May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Since 1978, May has been Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. May was chosen because of two important milestones: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese migrants on May 7, 1843, and to honor the contributions of Chinese workers who helped build the transcontinental railroad, completed May 10, 1869.
Here are actions our DBP Members are taking to celebrate:
Abbott
Internal Activities: Abbott will be recognizing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by launching our first employee network podcast featuring our Asian Leadership and Cultural Network (ALCN). Our employee network corporate chairs and one of the executive sponsors participated in the podcast where they talked about the network, what the network focuses on and how employees are involved. They also discussed how the network finds ways to give back to our communities through volunteerism and fundraising.
AbbVie
Internal Activities: To honor Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AbbVie’s Asian Leadership Network Employee Resource Group will host a series of virtual events and speakers throughout May for all AbbVie employees. In addition, there will be a story about the Asian Leadership Network on abbvie.com. AbbVie also plans to acknowledge AAPIHM via social media posts throughout the month.
AEG Worldwide
To honor AAPI Heritage month, AEG Worldwide is providing the following events for employees throughout the month of May to engage them within various aspects of culture and social impact the AAPI community is making:
May 5: Changing the Game
In celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AEG has partnered with Identity Fest to host a special sports panel discussion entitled “Changing the Game.” The panel will feature Dave Roberts (LA Dodgers), Scott Akasaki (Senior Director of Team Travel, LA Dodgers), Jamie Storr (former NHL and LA Kings goaltender), and Michelle Wie West (LPGA), and explore the racial perceptions and stereotypes in contemporary sports. Drawing from their personal experience, panelists will discuss how sports impact Asian life today, what drives them to break barriers, why they protest social injustices on the field, ice or court, and the importance of Asian athletes as role models for youth. The session will be co-moderated by Michele Kajiwara, SVP, Premium & Event Business at STAPLES Center/AEG and John Abary, Supervisor of Ticket Sales for the Los Angeles Kings.
May 13: API Out Loud
Addressing issues of race, stereotyping, and discrimination in performing and creative roles, “API Out Loud” will be a discussion with Emmy-winning director Nisha Ganatra, actor and activist Ally Maki, actor and documentarian Alec Mapa, and actor and activist Perry Yung. As we hear from these respected artists and businesspeople, we’ll learn more about their growth and struggle, and come away with ideas for enacting change within our own roles in the greater entertainment industry, whether that’s in recruiting more diverse voices for our internal teams or putting the spotlight on the achievements of the API artists gracing our stages.
May 19: Writing a New Narrative
A conversation with best-selling novelist Yangsze Choo, in “Writing a New Narrative” we will learn about her experiences growing up in various countries and her journey from corporate to fiction writing and development on her Netflix Original series. With an international background and a global mindset, this multi-faceted author will touch upon what it’s like being an Asian woman creative voice in today’s society.
Last Week of May: Trailblazing a New Legacy
Ron Chiu will host a panel discussion eSports: Trailblazing a New Legacy with Twitch cofounders Justin Kan and Kevin Lin and members of the Immortals’ Valorant team. The discussion will focus on the challenges of building and legitimizing a new sport that has been highly influenced by APIs around the globe, the impact API entrepreneurs and athletes have had on eSports and how to address the racism and harassment towards API players and fans.
Alix Partners
Internal Activities: In recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, and in light of the rising incidence of anti-Asian hate crimes, we are conducting a virtual panel discussion on Friday, May 7. The conversation will bring together senior leaders from General Motors and AlixPartners to discuss:
- What companies can do to help stem and address anti-Asian violence and hate crimes,
- How companies can support their employees of Asian descent,
- And, more broadly, how communities and allies can address racial discrimination and injustice.
Following the panel, attendees will have the opportunity to join a 30-minute networking session to continue the conversation. These breakout rooms will combine employees from both companies in small groups to share their reactions and reflections.
Allstate Insurance
Internal Activities: For our events, we encourage our members, friends and allies to take action.
Due to the horrific surge of COVID-19 that is ravaging through India, we sent out an email campaign to encourage our members to donate to nonprofits who are mobilizing desperately needed supplies and support to the hardest hit areas in India.
With our partnership with our Good Life team, we are offering ways for our members to take action for themselves. Self-care is important as we navigate through many of the challenges and the emotional toll some of us face from work, home and the unrest felt by many.
After our candid talk with our US House of Representatives, our members will have the knowledge to influence their respective members of congress by writing to them regarding the Anti-Hate Crime bill. If the bill is voted into action, we are one step closer to stopping the hate faced by many.
As a company, our Inclusive Diversity and Equity team provides resources that any employee can access immediately to learn. Many ask – What can I do? The resources provide actionable steps one can take, resources to read and understand to learn about our own biases and to read about places needing resources and support. At each of our events, we remind members to seek out the resources or share more resources.
Events:
- 5/4: For our employees, we will be hosting a moderated conversation with 2 members of Congress – Illinois House of Representatives – Raja Krishnamoorthi and California House of Representative Young Kim. Representative Krishnamoorthi co-authored the Anti-Hate Crime Act and Representative Young Kim supported the Act. Attendees will be able to learn from submitted questions and the moderated conversation around how their background and the adversity they have faced have inspired them to represent a large growing population of voters.
- 5/11: May is also Mental Health Awareness month. For employees, we will be bringing in a health expert, to discuss Balance & Burnout. Our members voted for this topic. We are living in challenging times between work deadlines and responsibilities, family care demands while navigating the adversarial environment where our safety and well-being are challenged. We partnered with Allstate’s Good Life team to engage our members with ways to focus on their wellness. Taking care of ourselves is important and we recognize this for our ERG members and allies as well.
- 5/20: We recognize we don’t want to ignore the serious crimes and racism faced by many. We also want to bring in a respectable way to celebrate our month with humor. Our ERG will host, for employees, a comedian who is Asian, a member of the LBGTQ community and of the Jewish faith. His cultural intersectionality will bring a perspective that many of us can either relate to or many will learn from his experiences. We want to share his humor, laugh virtually with others and balance that with his story. His challenges he has faced to make a mark in the entertainment industry will be inspiring to hear.
Social Media Actions:
We have a selected group of our ERG leadership to be featured in social media tags for our company’s corporate branding team.
Baxter
Internal Activities:
Baxter’s Asian Leadership Network (ALN) business resource group is offering a variety of virtual activities for employees in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM). Throughout May, ALN will highlight the immense value and cultural richness that Asian traditions bring to our communities.
Events:
For its keynote AAPIHM event, Baxter will co-host, along with AbbVie and Discover, “Breaking Barriers, Building Unity,” a moderated discussion of the issues facing Asian Americans. The keynote event will feature Kal Penn, an Asian American actor, producer, author, and former White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration.
Because May is also Baxter’s annual exercise challenge month, ALN will host a pair of fitness activities — a hip-hop dance class and a yoga class – led by ALN members. They will also offer an Indian art class.
Additionally, with the rise in discrimination and hate crimes against Asians in the U.S, Baxter will host a session called “Self-Care in the Face of Trauma,” in coordination with one of its Employee Assistance Program partners. This program is offered as part of the company’s monthly wellness programming for employees.
Social Media Actions:
On Baxter’s internal social media platform, ALN will recognize employees of Asian descent who have made significant impacts within the company and share video messages from Baxter leaders with their insights into Asian cultures.
Boston Scientific Corporation
Internal Activities:
To celebrate and honor AAPI Heritage Month, Boston Scientific will be performing the following events for employees:
- AAPI and Mental Health awareness/listening sessions (enterprise-wide and via ERGs, corporate divisions)
- Meditation Sessions
- Asian Women in STEM Leadership
- Travel to South Asia educational series
- Diversity and Mental Health trainings
- Celebrating and honoring AAPIs in the US military
- Asian American Film Series – https://www.pbs.org/weta/asian-americans
- History of Asian American Racism course development
External Activities:
Boston Scientific encourages all employees to volunteer with local organizations, and for AAPI Heritage Month, they have highlighted several AAPI organizations, including Minnesota Rice, Asian Minnesotan Alliance for Justice, Stop AAPI Hate, Theater Mu, and the National Association of Asian American Professionals.
Capital One Financial Corporation
Internal Activities:
This May, Capital One is proud to recognize and celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a series of virtual programming and events highlighting the culture and contributions of the AAPI community.
The theme of this year’s AAPI heritage month celebration is ”Going off the Mute Button”. During the month of May, we aspire to elevate, empower and inspire our AAPI associates individually and collectively to use our voices to speak up – for ourselves, for our cultures, and for the issues that affect our communities. The AAPI community has been going off the mute button, now, it’s time for us to be heard.
Throughout the month of May, we will amplify the voices of our community through events and conversations that provide safe spaces, educate allies, create a stair step to engagement, and share untold stories. We have a total of 13 virtual events, including keynote addresses, leadership speaker series and fireside chats, educational brown bags, associate development workshops, virtual art exhibits featuring AAPI artists, and sessions on AAPI identity and politics with our Government Affairs team.
Leading into May, we hosted a #StopAsianHate Town Hall addressing racism in the AAPI community led by our Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and Origins AAPI Business Resource Group. On Wednesday, April 8, more than 11,000 associates came together to hear the deeply personal and powerful experiences of some of their fellow colleagues, including how they have been affected by the current rise of anti-Asian sentiment, being seen as “perpetual foreigners,” and the myth of the model minority.
The Town Hall was designed to respond and react to the crescendo of violence against Asians, and its historical roots, while educating, opening dialogue, and inspiring empathy and allyship across Capital One. The Town Hall featured leaders from Origins and was moderated by our Executive Sponsor for the VOICES (Black/African-American) BRG.
During this event, we announced our Associate Matching Gift Program, with Capital One matching, dollar-for-dollar all donations made by associates to four non-profits supporting the Asian and Pacific Islander community. Associates quickly took action, resulting in the largest single day of donations in the history of Capital One.
External Activities:
In April, Capital One announced a new initiative to support the Asian and Pacific Islander community — an Associate Matching Gift Program, with Capital One matching, dollar-for-dollar, all donations made by associates to Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development and OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates.
With the increase in vaccination rates around the globe and some communities beginning to lift social distancing and mask-wearing restrictions, it is important to be aware of how the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact others around the globe, including our associates.
Our Community Impact and Investment (CII) team has been working on identifying funds for associates who want to make a personal, tax-deductible donation to vetted organizations that are on the ground supporting COVID efforts. One fund that has been recommended is Global Giving India COVID 19 Relief Fund. Capital One has encouraged associates to support this fund in addition to our Associate Matching Gift Program.
Events:
No events are open to the public, but we have included sample key events from the month for our employees below:
- The month will kick off on May 4th with a keynote address from Sanjiv Yajnik, Executive Sponsor of Origins, Capital One’s APIA Business Resource Groups, Silence is NOT an Option. The crescendo of anti-Asian violence builds upon pre-existing, systemic racism against Asian Americans. It is not new and continues to affect thousands of our own associates here at Capital One. This event serves to exemplify that the conversation on anti-Asian hate is far from over and will kick off a heritage month that will run deeper than celebration.
- May 5: Virtual Iftar Event – Our Virtual Iftar Celebration will share the cultural aspects of Ramadan, Iftar and Eid. This year, our theme is Fasting, Generosity, Charity and Ramadan. We have a few special guest speakers that will share how they are managing the challenges of working from home, staying healthy and fasting in this challenging environment.
- May 6: Arts & Expressions Lunch Event: Celebrating AAPI in Media – From Mulan to Slumdog Millionaire, representation of AAPIs in media is rife with politics, controversies, and “white-washing” of narratives. This session will explore the rise in a variety of AAPI-developed and -centered media as a means to understand how our “unique” experiences growing up are actually part of a common thread, and also a way for allies to gain empathy through an immersive experience.
- May 11: AAPI Identity & Politics with Virginia Senator, Ghazala Hashmi and California Assemblywoman, Janet Nguyen – In celebration of AAPI May Heritage Month, Origins and Capital One’s Government Affairs team will engage with our government officials local to our associates in an open discussion regarding their lived experiences as well as current events, including topics such as mental health and its stigma in Asian American communities, and AAPI representation in public office.
- May 12: Associate Development: AAPI Mentorship 101 – Associate Development is critical to achieving professional growth. Yes, we have Talent & Performance Management where associates are encouraged to talk about development, but what about all of the other times in between? Development is not confined to a time on the calendar year, nor does it look the same across associates at Capital One. For our AAPI associates and allies, Origins BRG is focusing on Mentorship as the main theme for Associate Development in this year’s May Heritage Month. There is no “right way” to seek mentorship or become a mentor. However, we will be hosting a Mentorship Panel as part of May Heritage Month to introduce a few pathways to find mentorship and demonstrate in what ways it can be utilized as a development tool.
- May 14: The Resonance of the AAPI Community with Daniel Dae Kim – Origins BRG will connect with Daniel Dae Kim as we explore the intersection of our identities and experiences as Asian Americans.
Throughout the month of May, we will also feature AAPI leaders across Capital One in our “Leadership Lens” series. This new series provides a unique opportunity for senior leaders to highlight their perspectives and experiences, and how they have been able to grow and lead at Capital One. The Leader’s Lens provides a unique opportunity for senior leaders to highlight their perspectives and experiences when it comes to Capital One competencies and how they have developed them.
Our Origins BRG has also created a Welcome Kit complete with AAPI Zoom backgrounds, Slack engagement tips, and featured leader profiles, as well as a custom-curated internal website that hosts all event information and resources for the month.
Social Media Action
Both the About Hub and the Careers Blog feature cohesive yet distinct creative treatments and designs to accompany their respective AAPI content. These designs also reflect the unique visual identities of these separate yet connected external content experiences. Our inspiration stems from the fact that the AAPI community consists of many different branches of culture – each with its own characteristics and histories. In America, these cultures come together in a melting pot of diversity and experiences. Because of this, we wanted to create graphic patterns that represent multi-spectrum, multidimensional representation of the AAPI community. Both designs use their own unique color combinations and shapes that are separated yet connected through color palettes.
Here are some examples of the type of content featured on the About Hub:
- CASL + National CAPACD (May 6): This story will focus on how the Chinese American Service League (CASL) has used a grant from the National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development (NCAPACD) to create a credit-building program using Capital One’s Secured Card as the basis of its program.
- Supporting our Colleagues: COVID Crisis in India (Mid-May): This story will focus on how the COVID-19 pandemic is still impacting others around the globe, including our associates. The piece will include tips on how we can help our Indian and South Asian associates, how we can provide support on-the-ground COVID efforts, as well as share out information about our associate match.
Here are some examples of the type of content featured on the Careers Blog:
- Story 2: Ming Waters: 100% Human Video — Highlighting Tech leader, Ming Waters, this video will speak to her Machine Learning experience.
- Story 3: Making the Jump: Lessons in Life & Leadership — Sanjiv Yajnik speaks to his leadership, diversity & inclusion perspective and involvement in our Origins BRG
Cigna
Internal Activities:
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is celebrated to recognize the contributions and achievements of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and culture. The theme of this year’s Heritage Month is a continuation of the “Unite” series and focuses on leadership and engagement to advance the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Cigna’s Aspire Enterprise Resource Group (ERG) planning committee with other supporters has combined their efforts to develop inspiring and relevant events for all Cigna employees. Throughout the month of May, our Aspire ERG will host multiple events including our annual Day of Understanding discussing acceptance and respect, fireside chats with executive leaders, learning webinars, cooking and dance workshops, and more. The events will be promoted through our employee intranet, ERG newsletter, digital signage, direct emails, and more.
External Activities:
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, we’ve sadly seen an alarming rise in racism and violence toward AAPI communities across the globe. The Aspire ERG in collaboration with the Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion team have compiled a list of resources that includes actionable things we can all do to build awareness and bridges of understanding across our differences, promote whole-person health, and foster an inclusive culture such as getting active and more involved in the community. We will highlight some of our approved community partners on our community service portal for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Events:
Throughout the month of May, our Aspire ERG will host multiple events including our annual Day of Understanding discussing acceptance and respect, fireside chats with executive leaders, learning webinars, cooking and dance workshops, and more in honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Social Media Actions:
Cigna will be joining the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month conversation by sharing statistics and generating awareness via our Cigna international social media networks through branded content and social engagement. Employee profiles and quotes will be shared on Cigna’s social media channels, including Twitter (@Cigna), LinkedIn (@Cigna), Facebook (@Cigna) and Instagram (@cignatogether).
Element Fleet Management
Internal Activities:
Element’s Asian Employee Business Resource Group (BRG) is hosting several activities throughout the month recognizing the vibrant culture and diverse traditions of the Asian Diaspora, including:
- Internal Yammer posts with educational facts, recipes and more!
- Lunch & Learn on May 6 hosted by Seramount,
- And social media posts, including through the company’s LinkedIn (@elementfleetmanagement).
Fifth Third Bank
Fifth Third Bank actively promotes inclusion and diversity through 64 regional business resource groups overseen by inclusion councils in each of the Bank’s 13 regions and through eight virtual Enterprise business resource groups led by Enterprise committee executives. More than 3,700 employees take part in the in-person regional BRGs.
Fifth Third’s BRGs are focused on fostering employees, the Bank’s reputation, and a work environment and culture that supports engagement and inclusion. BRGs are open to all Fifth Third employees, whether they’re members of the group’s constituency or allies.
Asian & Pacific Islander BRGs across the Company have planned a variety of events and activities to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Here is some of what happened and what’s in store:
- The Cincinnati Asian & Pacific Islander group hosted a virtual Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration event. The Bank’s chief inclusion and diversity officer and the API BRG executive advocate served as guest speakers.
- The North and South Florida regions participated in the Smithsonian Social Studies Online: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month’s virtual event. The group experienced an online exploration into key social studies topics, featuring museum resources from the Smithsonian.
- The Western Michigan BRG is partnering with a food truck owner to host a virtual cooking demonstration for employees.
The Cincinnati Asian & Pacific Islander BRG co-chairs, Jing Wang, vice president and senior quant manager, and Diane Yi, officer and lead platform engineer, answered the following questions as they shared their thoughts about embracing the AAPI community:
- What is something about the Asian American and Pacific Islander population that you wish more people knew?
The AAPI community is very diverse and represents close to 70 countries. Within each subculture there are various races, tribes, interesting nuances and values that make us different.
- Why is it important for awareness months like AAPI Heritage Month to be celebrated in the United States?
The United States is a country of made of immigrants from all parts of the world, and that makes it unique and special. It is important to understand one another to be united. An awareness of everyone’s unique cultural background and heritage is an essential element to bringing everyone together to live in harmony.
- What advice would you give to those in the AAPI community on how to be their authentic selves at work on a regular basis?
Be proud of your heritage and bring your best self to work. When you do that, you’ll be happier and confident. It will also enhance your productivity and of those around you.
- What are some simple things that people can do to show that they stand in solidarity with the AAPI community during the #StopAsianHate movement?
Diane: We can use the month of May to learn more about Asian history, food, traditions, philosophies and values by attending events that introduce them. Learning the language and traveling are also great ways to learn more about the people. Understanding who we are will help others connect with the AAPI community and build relationships that are nurturing, progressive and productive, which will lead to an enhanced quality of life.
Jing: People can share resources and opportunities that encourage others to share their experiences and listen. In addition to this, people should step up when they feel that something is not right about situations where they see discrimination happening.
To learn more about Fifth Third’s inclusion and diversity efforts, please visit: www.53.com/diversity.
Health Care Service Corporation
Internal Activities:
HCSC has several virtual activities planned in celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Our Asian American Business Resource Group (AABRG), who leverages the talents of Asian American employees, fosters innovation and strengthens the HCSC brand in the marketplace, will host these events. HCSC will send out company-wide communications and leverage technology to engage employees in the activities taking place in May.
HCSC is proud to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans in the workplace. Below is a list of planned virtual activities:
- Keynote Speaker: Bushra Amiwala will share her personal success story as the youngest Muslim elected official in the United States and the challenges she overcame to make this happen.
- AABRG will partner with the Latinos for Advancement (LA) BRG for a cultural exchange conversation exploring the similarities and uniqueness between Latinos and Asian Americans.
- AABRG members will join Diversity Best Practices for a program offering inspiration and practical tips and tools to empower individuals, BRGs and communities to do their best work. This program will feature stories that amplify and uplift the efforts of individuals and business resource groups working to support Asian Pacific American people both at their organizations and in the community.
- Health and Wellness from the Kitchen: This lunchtime cooking demonstration will combine food, health, wellness and awareness by offering cooking and health tips to help combat the disparate cancer rates within the Asian American Pacific Islander community.
- AABRG will offer a cultural lecture around the ancient Chinese classification of musical instruments. This exploration will include an overview of various types of Chinese instruments introduced through the lens of “materials” used on construction, along with live demonstrations including performance solos and duets.
- Destroying the Myths: AABRG will join African Americans In Motion (AAIM) BRG for a candid discussion about mental health in the Asian Pacific and African American/Black communities. This event will focus on myths associated with mental health and offer practical tips to overcoming misconceptions surrounding mental health. The session will examine mental health statistics, discuss common biases that impact the likelihood of minorities seeking treatment and share everyday approaches to improving mental health and well-being.
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise
Our Asian Pacific American Heritage Month theme will be focused on speaking up, educating, and break down barriers. The celebration will take place in the week of May 18th and will highlight 3 main activations.
Internal Activities
The marquee webcast on Tuesday, May 18 from 1-2 pm PT, will feature executive opening remarks from HPE CEO, Antonio Neri. Our keynote external speaker, Jerry Won, has an MBA from USC and was in corporate America doing consulting, and then decided to leave that job to create a platform for diverse voices and, in particular, to fill a void for Asian American storytelling. Jerry will share more on his personal story and we hope his message can inspire all of us to not only share more of our own stories here at HPE, but to listen more closely to those of our colleagues. Events will be advertised on our internal homepage, via all employee email blast, executive all-hands calls, and in our quarterly I&D Update Video.
Following this marquee event, on Thursday, May 18 at 1 p.m. PT, we will host an Asian Pacific American Heritage Executive Panel featuring:
- Rashmi Kumar, HPE CIO
- Rishi Varma, HPE General Counsel & Corporate Secretary; Asian Network Executive Sponsor
- Shin-Wen Kuo, HPE VP, Corporate Strategy
- Donna Grothjan, HPE VP, Worldwide Channels, Aruba
The panel is about the HPE AAPI execs sharing their career journey and best practices with the audience. It is an opportunity to celebrate as AAPI employees and leaders, achievements, and the continued efforts to help drive for a more inclusive culture at HPE.
Then on Thursday, May 27 we will host an Informal Zoom Book Club Session:
Informal networking session to discuss or hear others discuss one or more books from a reading list we will post on our internal social media Yammer page.
Asian American Heritage Month Book Recommendations:
Memoir and Nonfiction
- Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People by Helen Zia
- Dear Girls: Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life by Ali Wong
- Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
- Only What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience by Lawson Fusao Inada
- Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran
Fiction
- Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
- The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy
- The Namesake (unabridged) by Jhumpa Lahira
- The Space Between Us by Thrity Umrigar
- The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali
Kid’s Corner
- Eyes That Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho (ages 4-8)
- Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata (ages 10-14)
- Pippa Park Raises Her Game by Erin Yun (ages 9-12)
Education Series on Yammer page celebrating AAPIs throughout US history
Throughout May, we will have short, illustrated posts highlighting contributions of AAPIs to the U.S. (e.g., Asian American inventors, etc.).
At HPE, we provide our teams with a quarterly I&D Update video featuring our Chief Diversity Officer and members of our I&D Council. During this video update, we also highlight the events of our Resource Groups, including Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. We also ensure our Executive Council is aware of the events by providing them with a monthly share-out pack with the latest details so that they may acknowledge the heritage month to their teams and possibly attend the activities.
External Activities
We will be featuring a news article on HPE Gives (starting May 4) to promote a volunteer opportunity (bystander training with Hollaback!) and a giving opportunity (Asian Americans Advancing Justice and Ascend Foundation).
Social Media Actions
HPE marketing team will release a summary or wrap-up post about our activities for external use, we’ll also amplify that through our brand channels, and executive social will create posts (likely Antonio Neri (CEO), Jennifer Temple (Chief Communication Officer), Jim Jackson (Chief Marketing Officer) and Keith White GreenLake Cloud Services SVP.
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Internal Activities:
The IMF will kick off this year’s Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month by distributing a blog featuring suggested activities to our Diversity Reference Groups (equivalent to ERGs). These activities will span the month of May and highlight what Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month means, why it matters to everyone and reasons to celebrate. Additionally, we invite all our employees to be in solidarity with our Asian colleagues and those of Asian descent following the violence perpetuated by anti-Asian racism in this country and around the world.
In honor of this heritage month, the IMF in collaboration with the World Bank will invite a guest speaker as part of our Racial Justice and Equity Seminar Series.
External Activities:
The IMF encourages employees to support local Asian stores and restaurants and attend virtual events that highlight AAPI cultures and experiences.
Social Media Actions:
The IMF will host social media posts celebrating AAPI Heritage Month on their Linkedin (@internationalmonetaryfund).
Jones Lang LaSalle
In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, JLL’s Asian Business Professionals Network will host part two of a special internal webinar titled, “Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling: Strategies for Success and Overcoming Cultural Dilemmas.” Like the term “glass ceiling,” the “bamboo ceiling” was coined by Jane Hyun, an executive coach and author, to describe the obstacles Asian Americans face in their pursuit of executive leadership positions. In addition to discussing strategies for breaking the “bamboo ceiling,” our esteemed panelists will also cover the cultural dilemma for Asian Americans in the business community as well as other topics such as common misconceptions, individual cultural barriers and the importance of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Major, Lindsey & Africa (Allegis Partners)
Internal Activities:
To celebrate and honor AAPI Heritage this May, we will be offering the following to our employees:
- May 11: Minari Movie Discussion sponsored by the MLAsians ERG
- Bring your favorite Asian dish or appetizer and an Asian-fusion margarita. Here are some recommended margarita recipes: Tamarind Ginger Margarita, Thai Lemongrass Margarita, Blackberry Thyme Margarita, and Masala Margarita.
External Activities:
May 19 at 4pm ET: AAPI General Counsel Roundtable for In-House attorneys. Tam Pham and James Lee will moderate a discussion on the “Evolution of the Model Minority Myth – the General Counsel’s Perspective.” Our GC roundtable guests are: * Chadwick Ho, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Hulu
- Marie Oh Huber, SVP and General Counsel, eBay, Inc.
- Thomas Kim, Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary, Thomson Reuters
- Gina Oka, General Counsel, Illinois Medical District
Social Media Actions:
Major, Lindsey & Africa (Allegis Partners) will spotlight ERG members on social media about career paths.
McDonald’s
Internal Activities:
APMEN (Asian Pacific Middle Eastern Employee Network) currently has 263 members representing 36 countries. Our APMEN Roadmap is built around 3 strategic areas of focus: Align, Engage, & Empower. Align: focuses on behaving as ONE Network rather than each as our own distinct Network via communication, collaboration, and sharing of best practices. Engage: focuses on attraction, development and advancement of talent. Empower: focuses on telling our story, demonstrating our value, educating the McDonald’s System about our Asian & Middle Eastern talent and cultural attributes that can be leveraged to drive the business.
External Activities:
- Host quarterly “APMEN for You” Touchpoints – allowing for education to our members (job opportunities, guest speakers, etc.)
- Engage Field Offices in major APMEN holiday events (Lunar New Year, Dragon Boat Races, Asian Heritage Month, etc); local conferences
- Engage with local/national AMOA events
- Collaborate with local charities supported by APMEN-led initiatives to raise awareness
- Elevate engagement with external organizations supporting APMEN business communities/Development Opportunities
- Council connections to National APMEN organizations such as NAAAP, Ascend, etc. (specific council Ownership)
- Offer opportunities to APMEN members in-house or subsidized leadership programs
- Partner with Diversity Networks on relevant topics that impact our communities (youth projects, RMHC, etc).
Events:
- Internal Event: APMEN (Asian Pacific Middle Eastern Employee Network) Heritage Month Theme: Rising Locally, Together Globally The APMEN virtual Heritage Celebration will feature various perspectives from McDonald’s US and International Market Leaders. It’s an exciting celebration that recognizes the richness of our vast cultural identities across our global system.
Special Guests:
- Joe Erlinger, President, McDonald’s USA
- Mario Barbosa, President – East Zone
- Mark Ostermann, Corporate Vice President – Chief of Staff
- Reginald Miller, Corporate Vice President – Global Chief Diversity
Panelists:
- Myra Doria, Vice President, Atlanta Field Office
- Thomas Ko, Head of McDonald’s Asia Business Unit
- Mwaffak Kanjee, McDonald’s Middle East Development Company, Middle East and Africa Business Unit Lead
Merck
The Merck Asia Pacific Association EBRG is proud to present CelebrAsian 2021 which will focus on events that are meant to celebrate, inspire, and elevate Asians and Asian Heritage. We will have a month-long series of events that will focus on how leaders embrace Asian culture, how that translates into their work and personal lives and how you can integrate culture in the workplace to help drive business growth. Our Spotlight event will highlight 4 Senior Leaders (2 Presidents and 2 Senior Vice-Presidents) and focus on their diverse experiences as well as how they have been an ally to the community. In addition, cultural events will range from yoga to virtual travel to Asian countries to inspiring highlights from Asian leaders on social media, and the kick-off of our first mentoring program which has attracted over 170 mentors and mentees. We look forward to celebrating the many facets of Asian culture and the importance of being an InspirAsian to others.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory
To celebrate and honor AAPI Heritage Month, MIT Lincoln Laboratory is hosting a few internal events for employees, including:
- APAHM Kickoff and Trivia
- Drop-In Session on Anti-Asian Attacks and Discrimination:
- Seminar with Professor Emma Teng
- Poetry reading by Adrienne Su
Moody’s Corporation
Moody’s is proud to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of our AAPI employees, who make up over 30% of our U.S. workforce. We are committed to advancing diverse talent and to supporting APPI communities around the world through our social investing and CSR programs.
Our Asian Leadership Initiative (ALI), part of our employee Multicultural Business Resource Group, creates programs designed to develop, celebrate and retain Asian and Pacific Islander talent and raise awareness around issues affecting Asian and Pacific Islander professionals at Moody’s. Initiatives to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this year include dedicated professional development events, inviting external speakers from AAPI communities to offer their perspectives and experiences as leaders, regular communications featuring AAPI employee profiles and cultural resources, and providing a platform for employees to share their stories.
As part of our commitment to living our DEI values, we recognize that it’s essential to be upstanders and speak out against discrimination. We were shocked and saddened by the rise in violence and hate crimes committed against Asian and Pacific Islander communities driven by the global pandemic. In response, our CEO reaffirmed our commitment to combating xenophobia and advancing racial equity and inclusion through a statement on LinkedIn and we will continue to highlight this pledge as part of our employee engagement during Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
We continue to offer support to any of our staff that may have been directly or indirectly affected by these issues, through measures including small-group discussions supporting the #StopAsianHate movement and creating a toolkit to help combat anti-Asian and Pacific Islander discrimination, which has been made available to all our employees globally.
NetApp
NetApp is performing the following events to celebrate and honor the AAPI community this May:
Internal Activities:
On May 18, NetApp will have an employee event featuring Katie Mooney of Diversity Best Practices at Seramount. Katie will deliver a keynote providing information about the AAPI community while also ensuring the participant learns more about the rich yet complex history of AAPI American History
External Activities:
Net App has a community giving campaign to raise money for organizations that protect the civil rights of Asian communities.
Social Media Actions:
In celebration of this year’s Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, NetApp will publish a video montage on global social channels. We will also promote Katie Mooney’s message and key excerpts after her keynote. To follow, search for the hashtag #aapi.
Neustar
Neustar, a global information services and technology company, celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with events and resources aimed to celebrate the culture and honor the many contributions made by the Asian and Pacific Islander community.
Internal Activities:
Dedicated Resource and Support Site: Neustar launched an internal Asian American and Pacific Islander education and resource site, including history, events, podcasts, books, films, and other information to help its employees increase cultural competencies and awareness. In addition, Neustar provided supportive resources for their AAPI colleagues and allies in response to the recent Anti-Asian violence that has occurred.
Preparation for Launch of AAPI Employee Resource Group: As Neustar continues to grow on their DEI journey, they’ll begin recruiting employees to join the Management Committee of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group, their fifth ERG, launching later this year.
External Activities:
Neustar Gives Back: As part of its Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Corporate Social Responsibility mission, Neustar, through its donation matching program Neustar Gives Back, has committed to taking positive actions by giving and volunteering time to racial and social justice efforts to drive change and equity both internally and externally.
In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Company will highlight the following during its month-long campaign:
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- American India Foundation
- Cooperative For Assistance and Relief Everywhere Inc (CARE)
- National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP)
Events:
AAPI Focused Critical Incident Session: Neustar has partnered with Aetna Resources for Living to host a support session that will provide tips for self-management and coping mechanisms as we continue to process the recent violent acts against Asian Americans. It will also provide a safe space to share experiences and ask questions.
Social Media Actions:
Throughout the month, the Company will post educational, cultural, and awareness content on its internal and external-facing social media channels.
Neustar will continue to work towards its vision of creating an anti-racist, inclusive, and equitable workplace. Since implementing its DEI strategy, its grown to embrace a culture of learning and understanding of diverse backgrounds, cultures, thinking styles, experiences, and perspectives within its organization.
New York Life
To celebrate and honor AAPI Heritage Month, New York Life will be performing the following to enhance culture both internally and externally:
Internal Activities:
- Fireside Chat with our NYLIM CEO: A fireside style-discussion with one of our Asian Pacific Circle ERG members
- Continuing the conversation #StopAsianHate: A moderated discussion on recent events & how we can support the AAPI community
- Intersectionality & Inclusion panel: a discussion on the importance of intersectionality and inclusion
- New York Life Foundation’s Act of Kindness/Civic Engagement initiative: Employees who attend the Asian Pacific Circle ERG Asian American Heritage Month events, can log their attendance on our internal website and receive a cause card to donate proceeds to Ascend or any AAPI nonprofit organization they would like to support.
Social Media Actions:
Our annual Diversity & Inclusion campaign will highlight two of our Asian Pacific Circle ERG members and upcoming events to support the heritage month via our social media pages: Facebook (@newyorklife), Twitter (@NewYorkLife), LinkedIn (@newyorklife), and Instagram (@newyorklife).
Northrop Gruman
Northrop Gruman will be taking the following actions to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month with our employees and to share with external stakeholders when possible:
Internal Activities:
- Launch: The Faces of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Video: Inclusion Makes Us Proud. (APPN & Corporate Communications)
- May 5 – Let’s Talk about Mental Health: Higher levels of stress, worry, anxiety or depression? Techniques to improve mental health, boost resilience, and offer support to someone in need.
- May 6 – SASE Event: Real Talk – Stories of Bias and stereotypes
- May 13 – Self Care in the Face of Trauma: Participants will explore the different sources and types of trauma.
- May 13 – SASE Event: Bystander Intervention
- May 14 – Uncle Alvin’s Fried Rice Virtual Event
- May 18 – Small Acts of Inclusion: Namaste; Asian Inclusion in the Workplace
- May 19 – Standing in Solidarity: Finding Your Voice: Cross-ERG Executive Sponsor Panel to create a safe space for honest and transparent conversations that raise awareness, storytelling, educating, and inspiring attendees to find their voice.
- May 24 or 25 – Roundtable with Executive Leaders
- Week of May 20 – Manager webinars on impacting mental health through building a positive work environment
- May 20 – Fireside Chat: A discussion on heritage, overcoming barriers, and allyship with the AAPI community
- May 20 – SASE Event: Women’s Conference Preview
- May 28 – Real Talk: Mental Health: Leaders will share their experiences with mental health, importance of having the conversations, and removing stigma
- May 26 – Executive coach and mindfulness educator will facilitate a 90-minute neuroscience-based, secular mindfulness session.
- May 27 – SASE Event: Gitanjali Rao (Time’s Kid of the Year)
- May 27 – Memorial Day Enterprise Event (VERITAS)
Communication Initiatives:
- Content: ONE Mag, Corp EFL team will work with the editorial board to generate content that will amplify the story-telling aspect. Christine John to write a One Mag article on what it means to be Asian American today – includes interviews with API NG employees.
- External resources: Recruiter resources cards for social media sharing
- Internal Coms: Weekly rotators, news syndication and Leader’s Notes to encourage participation in events and sign up for AAPN
- Creation and promotion of AAPIHM landing page with resources, videos, links and relevant articles.
Qualcomm
To celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at Qualcomm, employees can participate in a couple of events hosted by the company:
- AAPI Stories Panel
- Beginner Chinese Dance Lessons
Qualcomm will also be supporting the San Diego Asian Film Festival.
Retail Business Services
Internal Activities:
- We will kick off this month with messaging from the Executive Sponsor of our Asian Pacific BRG about the significance of this month. In this communication, we will also call to attention the incidences of violence against Asian American communities.
- Through our company intranet, we will highlight 4 associates (one each week) who represent the diversity of the Asian continent and they will share stories of their background and cultures.
- Our Communications team has created an MS Teams background for AAPI Heritage Month that our associates can use.
- We will share 4 PowerPoints (one each week) that focus on a distinct region of Asia: Eastern/Southeastern Asia, Southern/Central Asia, Western Asia, and the Pacific Islands. These decks highlight the area, languages spoken, famous faces from that region, common cuisine found there, and any other interesting facts for that region.
Social Media Actions:
We will use our social media platforms to celebrate this month. We will share our associate features there, as well as recaps of planned events.
Events:
- Katie Mooney of Diversity Best Practices at Seramount is joining us on 5/4 for a webinar that will address the xenophobia and aggression facing the Asian American community. RBS has invited associates from all the brands of ADUSA to join us for this important conversation.
- On 5/5, Kate Weaver, Supplier Diversity Manager for Peapod Digital Labs, will host a Supplier Diversity panel to highlight Asian-owned suppliers that our brands carry in the store. Represented are Country Archer, Nutpods, and Mastech Infotrellis.
Sodexo
Organizations must acknowledge the surge of hate crimes impacting the vibrant and diverse Asian Pacific Islander community. Sodexo, in partnership with their Pan Asian Network Group (PANG), is doing just that during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Their theme, “Staying Strong, Building Your Future,” creates a forum to raise awareness, enable allyship and advocacy, and celebrate the contributions and traditions of this community.
CEO and Region Chair for North America, Sarosh Mistry, extended his personal commitment to engage in both listening sessions and mentoring for this group. To raise awareness, community partner, Gerry Fernandez, CEO of the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, and Noel Harmon, President & Executive Director of APIA Scholars offered a podcast and a fireside chat respectively. Employees joined the Virtual Day of Protest to #StopAsianHate by updating their email signatures.
In addition, PANG joined forces with Sodexo Organization of Latinos (SOL) for a well-being event, “Let’s Eat! Making Traditional Meals Healthier” where Sodexo’s Chef, Rajiv Jaggi and Registered Dietitian, Michael Turley, hosted a live cooking demonstration. PANG’s Town Hall will reinforce the opportunity for Sodexo’s employees to live our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by becoming upstanders versus bystanders.
The Estée Lauder Companies
AAG ERG actively encourages our membership to donate to our Non-Profit Partners:
- Asian Americans for Equality: advances racial, social, and economic justice for Asian Americans and other systematically disadvantaged communities, guided by Asian Americans’ experiences and commitment to civil rights.
- Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV): build grassroots community power across diverse poor and working-class Asian immigrant and refugee communities in New York City.
- Welcome to Chinatown: support NYC’s Chinatown businesses and amplify community voices that generate much-needed momentum to preserve one of New York City’s most vibrant neighborhoods.
4 Capstone Events:
- Laying the Tracks to Resilience and Renewal: A panel exploring and re-defining AAPI activism with thought-provoking commentary from influential leaders in unique industries
- Asian Beauty & Representation: Estée Lauder brand sponsors a candid discussion with leading beauty executives on Asian representation in beauty, their relationship with identity, and how it influenced their decision to pursue a career in beauty.
- Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling & the Model Minority Myth: An intimate fireside chat in collaboration with Inclusion and Diversity on the deep-rooted history of AAPI racism, how stereotypes have shaped personal and professional identities, and the actions needed to combat these myths.
- Gender Fluidity in Asian American & Pacific Islander Culture: In partnership with wELCome, a special viewing of Kapaemahu, a critically acclaimed animated short film by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, followed by an active discussion on gender fluidity and AAPI culture.
Verizon
Verizon’s theme for the 2021 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was “See us. Hear us. We belong,” amplifying Asian voices during this poignant moment in history, while also elevating and celebrating the rich culture that spans 50 communities. Verizon offered a robust program of events for all employees to participate in to celebrate the vibrancy of the Asian community.
Matt Ellis, EVP & CFO, and Executive Sponsor of Verizon PACE – Pan Asian Corporate Excellence – kicked off the month with a letter to all employees reinforcing Verizon’s commitment to the AAPI community. Here are a few highlights of the month’s robust programming:
- PACE ERG held a panel discussion featuring Verizon leaders and California public officials Alex Lee and Anthony Kuo, who discussed their experiences growing up Asian in the U.S, and their perspectives on the recent attacks on the Asian community. The panelists reflected on how these experiences shaped who they are today and how they move forward in their careers.
- PACE also hosted an event in collaboration with our Verizon BOLD – Black Originators Leaders and Doers ERG, “Make Them Count,” where four Verizon leaders shared their genealogy and a family history of their ancestors. This event shed light on the trials and tribulations of the panelists’ ancestors, and how these challenges were navigated to enable our PACE leaders to be where they are today.
- Additionally, PACE presented a “Fireside Chat on AAPI Heritage, Equality and Allyship,” where they brought leaders from multiple ERGs together to openly discuss the importance of solidarity in the community, collaboration and allyship.
Verizon also partnered with nonprofit organizations Hollaback! and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC to bring multiple sessions of their Bystander Intervention Workshop to our Employee Resource Group members. In face of rising violence against Asian Americans in society, these workshops effectively taught participants strategies to help intervene if they were witnesses to or victims of harassment in their daily lives outside of work. Participants left feeling empowered and confident that they knew how to safely intervene in a harassment situation.
Back in March, Verizon announced its commitment to donating $5 million to leading organizations on the front lines of advancing racial equality. These organizations include Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, the Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce & Entrepreneurship (ACE), and others. Verizon also announced it would donate $5 million in ad inventory from Verizon Media to advocate for Asian rights and mental health, as well as to promote small businesses across the Asian community.
During the heritage month in May, Verizon became a founding partner for The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). TAAF’s mission is to close critical gaps of support for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and end the longstanding underinvestment in the communities by providing funding and resources to build the infrastructure to improve AAPI advocacy, power, and representation.
ViacomCBS
All events listed are internal activations spearheaded by ViacomCBS’s AMP (Asian American & Pacific Islander Media Professionals) ERG focused on the AAPI experience at ViacomCBS and beyond. Members of the ERG participate in professional and personal development opportunities, cultural activities, networking events and community projects.
Internal Activities:
Inside the Newsroom: AAPI Journalists on Telling Our Stories
Wednesday May 5, 12PM EST: Journalists from CBS News and MTV News share their experiences confronting bias and invisibility both inside and outside of the newsroom, and how this inflection point is changing that dynamic.
Speakers:
- Ramy Inocencio, (Asia Correspondent, CBS News)
- Weijia Jiang (Senior White House Correspondent, CBS News)
- Yoonj Kim (Social Impact Correspondent, MTV News)
- Sharaf Mowjood (Producer, CBS News), moderated by Elaine Quijano (Anchor, CBSN and Correspondent, CBS News Moderator: Elaine Quijano (Anchor, CBSN and Correspondent, CBS News
Asian in America: Redefining the Narrative
Tuesday, May 11, 12PM EST: Panelists will share how the AAPI story in America has been marked by a cyclical history of exclusion, explore how the pervasive “perpetual foreigner” and “model minority” myths have worked to keep us invisible, and how AAPIs today are redefining what it means to be Asian in America.
Speakers:
- Grace Kim James (SVP Marketing, Atlantic Records)
- Rishi Rajani (President, Production and Development, Hillman Grad Productions)
- Renee Tajima-Peña (Filmmaker and Asian American Studies Professor, UCLA)
- Moderator: Lisa Bull (VP, Partner Marketing Velocity, ViacomCBS)
Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling
Monday, May 24, 4:30PM EST: How have different Asian executives broken through the “Bamboo Ceiling” of corporate America–their journeys, obstacles, support, and advice on breaking through the highest and sometimes most impenetrable ceilings in entertainment.
Speakers:
- Naveen Chopra (EVP, CFO, ViacomCBS)
- Noriko Kelley (EVP, Program Planning & Scheduling, CBS)
- Claudia Lyon (EVP, Talent & Casting, CBS)
- Ramsey Naito (President, Nickelodeon Animation)
- Moderator: Corey Kobashigawa (People Development, ViacomCBS)
Impact of Pandemics on the Community
Wednesday, May 26, 3PM EST, 8PM EST: Hear about how organizations have witnessed and been affected by, organized, and supported their communities during pandemics as they share challenges, strategies and lessons learned as organizations have filled the needs of communities greatly impacted by pandemics.
Speakers:
- Dr. David Agus (Medical Contributor, CBS News)
- Lydia Albuquerque (President, National Association of Indian Nurses of America)
- Gisselle Pardo (Executive Director, Nido de Esperanza)
- Sissy Trinh (Executive Director, Southeast Asian Community Alliance)
- Dr. Celeste Watkins-Hayes (University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor, University of Michigan)
Walgreens
Walgreens’s AsianConnect would like to bring awareness of current events to a broader audience, to get the community’s voice heard, to promote positive changes towards AAPI.
Internal Activities
AsianConnect BRG is partnering with other BRGs to have:
- Asian Connect & Mosaic BRGs to send AAPI Heritage Month Weekly Emails to share a list of recommended short films and TED Talks to learn more about Asian American History
External Activities
WBA has identified and donated to 2 organizations from charity events:
- The National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (Chicago local chapter)
Events
- AsianConnect hosted StopAsianHate on 4/13/2021
Western Digital Company
Internal Activities:
We are having an internal AAPI Panel Discussion on May 26th. We posted an internal blog encouraging employees to sign the CEO Action Personal Pledge.
External Activities:
Monetary donations to “Asian Americans Advancing Justice” and “Stop AAPI Hate”.
Events:
Internal Panel Discussion Featuring AAPI Executive Leaders. Video Blog posted on our internal web page featuring AAPI patent holders and contributors to the technology at Western Digital.
Westfield
Supporting the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community As a country, we’re witnessing tragedies where people are being senselessly hurt, leaving many others scared and anxious. Most recently, we’ve seen this violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. At Westfield, we believe in the power of community, where we look out for and take care of each other. Together, let’s appreciate our differences and embrace inclusiveness, peace and compassion.
Internal Activities:
- Internally, we will share an overview of Asian American Heritage Month on our intranet to bring awareness to our colleagues.
- Posted a message of solidarity on our WeConnect (internal intranet) site to show our support of the AAPI colleagues and community.
- Westfield’s Multicultural Network Employee Resources Group (ERG) will host a virtual session in May entitled “Here All Along: Asian Americans and the Struggle to Achieve the American Dream” featuring Professor, Brant T. Lee, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Social Justice Initiatives. Professor Lee is on the executive board of the non-profit organization Asian Services In Action (A.S.I.A.) and Westfield will make a donation to the organization.
External Activities:
Westfield is a confirmed Bronze sponsor of the Global Diversity Council’s 2021 AAPI Leadership Summit on May 27, 2021. We will virtually send five (5) colleagues to attend and will host a debrief session with the attendees to capture key learnings.
Events:
Westfield’s Multicultural Network Employee Resources Group (ERG) will host a virtual session in May entitled “Here All Along: Asian Americans and the Struggle to Achieve the American Dream” featuring Professor, Brant T. Lee, Assistant Dean for Diversity and Social Justice Initiatives.
Professor Lee is also on the executive board of the non-profit organization Asian Services In Action (A.S.I.A.) and Westfield will make a donation to the organization.
Social Media Actions:
Posted a message of solidarity on our WestfieldInsurance.com site to show our support of the AAPI community.
Posted on our LinkedIn page, our support of the AAPI community.
Ending Systemic Racism and Injustice: Westfield Statement At Westfield, now more than ever, we believe in the power of community – where we take care of each other and value everyone equally. Yet, we know we can – and must – do more. Lasting change takes courage and dedication from all. Westfield commits to listening, learning, and leading our team to appreciate our differences and embrace inclusiveness, peace and compassion. We hear you. We see you. We stand with you on the path to end systemic racism and injustice.
