As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month this May, we are excited to launch a series of employee spotlights highlighting the talented individuals who make up our team!
Our first spotlight features Anita Jehan, a Human Resources Specialist at Jabian. Anita shares her experience as a member of Jabian’s Asian Pacific Islander Coalition (APIC) and how the organization has created a space for tough conversations about race and culture. She also emphasizes the importance of corporate organizations providing opportunities for individuals to learn more about different cultures and to develop a deeper understanding of the AAPI experience.
Q: What does it mean to be a member of APIC at Jabian?
A: To me, being a member of APIC at Jabian means inclusivity. I love that Jabian puts so much emphasis on DEI and gives people the space to have tough conversations, but also gives people the opportunity to educate others at the firm about our backgrounds and how far we’ve come in corporate America. I’ve never worked with a company that had ERGs, so being able to connect with people that have similar backgrounds as me really makes it feel like home. We have SO much to learn from other cultures!
Q: What is something you still want to see change going forward?
A: Recently, we’ve seen so many large corporations like Google, Starbucks, and Microsoft, have people of the AAPI community come into leadership positions. Going forward, it would be really great to see more of that but also women minorities from the AAPI community in leadership roles.
Q: What do you/where do you go when you need some time to decompress from everything?
A: I’m a big advocate for mental health – we spend so much time in our professional lives taking care of others and their problems, so being able to focus on yourself and your own well-being is so important! If I ever have a really tough day, there’s nothing a good workout can’t fix – I’m a regular at Orange Theory Fitness!
