AAPI Month: The Importance of Finding Your Voice in Business

Director, Alliances and Business Development

Living the American dream

I came to the U.S. in 2008, from Kerala, India, as a first-generation Indian American to live the “American dream” — only having my husband as family when I first moved. Unlike many other states across India, Kerala enjoys high literacy rates and maintains equity by providing education, irrespective of a person’s gender, caste or religion. My heritage has taught me that nothing is fair in this world, and that equality means nothing unless there is equity.

Education over everything

I believe education is of the utmost importance — it is something that can elevate social and economic status. In my culture, parents will cross all thresholds to help their children achieve academic success. My father instilled the idea that education and knowledge are things no one can steal from you.

Fitting in, just the way I am

I have always felt that as Asian Americans, we try too hard to fit in. When we feel our names are complicated for others, the first thing we do is change it. Personally, I would like to emphasize the idea of feeling proud of who we are — not having to modify our names or hide our accents. The beauty of America is that it’s a country built on freedom — and that allows us to be authentically ourselves.

Delivery Partner, State of Oregon

Resilience in the face of the unknown

My parents immigrated to the U.S. to seek freedom from an oppressive government. Growing up in a new, faraway country without my extended family taught me to be resilient in the face of adversity, to deeply nurture those you care about and to be adaptable in any situation. Acting as a bridge between two cultures in my family from a young age shaped me into the empathetic and resourceful person I am today. Through my personal self-discovery journey as a young Asian American adult, I’ve come to appreciate both sides of my ancestry — I attribute my artistic side to my Chinese roots and my warrior side to my Mongolian heritage.

Supporting the AAPI community

Supporting AAPI peers is deeply treasured by those who have felt their voices were not important enough to be heard, their accomplishments downplayed as simply a byproduct of their ethnicity, or those who have felt misunderstood by their colleagues because of their unique cultural backgrounds. If we make a conscious effort to ask our community how we’re doing or what our thoughts are, it will lead to more open conversations and new perspectives.

My parents, my inspiration

My parents grew up in extremely impoverished conditions in Inner Mongolia. My mother never faltered during a difficult upbringing, and was admitted to Peking University, known as the “Harvard of China,” where she met my father. A few years later, they fled to the U.S. to avoid the oppression of freedom of speech faced by their fellow Beijing students — and with nothing more than a few dollars in their pocket, attended graduate school, raised two children and advanced in corporate America. My mom is my ultimate role model, and I am so grateful for all the opportunities available to me in this country, thanks to my parents’ sacrifices.

Vice President, Government and Education Services

The power of hard work

My work ethic is something my parents instilled in me at a young age. As first-generation immigrants from India, they both worked incredibly hard in all aspects of life to enable opportunity for our family. As I grew up, I was acutely aware of the extra time, effort and sacrifices they had to put in just to level the playing field. From them, I learned there are not a lot of shortcuts in life — you must put in the time, gain different experiences, and feel both the pain and joy in lessons learned.

Years later, I find myself craving that same fulfillment that comes with giving my best. In my role leading government and education tech solutions within the U.S. at Kyndryl, I feel immense pride in providing support to state/local agencies and educational institutions to help enhance the experience of those they serve. And as a mother, I hope that I’ve passed on this appreciation for diligence and dedication to my two girls, who represent our next generation.

Strong alone, stronger together

The AAPI community needs mentorship, opportunity and the ability to be heard. The more we can help educate ourselves and others, expand our understanding of unique cultures and foster compassion for each other through greater awareness, the more we create a sense of “one-ness” across the community and can inspire others to leverage the energy and support that comes with it.