Asian-American refers to Americans whose families originally came from Asia, a vast continent that includes countries like China, Japan, India, Korea, Vietnam, the Philippines, Pakistan, Thailand, and many others. If your grandmother emigrated from Seoul, South Korea, and you were born in California, you're Asian-American. If your great-grandparents came from Mumbai, India, in the 1950s and you've lived in Texas your whole life, you're Asian-American too.

The term covers an enormous range of cultures, languages, religions, and histories. Someone whose family has been in America since Chinese immigrants helped build the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s shares the Asian-American label with someone whose family arrived from Bangladesh last year, even though their experiences might be quite different. What they share is the experience of being American while also maintaining connections to Asian heritage.

Asian-Americans have contributed enormously to American life: they've started major companies, made scientific breakthroughs, created art and music, served in the military, and shaped their communities in countless ways. Today, over 20 million Asian-Americans live in the United States, making up about 6% of the population. Like other Americans, they're teachers, doctors, farmers, artists, athletes, and everything in between, living the same diverse American experience as everyone else while also maintaining their own unique cultural traditions and family histories.