Why Seattle banned caste discrimination

Nearly 5.4 million South Asians live in the U.S., most of whom trace their roots to Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan or Sri Lanka, according to the group South Asian Americans Leading Together. In many of these communities, a 3,000-year-old social hierarchical system known as caste is still prevalent. On Feb. 21, Seattle became the first U.S. city to ban caste- based discrimination by incorporating it into its anti-discrimination laws. The PBS NewsHour’s Nicole Ellis spoke with Gaurav Pathania, a sociologist and expert in caste at Eastern Mennonite University, about what the move in Seattle could mean for the rest of the country.

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