Close to 600,000 South Asian Americans live in New York, making it home to the nation’s second largest South Asian population, behind only California. The New York City area, specifically, is home to the largest Indian American population of any metropolitan area in the country. In Manhattan, the neighborhoods of Rose Hill and Murray Hill between 25th and 30th street have become known as Curry HIll, due to the growing Indian food scene. The South Asian population in Queens, Brooklyn, and Nassau County have skyrocketed in recent years as well, making Indian Americans one of the largest and fastest growing ethnicities in the city.

Kevin Thomas became the first South Asian elected to the New York legislature when he won his race for State Senate in 2018, from Nassau County. Jennifer Rajkumar became the first South Asian woman elected to the Legislature when she won her Assembly seat, representing parts of Queens. And despite the prevalence of South Asians in New York City, New York City never had a South Asian on its Council before 2021. But, in 2021, 2 were elected – Shahana Hanif from Brooklyn and Shekar Krishnan from Jackson Heights in Queens.

South Asians are an important part of the diverse tapestry that is New York. In order to ensure that the full American experience is being told, and to uplift the voices of our community, we must continue our electoral success. Help us raise civic engagement, mobilize our communities, and ultimately increase our representation.