in the of responses, responses were tabulated the initial cleaning up After • • • Further Cleaning Up Tasks Included: FurtherUp Tasks Cleaning • 40 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Prefer notto say AGE DISTRIBUTIONOFRESPONDENTS and SexualOrientation Distribution ofAge, Gender APPENDIX III Figure 23:Age, GenderandSexualOrientation they arepresentedasawhole. This informationbroken downbyCastegroupdidnotyieldanynotablevariancesandso SEXUALITY IDENTIFIERS OFRESPONDENTS SEXUALITY Heterosexual Homosexual Pansexual 47% Bisexual Asexual Queer Other 5% 0% 1% 0.4% 1.1% 2.3% 1% 3.5% 5.6% 6.1% 46% 10% 9.8% Percentage ofRespondents 20% 30% 65 years andover 50–64 years old years30–49 old years18–29 old 0–17 years old 40% 50% 60% 70% 71.1%

CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 41 51.8% 50% 41.7% 40% 30% Percentage of Respondents Percentage 20% 10% 3.9% 0.7% 0.8% 0.8% 0.1% 0.1% 0%

Other Gender Cis men Trans men Trans Cis women Trans women Trans Gender-queer non-conforming Prefer not to say not to Prefer GENDER IDENTIFIERS OF RESPONDENTS GENDER IDENTIFIERS 42 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Adivasi Responses APPENDIX IV to drawanyconclusionsfromthedatacollected.Suchasmallnumberof This surveycouldgatheronly12Adivasiresponses.numberis toosmall because ofyoruCaste? While inthediasporahaveyoubeenthreatenedorphysically attacked of yourCaste? While inthediasporahaveyoubeentreatedunfairlyataworkplace because of businessbecauseyourCaste? While inthediasporahaveyoubeenrefusedorgivenpoorservice ataplace your Caste? While inthediasporahaveyoubeentreatedunfairlyatschoolbecause of What isyourfoodpreference-answeringvegetarian? finding outaboutyourCaste? Have youoryourfamilyworriedaboutsocialnetworks inthediaspora in yourcountryoforigin? Prior toimmigration,didyouoryourfamilyutilizeAffirmative Actionpolicies Does yourfamilyownland/propertyinthediaspora? Does yourfamilyownland/propertyincountryoforigin? Are youthefirstgenerationtohaveaccesseducationinyour family? Survey Question(Total of12respondents) and somehavebeenpresentedhere. experiences inthediaspora,these12responsesaresignificant themselves immigrated tothediaspora.UntilwehaveamorerobustsurveyofAdivasi responses mayitselfreflectthataverysmallnumberofAdivasipeople have Respondents # ofAdivasi Answering Yes 2 2 2 8 4 4 3 7 1 1 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 43

LOW HIGH TO RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES ACCESS/OWNERSHIP education, employment, etc. DALITS resources i.e. arable land, clean water, resources i.e. Caste determines access to opportunities Caste determines access to opportunities for advancement as well as to ownership of for advancement as well as to ownership

Caste communities that were forced by Caste forced Caste communities that were and and bonded agricultural labor, apartheid slave into manual scavenging. like undignified sanitation work spiritually jobs considered for Branded untouchable polluting, they struggle against extreme violence and discrimination.

Priests Warriors Peasants Merchants SHUDRAS VAISHYAS BRAHMINS KSHATRIYAS

ADIVASIS

Indigenous people of South Asia. For For Indigenous people of South Asia. and political/cultural self-determination they fight against the stripping autonomy, of their ancestral land and its natural resources. The Caste pyramid is the most powerful visual tools for teaching about Caste Apartheid in visual tools for teaching about The Caste pyramid is the most powerful South Asia. the the religious origins of Caste, recommend this graphic in particular because it links We imbalances resulting from it. and the socioeconomic structure of the social hierarchy, Caste FAQs Caste 1. What is the Caste pyramid? Resources for for Resources Teachers APPENDIX V APPENDIX 44 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES However, thetermusedinSouthAsiancontext isdistinctanddefinedbyoneofthe whiteness inmixed racepeoplesaswellpresentdayclasshierarchies. related toclosenessroyaltyandclass.IntheAmericas,Castehas beenusedtoquantify Caste isawordusedinseveralcontexts aroundtheworld.InEurope, ithassignifiedstatus Caste areoften“ the systemofsocialcodificationtheywitnessed existing inSouthAsia.Thenativetermsfor lineage, orbreed.” The word“Caste” itselfstemsfromtheSpanishandPortuguese “ 2. Where doestheword “Caste” comefrom? the classladder, butcanneverchangetheirCastelocation. each other. Forexample, considerthatalowerCastepersoncanacquirewealthandmoveup or middle-classupbringings.However, like race, Casteandclassdo not directlymaponto oppressed peoplestherefore, donotcomefromwealthandoftentracebacktolower-class to resources,classinSouthAsiancommunitiesisdeeplyinterlinked with Caste. ManyCaste- It isimportanttounderstandthatbecauseofthewayCaste hashistorically dividedupaccess 4. Howis Casterelated to Class? • • • • • • following: even whennotasked ordisclosedoutright,aperson’s Castecan beidentifiedthroughthe People maydirectlyinterrogateeachotheronwhatCastethe belongsto. However, another’s Caste. Whilenotalwaysobvious,thereareseveralidentifiers. To anon-SouthAsianperson,itmaybedifficulttounderstandhow peopleidentifyone 3. affecting over300millionpeople. oldest persistingsystemsofoppression,manifestingeventoday, asanapartheiddirectly their Castecommunitythroughfamiliesandsocialcircles. Family andsocialaffiliations your religiousaffiliationcanindicateCastelocation. have adoptedthesereligiousbeliefstoescapeCasteoppressioninHinduism. Therefore, Religion darker inskincolorthan“upper”Castepeoplefromthesameregion. not mapdirectlytorace. However, manyCaste-oppressedpeoplesareperceivedtobe Skin color segregated byCaste, aparticularnameoftownorregioncanbetellingyourCaste. The nameoftheirnativehometowninSouthAsia and consumebeef. are not.ManyDalitsandAdivasis,inadditiontobeingnon-vegetarian, alsouniquelycook Food Preferences strongest indicatorofone’s Castelocation. Last name How do South Asians identify eachother’sHow doSouthAsians identify Caste? 63

-ManyMuslim,Christian,Buddhists,andSikhsarepeople whosecommunities -Racial andethnicmixinginSouthAsiahasacomplex historyandCastedoes -ManySouthAsianlastnamesare, infact,theirCastenames.Thisisoftenthe varna 62 Itwasappliedbywhitecolonialsduringthe17thcenturyC.E.torefer -Manyvegetariansare“upper”CastesandCaste-oppressed people (Castegroup)”and -People ofallCastescanhavestrongandidentifiabletiesto jati (Caste)”. -Becauselivingspacescanbe casta”

, whichmeans“race, CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 45

.

Medium Livemint http://www.bbc. https://www.outlookindia.com/ . Retrieved from . Retrieved BBC News . Retrieved from from . Retrieved http://theaerogram.com/caste-privilege-101-primer- Outlook https://www.salon.com/2016/05/16/theres_a_new_battle_ https://medium.com/@Bahujan_Power/the-dalit-bahujan-guide-to- Retrieved from Retrieved , 2005. http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/FLn6TiQPArdQZUN9LE2ZsM/The-impact-of- (2015). , India, 2016. Retrieved from from Retrieved Soft Group Black Experience.” Ind. Int’l & Comp. L. Rev. 3 (1992): 101. L. Rev. Ind. Int’l & Comp. Black Experience.” Chandler Publishing Schwartz, Barton M., ed. Caste in Overseas Indian Communities. 1967. Company, Manohar Publishers Castes in India: Their Mechanism, Genesis and Development. Vol. Bhimrao Ramji. Ambedkar, 1. and States: The Untouchable Action in India and the United “Affirmative Chandola, M. Varn. Fighting for Your Identity (2012). Fighting for Your magazine/story/the-black-indians/281938 - Books and Papers: Other Resources in Indian Society. Debrahmanising History: Dominance and Resistance Mani, Braj Ranjan. Pandit, E., There’s a New Battle Raging in California Over History Textbooks. Here’s What You What You Here’s Textbooks. in California Over History a New Battle Raging E., There’s Pandit, from Retrieved Need to Know. raging_in_california_over_history_textbooks_heres_what_you_need_to_know/ Roots, Your The Black Indians: Growing up Dalit in the US, Finding Soundararajan. T., (2016). understanding-caste-in-hindu-scripture-417db027fce6 July 20). Mobility in India (2017, Munshi. K., The Impact of Caste on Economic from Retrieved caste-on-economic-mobility-in-India.html com/news/world-asia-india-35650616 A Primer for the Privileged. S., Caste Privilege 101: and Varatharajah. Soundararajan, T., The Aerogram privileged/ Hindu Scripture. Guide to Understanding Caste in A Dalit-Bahujan V., Karunakaran, Four-Caste group structure. These Caste dynamics warrant in depth follow-up studies. These Caste dynamics Four-Caste group structure. - Articles: Other Resources July 20). (2017, Caste System? What is India’s 5. Is Caste just a Hindu problem? just a Hindu 5. Is Caste Asian problem. South just a Hindu Caste is by no means roots in Hinduism, Despite its concepts imbibed Hindu Caste that have all practice forms of and Christians Muslims, Sikhs group roots. Caste and historical own religious beliefs them with their and intermingled to the correspond often don’t different for these communities and structure can look very 46 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES Questions Survey APPENDIX VI Healthcare Support Education, Training, andLibrary Cleaning andMaintenance Community andSocialService employment orstudy? * 6. Whichofthefollowingbestdescribesyour F: Other E: Post-Graduate D: GraduateSchool C: Trade/Technical/Vocational Training B: 4-yearCollege A: HighSchool response. You maychoose“Other” totypeinyourspecific you havecompleted?* 5. Whatisthehighestlevelofeducation F: Other E: Prefernottosay D: Pansexual C: Bisexual B: Gay/lesbian(or“Homosexual”) A: Heterosexual your specificresponse. You maychoose“Other” totypein your sexual orientation? * 4. Whichofthetermsbestdescribes E: Other D: Prefernottosay C: Gender-queer B: Male A: Female response. You maychoose“Other” totypeinyourspecific 3. Whatisyourgenderidentification? * immigrated to *Please namethecityincountryyou 2. Whichcitydoyouliveinthediaspora*? E: 65yearsandover D: 50-64yearsold C :30-49yearsold B :18-29yearsold A :0-17yearsold 1. Whatisyourage? *

D: $100,000 to$249,999 C: $50,000 to99,999 B: $25,000to$49,999 A: Less than$24,999 household income? * 7. Whichcategorybestdescribesyourannual Other Transportation andMaterials Healthcare PractitionersandTechnical Food PreparationandServing Administrative Support Architecture andEngineeringOffice Arts, Design,Entertainment,MediaSports Construction andExtraction Protective Service and Service Business andFinancialOperationsPersonal Care Forestry Computer andMathematicalFarming,Fishing, Management Legal Physical, andSocialScience Installation, Maintenance, andRepair Life, Sales Production you mayskipthisquestion. religious preferenceisthesame as yourfamily’s, You maychoosemorethanoneoption. Ifyour preference. 11. IfyousaidNo, pleasestateyourownreligious No Yes 10. Doyoushare thisreligiouspreference? * I: Other H: Sikh G: Muslim F: Jain E: Jewish D: Hindu C: Christian B: Buddhist A: Atheist/Agnostic Choose asmanyyoulike than oneoption. the “Other” option.You mayalsochoosemore If yourreligionisnotlisted,youmaystateitunder 9. Whatreligiondoesyourfamilyidentifyas? * I: Other H: Myanmar G: Bangladesh F: Bhutan E: Afghanistan D: SriLanka C: Nepal B: Pakistan A: India Choose asmanyyoulike. under the“Other” option. If yourplaceoforiginisnotlisted,youmaystateit South Asia? * 8. Whatisyourorfamily’s placeoforiginin E: $250,000 ormore

CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 47

Please rate from 1 to 5, where 1 is “Not at all Important” Important” and 5 is “Very 26. Prior to immigration, did you or your family Action) policies (Affirmative utilize Reservation to gain access to employment or educational * opportunities in your country of origin? Choose as many as you like A: Yes B: Center C: Right D: Other 21. Which of the following best describes your of political leanings with respect to your country origin. * A: Left B: Center C: Right D: Other to 22. Are you the first generation to have access education in your family? Yes No 23. Does your family own land/property in your country of origin? Yes No 24. Does your family own land/property in the * diasporic country? Diasporic location refers to the country you immigrated to. Yes No 25. How important is Caste to your family in your * country of origin? If you choose “Other”, you may type in your you may type in “Other”, If you choose response. A: Brahmin B: Kshatriya C: Vaishya D: Shudra E: Dalit /Scheduled Caste Tribe F: Adivasi/ Scheduled G: Ashraf H: Ajlaf I: Arzral J: Other * of the same Caste? 18. Are both your parents Yes No each parent’s what is you chose NO, If 19. individual Caste? best describes your Which of the following 20. political leanings with respect to the diasporic * country? Diasporic country refers to the country you to your please state next If other, immigrated to. selection. A: Left

16. Is your Caste name your last name? * 16. Is your Caste name your last name? Yes No Which Caste group does your Caste fall under? 17. communities, please see - https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Caste_system_among_Muslims . Mahar, responses are: Iyer, Some example Julaha, Qureshi, Kamma, Bagdi, Yadav, Syed, Christian, Christian, Latin Syrian Chettri, Newar, Berava, Navandanna, Govigama, Agamudaiyar, Namashudra etc. Bhagobenees, Rishi, Tele, E: 50-100 years ago F: More than a 100 years ago * 15. What is the name of your Caste? Please state the specific name of the Caste to which you belong. Caste cuts across religious to For example, and geographical backgrounds. see how Caste operates in South Asian Islamic C: Other to 14. When did you or your family first immigrate * the diasporic country? A: 1-5 years ago B: 6-10 years ago C: 11-20 years ago D: 21-50 years ago X : Saudi Arabia Y : Uganda Z : Other the 13. Are you the first generation to migrate to * diasporic country? A: Yes B: No Q : France R : Zimbabwe S : United States T : Mauritius U : Kuwait V : Canada W : Oman I : UAE I : UAE J : Belgium K : Zambia L : South Africa M : Bahrain N : Germany O : Qatar P : Tanzania A : Guyana B : Australia C : Kenya D : United Kingdom E : Singapore Tobago and F : Trinidad G : Malaysia H : Fiji 12. What is your or your family’s diasporic country? country? diasporic your or your family’s 12. What is you refers to the country Diasporic location you location is not listed, If your to. immigrated option. “Other” may state in under the 48 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES group as yourself? * group asyourself? professional networks ofthesameCaste/Caste 28. ArepeopleofSouthAsianorigininyour Caste 5 =Yes peopleinmysocialnetworkareall many differentCastes 1 =Notatall,peopleinmysocialnetworkareof Please rateonascalefrom1to5. group asyourself. * networks largelyfallintothesameCaste/Caste 27. DothepersonsinyourSouthAsiansocial C: Other B: No 36. Haveyouoryourfamilyworried aboutyour No Yes family’s economic background? * 35. DoyouthinkyourCastehasdetermined your No Yes physical appearance? * 34. DoyouthinkthatCastehasdeterminedyour No Yes result ofyourCasteculture? * 33. Would yousayyourfoodpreferences area C: Other B: Non-Vegetarian A: Vegetarian food preferenceifnotlisted. You mayusetheotheroptiontodescribeyour 32. Whatisyourfoodpreference? * No Yes jobs?* populations increasedaccesstoeducationor Action) policiesallowingmarginalizedCaste 31. AreyouinfavorofReservation (Affirmative C: Other B: No A: Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You mayusethe“Other” optionforadditional by romanticpartnersbecauseofyourCaste? * 30. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoubeenrejected C: Other B: No A: Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You mayusethe“Other” optionforadditional romantic partnershipbecauseofhisorherCaste?* 29. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoueverrejecteda 5 =Yes, theyarethesameCasteasme 1= No, theyarefromvariousCaste Please rateonascalefrom1to5.

Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You mayusethe“Other” optionforadditional attacked becauseofyourCasteinthediaspora? * 39. Haveyoubeenthreatenedorphysically Other No Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You mayusethe“Other” optionforadditional Casteist jokes inthediaspora? * 38. HaveyoubeensubjectedtoCasteslursor No Yes for helpregardinghousing/school/employment?* you oryourfamilyaccessCastecommunity 37. Onimmigratingtoyourdiasporiccountry, did No Yes Diaspora referstothecountryyouimmigratedto. out yourCaste? * friend andsocialnetworks inthediasporafinding Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You mayusethe“Other” optionforadditional fellow students? * unfairly atschoolbecauseofyour Castebyyour 43. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoubeentreated Other No Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You canusethe“Other” optionforadditional or placeofbusinessbecauseyourCaste? * service orbeengivenpooratarestaurant 42. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoubeenrefused Other No Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You canusethe“Other” optionforadditional your Caste? * feel unwelcomeataplaceofworshipbecause 41. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoubeenmadeto Other No Yes Choose asmanyyoulike remarks. You canusethe“Other” optionforadditional of yourCaste? * leadership positionsinaplaceofworshipbecause 40. Whileinthediaspora,haveyoubeendenied Other No

CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 49

46. To what extent do you believe Caste to be what extent 46. To * practiced in your diaspora? where 1 is “not at all Please rate from 1 to 5 present” and 5 is “very much present” regarding Do you have any other comments 47. in the diaspora? your Caste experience 45. While in the diaspora, have you been treated 45. While in the diaspora, * because of your Caste? unfairly at a workplace option for additional may use the “Other” You remarks. like Choose as many as you Yes No Other No Other to add you like is anything else would 44. Is there school. in the to Caste experience with regards 50 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES 1. References Notes and 13. 12. 11. 10. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2.

buried-63541 can-t-use-graveyard-which-gounders-are- article/no-peace-dead-coimbatore-dalits- buried. can’t usegraveyardswhereGounders are No placeforthedead:Coimbatore Dalits of ChicagoPress,1980. Caste systemanditsimplications.University Dumont,Louis. Sons, 2011. to theAnthropologyofIndia. Clark-Decès, Isabelle, ed. based-slavery-in-sri-lanka/ org/key-issues/Caste-based-slavery/Caste- Network Studies andInternationalDalitSolidarity Hindus inPakistan A Study onPlightofScheduledCaste Shah,Zulfigar. Atermnowseenasderogatorybysome Weekly 10.4 (1958):5. Karve, Irawati. dictionary inSpanishandEnglish for more. SeeAppendixIII(Resources forTeachers) South Asiansubcontinent physically pollutingtoCaste-edHindus. Caste System, whoareseenasspirituallyand “untouchables” arepeopleoutsideofthe Asian-American-Foundation-2012.pdf uploads/2012/09/Demographic-Snapshot- Leading Together. American A demographicsnapshotofSouthAsian for more. social andeconomicoutcomes.Seebelow within theCastehierarchydeterminesyour persons withinone’s ownCaste. Position is maintainedbyendogamyormarryingonly ranked inahierarchybasedonbirth.Caste social divisioninIndiabywhichpeopleare Caste: Caste basedslaveryinSriLanka. Perceval, Richard,andJohnMinsheu. Adivasis Dalits , alsoformerlyknownasthe Asystemofreligiouslysanctioned http://www.thenewsminute.com/ (2007): 74. aretheIndigenouspeopleof s. SAALT, SouthAsianAmericans What isCaste? “Long BehindSchedule: Homo hierarchicus http://saalt.org/wp-content/ .” Indian InstituteofDalit A Companion JohnWiley& Economic http://idsn. . Latham. : The A 20. 19. 18. 17. 16. 15. 14. 31. 30. 29. 28. 27. 26. 25. 24. 23. 22. 21. “The DrivingOut” Sinophobia, TheChineseExclusion Actand Sacramento’s Chinatown:1882-American Gareth Stevens, 2006. Ingram,Scott. encompassing modernPakistan andIndia South Africa. Kwela Books, 2001. Ebr, Rehana. Kala pani:Casteandcolourin not-past.html com/2013/06/16/opinion/sunday/Caste-is- Development Studies 53.3 (2017):396-421. the NepaleseLabour Market Evaluation ofCasteWage Differentialsin Montes-Rojas. “ Mainali,Ram, SaqibJafarey, andGabriel asia/la-fg-cow-terror-snap-story.html cows inIndia. Rupa,Chatterjee. Christians inIndia. Webster, JohnCB. Human Welfare. UnitedNations the riseofDalitactivism.” Hart,Christine. mission. (2010). Reservation inHigherEducationIndia. Divinity. ghana-gandhi-statue-removing/ Retrieved from:http://time.com/4521241/ from ItsOldestUniversity. 277-311. Communication Association Absolutism.” Whiteness: RhetoricalConceptionsofWhite 204 (1923) UnitedStates v. BhagatSinghThind261U.S. 296 F. 173(S.D.Cal. 1923) Sage, 2008. counseling: Acomprehensiveintroduction. McAuliffe, Garrett,ed. Museum, Sacramento, California An EvidentiaryTimelineontheHistoryof Pre-Independence Punjab Caste isnotpast. Vigilante groupsbeatandkilltoprotect Keer, Dhananjay. Laskar, MehbubulHassan. Singh, G.B. Ghana WillRemove ‘Racist’ GandhiStatue Lacy, MichaelG.“ United States v. Akshay Kumar Mozumdar,

Popular Prakashan,1995. Prometheus Books Gandhi: BehindtheMaskof

Annals oftheInternational http://www.latimes.com/world/ South AsianAmericans Earnings andCaste:An “Untouchability today: Dr. Ambedkar:lifeand http://www.nytimes. ”. FriendsoftheYee Fow Exposing theSpectrumof Reservation Policy: EdwinMellenPr, 1992. A historyoftheDalit Culturally alert

TIME( Human Rights& : Anarea “Rethinking (2004). 32.1 (2008): .” The Journalof (2010): 51-62. 2016). . ”

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, Vol I-VII, I-VII, , Vol . Chandru. South Asia , 2012 http://www.ncbc. : http://www. BBC News 13.4 (2016): 367-370. 13.4 (2016): Scheduled Castes and “Varna Schemes “Varna “The Doctor and the Saint.” http://socialjustice.nic.in/ , 2015http://www.thehindu.com/ Biswas. S., International Journal of Applied International Comparative Studies in Society and in Society and Comparative Studies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ” 11.1 (1969): 27-45. 11.1 The Hindu astes and Tribes of Southern India astes and Tribes List of Muslims and Other Backward Classes Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Shukla, Rakesh. “Beef, Murderous Murderous “Beef, Shukla, Rakesh. in India: List_of_Muslim_Other_Backward_Classes_ communities_in_India C. Parvathamma, a Socio-economic Survey. Tribes: 1984. Books, Edition. 2014: 16-179. It is not clear to us why there is a dip in overall migration, between 11-20 years ago. number of survey respondents = 1536 Total http://www.Castesurvey.org/ See Appendix __ for a list of the survey questions in order. Government of India, List of OBCs (Other Backward Castes) by State. nic.in/User_Panel/CentralListStateView.aspx Richard G. Fox, and Ideological Integration in Indian Society. History Amendment Act of 1956 commonlii.org/in/legis/cen/num_act/ scastoa1956462/ updated wise list of Scheduled Castes State to 30-06-2016. UserView/index?mid=76750 C Edgar Thurston the under A Look Public Lynching: Rage, Surface.” Studies Psychoanalytic partnerships are inter-Caste LGBTQIA by homophobia additionally complicated within South and transphobia prevalent all Castes, tribes and Asian communities of religious affiliations. Census. The Asian Population. 2010 U.S https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/ c2010br-11.pdf of and the Wealth India’sBillionaires the Nation. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia- india-19921501 Judges, Castes and Social Justice K., opinion/op-ed/judges-Castes-and-social- justice/article6996279.ece Arundhati. Roy, Annihilation of Caste: The Annotated Critical 61. 62. 52. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 46. 47. 48. 49. 50. 51. . 39.2 39.2 http:// Sterling Pub Sterling Asian Journal of ” Nations like Nations like The Population The Population Erasing Caste: The Socioeconomic and 21.2 (2015): 180-191. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ Development and Change Development The Battle to Represent the Marginalized the Marginalized The Battle to Represent Ravidass, a Dalit saint and anti-Caste leader. Ravidass, identifying as Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Vaishyas identifying as Kshatriya, Shudra, despite in some cases, pressure from citizens. http://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/ g7678/power-survey/?slide=8 http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2015/01/14/ chapter-3-obstacles-to-female-leadership/ Gurudwaras are places of worship specific to Sikhs and the religion of Sikhism are a group of Sikhs who Ravidassias believe in the religious authority of Shri Guru battle_b_9817862.html A more detailed version of the methods used in this survey can be found in Appendix I http://www.Castesurvey.org/ This data is from India’s Caste Census of 2011 Monograph of Nepal, 2014. and others Bangladesh, Sri Lanka Pakistan, have poor Caste segregated demographic data. Caste segregated surveys also have not disclosed in detail the populations of those feministing.com/2016/04/19/the-battle-to- represent-marginalized-histories-in-california- textbooks/ The South Asian Histories for All Coalition http://www.southasianhistoriesforall. (SAHFA) org/ In this process, the communities that have played a major role in holding the line against Hindu fascist ideas of South Asia have been Dalits, and in particular the Dalit Sikhs (or of California. Ravidassias) and Caste Battle Over California Textbooks Apartheid. thenmozhi-soundararajan/erasing-Caste-the- Lerche, Jens. “Transnational Advocacy Advocacy Jens. “Transnational Lerche, for Dalits Action and Affirmative Networks in India.” (2008): 239-261. Tanchangya Rangabi Shrivastava, Jaya, and Quest for Justice: Cases “Dalit Women’s from India and Bangladesh. Studies Women’s Adoptions. California Instructional Materials http://www.cde. Department of Education. ca.gov/ci/cr/cf/imagen.asp Textbooks. Histories in California Mandal Commission and After. Mandal Commission 1992. Private Limited, 45. 42. 43. 44. 41. 39. 40. 38. 36. 37. 35. 33. 34. 32. 52 CASTE IN THE UNITED STATES who contributedinsomewaytothisdocumetntorthedatareferencedbyit. fictional graphicsintendedtoprotecttheidentitiesofindividualswho’s statementshavebeenquoted,or Any imagesorlikenesses ofpersonsappearinginthisdocument,excluding thatofphotographs,arepurely 65. 64. 63. SocioeconomicCasteCensus,2011www.secc.gov.in determinant ofone’s Caste. Enoughexceptions exist toeachofthese“rules” thateachisnotareliablestand-alone Perceval, Richard,andJohnMinsheu. www.EqualityLabs.org A dictionaryinSpanishandEnglish . Latham.