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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