Reclaiming Authentic Identity: 3 AAPI Heritage Month Webinar Takeaways
The Asian American diaspora is vast and complex. Teetering on a line between two distinct identities, many often struggle with a sense of not belonging, feeling as though they don't quite fit in anywhere. These conflicting emotions are further amplified in the workplace, especially when AAPI professionals attempt to navigate and nurture their careers—and often with little leadership representation despite recent improvements, according to SHRM.
AAPI/AANHPI Heritage Month presents an opportunity for people to raise their voices and bring these issues to light. Although we fight for greater visibility all year round, May is especially significant in allowing us to highlight our history, celebrate our progress, and vocalize our needs.
CCWomen had the pleasure of inviting three Asian-American women leaders to the virtual stage to discuss the intersection of race and gender and how it affected their careers:
- Monica Meyerand, VP, Brand and Acquisition, OneAZ Credit Union
- Karen Sung, Chief Strategy Officer, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law at Arizona State University
- Dr. Hui Wu-Curtis, Director of Customer Service, SmartRent
Here, our speakers reflect on the importance of embracing one's cultural heritage while providing clear action steps for allyship and solidarity.
1. Community helps us deepen our connection to ourselves.
Our network is certainly there to empower us, and is especially present when we need a mirror. When we feel isolated and lost, our closest people are there to lead us back to ourselves.
"I did what I thought I had to do to assimilate and be the 'model minority.' But progressing in my career with people like Hui and Monica was a turning point," says Sung. "I didn't have that level of representation of women who looked like me, doing things I always aspired to do."
Similarly, Meyerand recognizes how community has impacted her in every facet of life, from childhood to professional adulthood:
"Growing up, I always had a community. My parents predominantly met with other Asian families, so we frequently had weekend get-togethers, played mahjong, and ate a lot of food. I had a sisterhood of women, and we still check in even if we don't live near each other anymore.
When I moved to Phoenix, I missed having these types of connections. Fortunately, I met Karen and Hui at an ACEL event. Finding areas near you where you can meet other people, whether it's through similar backgrounds or professions that you can relate to, has been great in helping me celebrate my heritage.”
Sometimes, the people who should be allies and advocates do the opposite of what the community intends. But it teaches us exactly what not to be when empowering others. "I wanted to make a difference and move into a leadership role. A female boss said, 'No, you're just book smart.' then dismissed me," shares Wu-Curtis. "It fueled my fire. From that point on, I vowed to become a leader who would open the way for others who didn't fit a mold."
2. Representation counts more than we think—we must prioritize it.
The Asian American narrative is not a monolith. The biggest danger of assumption is that it limits genuine human interaction and fragments trust. Diversity is meant to benefit all, not just the impacted group.
"When you think of Asian women, you hear she has to be smart or good at math, and perhaps a bad driver," says Meyerand. "Why don't you get to know me as a person? You assume I'm a stereotype without knowing what I can do or accomplish. We can learn a lot from one another."
Sung emphasizes the significance of representation, particularly the impact of its absence:
"In college, I had to write about what I wanted to do after college. I said I wanted to be the next Connie Chung. She was the first Asian American national news anchor. They'd always been white men until she came along, so she was my one role model, as I wanted to be a journalist at the time. However, even when I entered other fields, there weren't many Asian women in executive roles. There's a lot more today than when I grew up.
I felt I had to carve my own identity throughout all of that. When I began to embrace my cultural heritage, it shaped who I was and helped me understand what kind of leader I wanted to be—and how I wanted to give back. The quicker we can do this, the more confident we can be."
Wu-Curtis sheds further light on being a minority woman leader at a C-suite level. She reveals, "For a while, I was typically the only minority female on the executive team, and that was tough. Currently, we're one of the fastest growing people groups with the least amount of leadership representation."
3. AAPI leadership is about showing up and giving back.
When AAPI leaders find themselves embodying the representation they once sought, they must pave a better path for their successors. Closing the gender and race gap in the corporate world is an uphill battle, one that the community must fight together.
"I think, 'How can I build and lead with empathy and also carry the weight of being an Asian American woman?’ If you had a mentor, how would you be that for someone else following behind you?" asks Meyerand. "It's a path not everyone can easily access, so being able to provide help has been meaningful."
Sung adds, "We have cultural biases against us. How do we turn them into something more productive in the corporate world? It's not just about embracing our culture but also claiming who we are and what kind of leaders we want to be."
More often than not, women are limited to one or two characteristics that force them to be one-dimensional. Asian women are thought to be quiet, meek, and submissive, but it’s a far-fetched narrative that dismisses our diverse backgrounds and personalities.
Wu-Curtis concludes:
"[Karen, Monica, and I] don't quite fit that mold because we're different. We had to be different to move up in our careers. We have to work that much harder to call out even minor things and break down biases. We must clearly show who we are, but first, figure out what that definition is for ourselves."
Need an inclusive community to help define your leadership identity? CCWomen is here to support.
Watch the full webinar here:
