Ayushma Neopaney: Belonging and becoming American
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On a recent evening, 30 students from my high school gathered to share a meal of traditional Nepali foods like momos and chow mein noodles. We’re a pretty diverse mix — American born, immigrant, white and students of color. And we’re all members of Global Minds, a youth-led after-school program of the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh that helps native-born Americans and immigrant-origin students get to know each other and celebrate each other’s cultures. Our goal is to make everyone feel supported, academically and socially, no matter their background.
Serving as Global Minds president is one of the most important activities I’ve done during my high school career.
I’ve lived in Pittsburgh since I was 5, but I’m originally from Nepal. My family are Bhutanese refugees, who were resettled in America after fleeing to Nepal. I remember just how strange and scary it was coming to a country where few people looked like me, spoke my language or understood my culture.
We didn’t let our outsider status stop us from advancing. Today, my dad owns a 7-11, and my mom is a cosmetologist. I will be studying marketing at Penn State.
But I’ve learned that real integration isn’t just about economic mobility. It’s about feeling like you’re part of things. My experience as an immigrant in America has taught me just how important it is to feel like you “belong” in your community — and how hard life is when you don’t.
The American Immigration Council recently released a “Belonging Barometer” that tracks how much Americans feel like they belong in various parts of their lives. According to the report, “when one belongs, they feel emotionally connected, welcomed, included and satisfied in their relationships.” Many of those who don’t belong have some kind of outsider status, according to the report. But it’s not just immigrants who feel out of place: 64% of Americans say they don’t feel a sense of belonging at work; 68% say they don’t feel like they belong in the country; and 74% say they don’t feel like they belong in their local community.
These findings have major implications for our happiness and even our health. People who lack a sense of belonging report more pain, stress and loneliness. They have less job satisfaction and tend to be less engaged in their communities. Not belonging is linked to negative outcomes not just for individual people, but for businesses and society as a whole.
The good news is that we know what helps increase belonging. People with diverse friendships feel less marginalized, even if they’re in the minority. The report pointed out that diversity “(enhances) creativity and more effective problem solving” and that inclusive, diverse communities enjoy better outcomes in health, education and income compared to segregated communities. It’s why a club like Global Minds is so important. We’re ensuring that students have access to social networks across the school.
Another way to increase belonging is something called “belonging interventions.” These can take many forms. When we arrived here, caring people from the Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh picked us up from the airport. The Jewish Family and Community Service of Pittsburgh stocked our new home with food so that we would have something to eat in those early days. Later, a lawyer volunteered to help us with the paperwork required to apply for American citizenship. Each one of these organizations and volunteers “intervened” in my family’s life with generosity and support. They made us feel welcome and they motivated us to get on our feet and move forward.
Obviously, we often felt out of place when we first arrived in America. Belonging isn’t a static thing. It can increase or decrease based on your circumstances, and across life settings, the report says.
I think that efforts to support new immigrants here is the reason why the Nepali community has flourished in our city. Now there are many more people in our city who look like me. I have a lot of friends who are immigrants, including my best friend who moved here from India when she was 9. I became a citizen when I was in eighth grade.
There are so many ways to help someone feel welcome. Global Minds is just one of them. I’d encourage everyone in my community and across Pittsburgh to reach out to the people around them, especially the outsiders. If high school students can do it, adults can too. We all have a role to play in making our communities places where everyone can belong.
Ayushma Neopaney is a 2023 Baldwin High School graduate.