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This project shares the voices and experiences of Bengali Americans* from the San Francisco Bay Area, exploring how they preserve, adapt, and pass on their cultural heritage while living in the United States. In conversations with community members, I asked about the ways they keep in touch with their Bengali roots, such as through traditions like pujas [religious festivals], language, or music, and how they navigate the challenges of continuing these practices far from "home." We also discussed the role of local organizations and events, such as community Durga pujas and other cultural events, in fostering a sense of belonging. Interviewees often compared how older and younger generations engage with traditions, noting both changes and continuities, and shared their hopes and concerns about how future generations of Bengali Americans will connect with their heritage.
This is a community storytelling initiative intended for the diasporic Bengali community, especially those who want to see their own experiences, traditions, and challenges reflected and preserved, as well as for those who may be navigating questions about cultural identity, tradition, and belonging. It is also aimed at anyone who may be interested in immigrant narratives, multicultural identity, and the evolving story of Asian America.
This project recognizes that while Bengali Americans are deeply aware of their own cultural experiences and live these experiences every day, these stories are often missing from larger public conversations. Documenting and sharing these personal narratives helps to preserve a living cultural legacy, celebrate the diversity of Bengali American experiences, and make these experiences more visible and accessible for future generations.**
I began the project with outreach to Bay Area Bengali organizations as an access point to the wider Bengali community in the Bay Area. My first contact, Rajib Maitra, from Baybasi, generously connected me with others (Thank you, Rajib da!), and from there the network grew organically with almost everyone connecting me with someone else. I also attended the North American Bengali Conference in Toronto, gaining broader context on how Bengali culture flourishes across the North American diaspora, specifically in the United States and Canada. Together, these conversations and experiences offer a portrait of a community deeply rooted yet constantly evolving, bridging continents and generations.
*The term here is used to apply to all Bengalis living in the San Francisco Bay Area irrespective of citizenship status. The project's focus is on personal and cultural experiences, and not legal status.
**This project shares personal stories to celebrate cultural traditions and identity. The stories are not part of a formal IRB-approved research study and cannot be used for academic research purposes.
Questions?
Questions?
Please contact Srijani Ghosh at srijani@berkeley.edu for more information.
Srijani Ghosh is a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. This project is funded by the AAPI Data Faculty Grant from the Asian American Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley.
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