119. Commusings: A Bridge to America’s Future

Multicultural Shift

Jeff Krasno reflects on the evolving multicultural landscape of America, highlighting how personal narratives intertwine with broader societal changes. He shares his own immigrant story, noting that unless one is descended from Native Americans or those brought to America against their will, most Americans share a similar immigrant background 1. Kamala Harris's candidacy as the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent on a major party's presidential ticket symbolizes this shift.

Harris's selection underscores the rise of a new wave of children of immigrants, or second-generation Americans, as a growing political and cultural force.

--- Jeff Krasno

This demographic change is further emphasized by the fact that whites now make up less than half of the population under 16, driven by increasing numbers of Asians, Hispanics, and multiracial individuals 1.

   

Immigrant Legacy

The legacy of immigration is deeply embedded in Jeff Krasno's family history, illustrating the broader immigrant experience in America. He recounts the journey of his ancestor, Nathan Kiva, who emigrated from Odessa to New York in 1898, eventually settling in Chicago and starting a family 2. This narrative of movement and adaptation is mirrored in Jeff's own life, having moved multiple times across Europe and Brazil by the age of seven.

This jumble of genetics, faiths, and peripatetics has always made self-identification a confounding process for me.

--- Jeff Krasno

Such stories highlight the complex tapestry of identities that form the American cultural landscape, emphasizing the role of immigration in shaping both individual and collective identities 2.