Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage

By Charlene Soelter

Growing up as an Asian American girl in San Francisco's Nob Hill, I didn't think too much about my heritage. It was woven into my life each day through example and environment. My community and schools were integrated, and my friends were diverse. I was walking distance to Chinatown, North Beach, Russian Hill, and a short bus ride to the multiple neighborhoods and cultural experiences that made up the City. Looking back, I didn't realize how special it was to have so many friends from all different ethnic backgrounds and for the most part, we embraced it all.

It was not until I stepped into the business world, that I would experience bias, and was sometimes made to feel like an "Other". It was the first time I experienced disrespect in a way that I never had before. I was often bypassed for opportunities because I didn't look like everyone else. Luckily, there were more positive experiences overall but often, it is not apparent immediately when you start working for a new company.

Coming to work for Aerospike last year, I was not sure what to expect. I was ready for whatever would come my way. What I have experienced are people that didn't see or judge me as a 5' tall Chinese American woman who probably talks a little too much and maybe a little loud at times and can't help but to get a little excited at most things. I am treated with respect and valued for my contributions and professional experience first.

In the current world climate, unfortunately, there have been some terrible incidents in the API community. There is a focus on how different we are rather than how much we all have in common. I am very proud to be part of the AAPI community. I bring a different level of life and professional experience because of my heritage. Rather than being made to feel like I do not belong, I would say there is an absence of "Otherness" at Aerospike. Aerospike celebrates cultural richness and similar to the way I grew up, there is a business culture of embracing all the diversity within the company's people. I have always believed that the heart of a company is the people and how well connected they are to each other. That will make the difference between a winning team and a growing company. Working at Aerospike, I believe I found my new business team!