In American Like Me, thirty-two authors share their stories and experiences living in, within, and across cultures. The contributors include actors, comedians, entrepreneurs, writers, politicians, athletes and artists. As a whole they give voice to the American experiences of immigrants, children of immigrants, indigenous people, or those of whose identities cross cultures. Here, you may explore these authors in greater detail through related links, biographies, and more.
I just don't like being hungry or checking off a list of things I can't do. And when it comes to Ramadan, you can't eat, drink, have sex, or even think ungenerous thoughts for an entire month. You also have to pray a lot. Which I didn't do, outside of 'I pray they don't serve Domino's for lunch, Lord Allah, because I may be tempted.
The average height in America is two inches taller than in Pakistan. In Pakistan I was one of the taller people. And now suddenly I was shorter than most people. It wasn't like I was in a land of giants, because it's only two inches. It was more like I was standing in a ditch…that moved with me.
[My mother] enrolled me in Catholic elementary school in Queens…. [She] marched right into the principal's office at drop-off to explain that…they were to exempt me from as much of the biblical religiosity as possible. I was relegated to sitting in 'Siberia'—at the back of the church—as my classmates rehearsed for their First Communion.
Most first-generation kids are familiar with the negotiations of who we are at home and who we are in the wider world. On the whole, I’m the better for it. I am better for the benefit of enjoying diverse cultural experiences and knowing exactly where I come from.
I realized the best part of me is how I stood out from the crowd.
My immigrant parents taught me to believe in the American dream. And immigration is part of the American fabric. Our stories matter.
In my community, we didn't see ourselves as just singular individuals or singular families. We were connected to something bigger. There was and still is a collective that we all feel like we are a part of. It was not just logistics --- it was a way of thinking.
| Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code | Auli’i Cravalho, Singer & Actress |
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Al Madrigal, Comedian & Actor |
Jeremy Lin, NBA Basketball Player |
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Jenny Zhang, Poet & Writer |
America Ferrera, Actress |
| Bambadjan Bamba, Actor | Ravi V. Patel, Actor |
| Padma Lakshmi, Television Host | Lin-Manuel Miranda, Actor & Singer |
| Randall Park, Actor | Tanaya Winder, Poet, Writer, & Artist |
| Roxane Gay, Author | Wilmer Valderrama, Actor |
| Carmen Perez, Executive Director, The Gathering for Justice | Anna Akana, Actress & YouTuber |
| Issa Rae, Actress, Writer, & Producer | Kal Penn, Actor & White House Aide |
| Diane Guerrero, Activist & Actress | Laurie Hernandez, Olympic Gymnast |
| Joy Cho, Founder of Oh Joy! | Martin Sensmeier, Actor |
| Liza Koshy, Actress & YouTuber | Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Comedian |
| Kumail Nanjiani, Actor | Carmen Carrera, Model & Transgender Rights Activist |
| Michelle Kwan, Olympic Figure Skater | Uzo Aduba, Actress |
| Geena Rocero, Model & Host | Linda Sarsour, Civil Rights Activist |
| Frank Waln, Hip-hop Artist | Joaquin Castro, U.S. Congressman |
Reshma Saujani
CEO of Girls Who Code
Brave, not perfect: fear-less, fail more, and live bolder
