Nikki, Vivek and a Lot of Success

I recently wrote about household incomes broken down by various factors.

Median household income for Americans was about $71.000 in 2021 which is the latest year in which the U.S. Census Bureau reported the data.

However, Asian Americans had a median household income of over $101,000.

Indian Americans have the highest individual median income within the Asian ethnic group.

Their median household income was $138,418.

Taiwanese Americans were next at $117,652.

Here is a list of all of the Asian ethnicities that have higher median households income than the average American ($70,784) and the average White American ($77,789) according to Census Bureau data.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ethnic_groups_in_the_United_States_by_household_income

The success of Indians who have immigrated to the United States is a remarkable story that underscores an  important lesson.

The United States truly is a land of opportunity for those who are willing to use their natural abilities and are willing to work hard.

When you consider that most of the Indians that compose that high median household income have been here no more than a single generation the story of success is even more impressive.

They were uprooted from friends and family to a foreign country far from home with large numbers having limited English language skills when they arrived.

Many in the first generation took jobs that others did not want to do or established themselves as entrepreneurs in businesses with long hours in the convenience store sector, restaurant or hotel industry.

The impact of these Indians is not just felt with small businesses. 

Take a look at the number of CEO's of Indian ethnicity that are now running the show at major brand name companies.

Source: https://twitter.com/stats_feed/status/1695449932277186798

I have also written in the past about how Eastern Asians, particularly Indian Americans, have come to dominate the National Spelling Bee.

In a blog post I wrote in 2017 I pointed out the 15 finalists in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

From what country and ethnic group were most of the 15 finalists from?

The final six, as was the ultimate winner (Ananya Vinay), were all immigrants or children of immigrants from India.

English was likely not the native language of their parents. However, the six best spellers of English words in American schools all had Indian heritage.

So it has been for most of the last 20 years at the National Spelling Bee,

We hear people throw around the term "white privilege" and statements like the "deck is stacked" against minorities and immigrants in this country. We hear that the color of your skin defines you and makes it hard to succeed in America.

These students did not listen. They dedicated themselves and worked hard. They did not allow anything to define them other than their results.

I would guarantee that they also had supportive parents who encouraged their hard work. They did not tell them that the system was stacked against them. They told them that in America you could achieve anything you set your mind to.

Let's not forget that two of the Presidential contenders on the Republican side are also children of Indian immigrants. The parents of both Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy were born and raised in India and did not immigrate to the United States until they were in their 20's.

The mother of Kamala Harris also immigrated to the United States from India when she was a 19 year old student.

Harris likes to identify as African American, just like Barack Obama does, even though both had a lot of other ethnic blood coursing through their veins. The father of Kamala Harris was Jamaican.

We often hear about how white privilege means that it is difficult for immigrants or people of color to get ahead in the United States.

It is difficult to square that narrative with the success that so many Indians have found in the United States.

It suggests that the American Dream is still very much alive for those who are willing to seize opportunity and work to achieve their goals.