I have a ritual on Saturday mornings during summer. I head early morning to Barton Springs, my happy place. A few laps in the cold, refreshing water brings in a smile for the rest of the weekend. A recent Saturday was special since it was the last weekend of the summer. It is also a weekend prior to my other yearly ritual.

Every year since 2008, at the end of summer, I meet a group of about 30-plus close friends from my high school in a different U.S. city. Before you ask, No, I did not go to high school in this country. I studied in a Catholic-run all boys school in Hyderabad, India — halfway across the world. 

What brought us here? In the late 1980s, many Indian students came to the U.S. for their graduate degrees. This wave peaked in the mid-1990s, followed by a new wave of professionals coming here to work in the tech industry during the Internet boom.

Our close-knit group is part of these two waves from the ’90s. There are engineers in various industries, from building cars in Detroit to chips and software in Silicon Valley. There is a rocket scientist, many doctors, department chairs of reputed medical schools, entrepreneurs, certified financial advisors, college admissions advisors, tax planners, management gurus, and highly sought-after IT executives, including one who is responsible for payroll for a major federal government branch. 

Apart from professional success, the group includes marathon runners, world travelers, entertainers, chefs, painters, writers, political junkies, yogis, and astrology enthusiasts. They are homeowners, responsible taxpayers, investors in local businesses from conservative real estate to innovative startups. Most are married with kids and are involved in their communities from PTAs to politics. They donate generously to charities and volunteer here and abroad. 

Now, let’s do some math. This is one class of one year from a school in Hyderabad. Even with conservative projections, there are at least 5 other schools of this caliber just in the city. (The CEOs of two of the largest software companies, Microsoft and Adobe, are both from Hyderabad). There are at least 10 major cities in India, and then there are many countries sending students and professionals from all over the world every year. You can imagine the numbers. Approximately 18 million people have become U.S. citizens through naturalization since 2000.

Every immigrant brings their own food, sports, faith, culture and traditions. They want the best of both worlds. They love the freedom to enjoy their own culture and at the same time to add to the fabric of America. We used to say America is a melting pot, and somewhere in the mid-’90s, the metaphor changed to a colorful healthy salad bowl, which emphasizes cultural pluralism.

Diverse groups maintain their distinct identities while coexisting within the broader society, like ingredients in a salad retaining their unique flavors. Go to Costco any weekend and you see the effect.  If you have seen the growth in the number of new temples, mosques or Diaspora churches, ethnic restaurants, or even the growth of soccer or cricket as a sport in metro areas, you know how they got here.

Apart from the need to practice their own faith, immigrants are driven by making sure that our children have an appreciation and knowledge of the faith and culture, in the hope that they continue these practices. Of course, the new generation, who are just starting their professional lives as well-educated young men and women, will choose on their own. And that is America. They are free to choose.

Shakeel Rashed collaborates with cutting-edge startups to pioneer advancements in AI, while also serving on the board of the Islamic Center of Lake Travis and Interfaith Action of Central Texas, fostering unity and innovation across diverse communities.