I nervously tapped my foot on the glistening tiled floor of the student center. A few tables across, sat a young South-Asian student eating lunch with his girlfriend. This was the perspective I needed. I had trouble finding someone with a point of view that would prove to be beneficial to my story, as there were no clubs on campus dedicated to the culture I was investigating, so I had to scout out my own interviewee. 

I worked up the nerve to approach him and asked him, “Hey man, are you South-Asian by any chance?” 

He smiled warmly, welcoming me, another individual of South-Asian descent. 

“Yes I am,” he said as he reached out for a handshake, “I’m Akash.” 

Akash Kakumanu 

Akash Kakumanu is a freshman studying computer science here at CSU. We had a very enticing conversation about what it’s like to grow up as a South-Asian in the United States and the challenges that came with that. 

Though Kakumanu is studying computer science, a popular major in the STEM field, he had his fair share of arguments and tensions with his parents about what his future would look like. 

In many South-Asian and Asian cultures, a holy trinity of occupations exists: doctor, lawyer, and engineer. Many South-Asian kids grow up with the notion that if you don’t have a job in this elite group, you wouldn’t be considered successful, and Kakumanu was no exception to this.

Kakumanu’s parents wanted him to be a doctor for the longest time, though he never really had any interest in this career. They were clashing with each other about something that was important to both of them, Kakumanu’s future. 

It was really difficult for Kakumanu during this period of tension. He was frustrated that his parents wouldn’t see his side and allow for him to pursue a career path that he wanted. 

Though Kakumanu had very intense feelings about the situation, he was able to understand why his parents believed what they did. Many immigrants come to the United States with practically nothing. They leave everything back home in order to start a new life, to pursue the American Dream. They gamble everything for a better living, and their only goal is to make this gamble worth it. 

To many immigrants, survival is everything, and survival is directly tied into how much money you make. Kakumanu understood this. He knew his parents just wanted what was best for him, but he knew deep down that he would not be happy with his life, and with himself if he didn’t do something he loved. 

“You can see it from both points of view…it took a lot out of me during that time.” Kakumanu said. 

After several months of hard conversations, Kakumanu was finally able to get his parents to see his point of view. 

“Hey I could be a doctor, but if I grow up and I don’t like it I’m not going to end up blaming me, I’m going to end up blaming you because you’re the ones that made me do it. I’d rather make my own decisions and see where it leads me.” Kakumanu told his parents. 

After his parents were able to understand this point, the weight was taken off his shoulders. Kakumanu wanted to take responsibility for his own life, and his parents gave that responsibility back to him. 

What STEM Means to South-Asian Communities 

Kakumanu brought up an interesting point about how STEM represents so much more to South-Asian cultures than just a field of occupation. Having a job as a doctor doesn’t just mean you make a lot of money and can provide for yourself, but it also represents an idea of success and respect. 

Success and how much money you make is very important in South-Asian culture. It was how Kakumanu’s parents grew up and that thought process followed them, and many other South-Asian parents, to the United States. 

“It’s really about their idea of success and their idea of respect. Only certain careers usually have respect, and those are usually in STEM.” Kakumanu said. 

South-Asian communities, both in South-Asian countries and in the United States, are very tightly knit together. However, this means that gossip is something that you cannot escape in these communities. Everyone talks to everyone about everything, and a popular topic of discussion is what jobs our children grow up to pursue. 

People in these communities care a lot about how they are perceived. 

You can choose a job in the humanities, but it wouldn’t be as revered as being a doctor or engineer. You probably won’t get much respect at all for wanting to stray away from the norm of the culture, it’s likely you’ll be faced with judgment.

“If you were a doctor you’d be respected in the community…Even if you grow up as an actor and become successful, they (South-Asian parents) would still be like ‘Oh what would other people think?’” Kakumanu said. 

Those that have grown up in the South-Asian culture know the prestige and respect that comes with having a job in the STEM field, and the immense pressure that comes to chase this symbol of esteem. 

Kakumanu & The Humanities

There was pressure on Kakumanu to become a doctor, but the presence of compassion in his household allowed him to develop an appreciation for the humanities. 

“Don’t do anything if your soul isn’t in it.” Kakumanu’s parents would say. 

Compassion was important in his home, he was taught to put his heart and soul into everything he did. But that prioritization of STEM was still inescapable. 

“They (his parents) would be like ‘Arts and humanities is cool, but go back to focusing on STEM’” Kakumanu said. STEM still represented that idea of success that was so heavily ingrained into them. 

As a computer science major, Kakumanu’s studies revolve around STEM, but he acknowledges the importance of being on both sides of academia in order to be a well-rounded individual. 

“I think having that mix of arts and STEM really just brightened my whole life. If your life just revolved around STEM, that would be soulless.” Kakumanu said. 

Similarly to my conversation last week with Professor Campbell, the topic of the humanities being undervalued came up. Campbell and Kakumanu both agreed that there needs to be more of a balance between STEM and the humanities.  

“STEM is so prevalent in everything we do, but I don’t think that STEM can exist without the arts and humanities…I do think they are underappreciated. I’m sure that if given the same amount of respect, the arts and humanities would do more than STEM.” Kakumanu said. 

The importance for STEM was showcased in this conversation, but the need for balance was here again too. The need to understand that the humanities are necessary for us to be human, for us to be happy. 

Kakumanu said it better than I ever could’ve. 

“The arts and humanities have the soul that STEM lacks.”