Claiming Belonging: Uzbek Migration during the 21st Century

Durdona Melisova’s project explores Uzbek migration during the 21st century and Uzbek experiences in New York City. Through oral histories, archival research and family sources, Durdona explores Uzbek immigrants struggling with xenophobia, discrimination and social belonging throughout different experiences with religion, societal norms and labor exploitation during the post-Soviet Union era in order to point out a broader pattern of systemic barriers Asian Americans and other marginalized communities face. By highlighting Tashkent Supermarkets within the Sheepshead Bay area and other locations throughout New York City, she hopes to underscore the resilience and preservation of Uzbek culture: anchors that serve as sites for intergenerational storytelling.  

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01 Introduction 02 The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) 03 Life in Samarkand Post-1991 04 The Andijan Massacre 05 Repression under the Karimov Government 06 My Family's Immigration Story 07 Moving to the United States 08 Finding and Defining Uzbek Identity in New York City 09 Uzbek Community Institutions: Tashkent Supermarkets 10 Conclusion 11 Works Cited Enter the Exhibit
Neighborhood