What does Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month mean to you personally?
AAPI Heritage Month reminds me that my Indian culture along with all the beautiful cultures under the AAPI umbrella are beginning to get acknowledged and celebrated around the country. This is huge. Growing up, I certainly didn’t embrace my heritage because there was minimal representation and very few spaces where I was encouraged to express who I was. This is changing now and of course, my family always taught me to keep my head up but, as a kid, I thought that it was cooler to ignore my roots and try to fit in with everyone else. This mindset caused me to miss out on many learning opportunities and it wasn’t until I got much older that I actively began to accept and love my culture. I didn’t realize how much India meant to me and how much more complete I felt after embracing this vital part of my life.
I honestly didn’t even know that AAPI Heritage month was a thing until I got to college but I am now beginning to see its impact. My students are always asking me to tell them more about India, from the origins of my name to the different customs and food that I grew up eating. Not once have I ever received this much curiosity about my own culture and background. I even see more Asian Americans represented in professional careers, music, movies, and many other forms of American media and entertainment. Representation has been increasing and I am definitely excited for the younger generation of AAPI youth who are coming to age in this unique time.
AAPI heritage month has reminded me to celebrate who I am and that the country cares about where my family comes from.
What career advice would you give to young, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders?
The career advice I would give to young Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is the same advice I would give to anyone who is learning to navigate their own identities. I would tell them to completely own their culture and to bring their whole authentic self to their prospective career. This is much easier said than done, but I want to encourage youth to begin exploring their culture and heritage as soon as they feel comfortable doing so. This exploration may already be taking place or it may occur later on in life as it did with me. You can’t expect others in your future career to understand your culture if you don’t take the time to learn about it and really explore what it means to you. With that said, it is also important to look for career opportunities that embrace multiculturalism to ensure that you will be working with people who share similar ideals and values. The effort put into self-reflection along with finding a workplace that embraces you will certainly make your professional journey one that is enjoyable and filled with accomplishments.
What do you consider the most important cultural value for you and for those close to you?
I grew up learning about this really cool and strange concept called dharma which doesn’t have a clear English translation. I am still learning what this means but right now I believe that it defines a way of living that empowers an individual to maximize the amount of good they bring into the world. Sort of like living by a moral code. When it comes to considering my most important cultural values, dharma is definitely something that comes to mind. In my life, dharma has manifested through my commitment towards service-oriented work, educating youth, providing inclusive spaces for the people I meet, and simply doing my best to take care of my health and wellbeing. My favorite thing about dharma is that everyone has their own relationship with it and everyone displays it differently. My culture does not place anyone in a box, and dharma is one of the many aspects of my heritage that I proudly uphold every day. I hope that everyone can find those parts of their identity that they can celebrate and share with those around them. I will gladly join that celebration.
The Massachusetts Promise Fellowship 