The failure of many to acknowledge Harris' Asian American identity has left many South Asian American women feeling that their heritage isn't being properly recognized. But as research points out, Asian America itself hasn't always been inclusive of those of South Asian descent.

Scholars argue that by disregarding more inclusivity in the Asian American community, people seek to restrict the potential strength and unity in the group...

Much of the messiness of Asian America as a label stretches back centuries, with the early beginnings of the category lying in part in a legal framework that ostracized those of Asian descent from citizenship and a place in America, said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor of public policy and political science at the University of California, Riverside.

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