A Look at What Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Means to DOMA Employees
For Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we would like to share some of DOMA's employees' thoughts
May 23, 2023
So far this year we have had the honor of sharing our DOMA family’s thoughts on Black History Month and Women’s History Month, and we are excited to share what they had to say about Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. We sent out a survey to our employees to ask questions about who is important to them, what they wanted us to talk about, and where we can support for AAPI Heritage Month.
The first question we asked everyone was:
What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?
“The more I learn about other people’s cultures the more I feel like I can understand their perspectives and a little more of their everyday lives. AAPI Heritage Month helps me not only learn more about my friends and family but those around me that I work with.”
Since AAPI covers so many different cultures, other responses considered how the month allowed them to share their own culture with people and learn about others in return:
“AAPI is a chance to celebrate cross-cultural pollination. It’s a wonderful opportunity to share the art, food, and traditions that define AAPI heritage.”
Here are a few of the people employees asked us to highlight:
“I’d like to highlight Tracy Chou, she’s one of the few doing something real to counter harassment online”
Ajay Bhatt- Computer Architect
Grace Lee Boggs
As I've grown older, I've realized that philosophy has to do with how we value ourselves as human beings, and how we look at ourselves, and how we relate to reality."
Grace Lee Boggs
Suja S. Amir
We asked a few questions about how we can get involved in the local community in the future:
Is there a local AAPI-owned business* (including your own) that everyone should know about and support all year?
“There are so many amazing local restaurants owned by AAPI people. Over the last 15 years I’ve seen so many more varied and authentic places to enjoy Hawaiian, Filipino, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, Chinese, and more AAPI food.”
Are there any local charities* you would like to share with everyone that people can support all year?
“Asian Pacific American Heritage Organization(APAHO),” a Hampton Roads Organization that celebrates and raises public awareness of the many important contributions made by Pacific Americans. Learn More.
“It’s not a local charity, but Girls Who Code was founded by the first Indian-American woman to run for U.S. Congress in 2009 to address the increasing gender disparity in computing classes.” Learn More.
“AI4ALL, founded by Fei-Fei Li promotes inclusion in the AI field.” Learn More.
“Asian Latino Solidarity Alliance of Central Virginia,” is a non-profit dedicated to amplifying the voices of Asian and Latino communities. Learn More.
Thank you to all our employees who answered our survey and made this blog possible!
In corporate America, we can write a blog about Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, but what really matters is what it means to our company. We want to use our blogs as a chance to start a dialogue with our employees and listen to what they have to say, connect with one another, and learn from each other. There is an increasing demand to make workplaces more representative of the diverse communities they reside in. Every department has a role to play in ensuring everyone on our team feels celebrated, included, and safe.
For Marketing and Communications, including more of our team in shaping our cultural content and the language we use is a small step in better representing how dynamic our diverse community is. We always say our team is our most important asset. So, moving forward, we want to continue to help you get to know our team through surveys, contributing writers, and employee spotlights. Whether you’re already a DOMA employee, a prospective hire, or a reader passing through, we hope a more intimate look at our culture and the people who drive it will help you see what sets DOMA apart.
About DOMA- Powered by Tech, Driven by People
DOMA Technologies (DOMA) is a software development and digital transformation company whose mission is to change customer lives by lightening their workload through faster and more targeted access to their data. Since 2000, our team of 200+ experts has helped businesses navigate all aspects of the digital world. We are a dedicated strategic partner for the federal government and private sector clients at every stage of their unique digital transformation journey.
Author:
Danielle Wethington
Director of Communications
*DOMA is not associated with any of these businesses or organizations