Pacific Islander America: Northwest Arkansas

In several earlier posts, I've mentioned that while some Americans don't know a great deal about the Pacific Islander community, we are a distinct population found in every state of the union. Most Pacific Islander Americans live in the western states (I'm including Hawaii), but data indicates that we are becoming more geographically diverse.

Here's a great example: Yesterday the Northwest Asian Weekly posted an Associated Press article on the growing Marshallese population in Arkansas. The reporter mentions how the desire for education, especially for younger generations, played a role in the rising Marshallese population in that state. The reporter also mentions the connection between U.S. atomic bomb testing in the Marshall Islands and Marshallese immigration to the 50 States.

Here's a link to the full article so you can read for yourself: LINK

Kawika