May 25, 2023 | Inside Thomson Reuters

During May, we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the United States and Asian Heritage Month in Canada. At Thomson Reuters, the Asian Affinity Network hosted a series of in-person and virtual activities and learnings for colleagues to celebrate and learn more about the culture, history, achievements, and contributions of Asian Americans, Asian Canadians, and Pacific Islanders.

We had the opportunity to sit down with three inspiring leaders of this business resource group to learn what this month means to them, how they plan to celebrate, and the challenges that Asian Americans and Canadians continue to face.

Please introduce yourself and share what Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month means to you.

Helen: I am a Senior Legal Editor in the Law Department service at Practical Law, where I focus on content for our corporate in-house customers. I have been at Thomson Reuters for nine years and am grateful that I can pursue causes I am passionate about and reflect a core part of who I am in the workplace. Whether that is shining a spotlight on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders challenges and experiences as part of the Asian Affinity Network leadership team or promoting pro bono engagement as the co-chair of the Thomson Reuters Global Pro Bono program. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month allows us to recognize the significant contributions of AAPIs – in the United States, our communities, and at Thomson Reuters – something that is often overlooked.

Ekta: I have worked at Thomson Reuters for eight years, and currently lead the Business Analysis for GoSystem Tax under our Corporates Technology Segment. My favorite part of working here is the collective commitment to growth and development. I moved to the United States six months ago and recently became the co-chair of the Dallas chapter of the Asian Affinity network. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is new to me. However, I think it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community in the United States. Celebrations like Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month boost and encourage the community to empower one other and build a support system.

Tara: I’m an Operations and Channel analyst and have worked at Thomson Reuters for more than six years. My favorite part of working here is the incredible people. I’ve been lucky to have a group of colleagues that I can call friends. The other part that makes Thomson Reuters enjoyable for me is the emphasis and importance on diversity, equity, and inclusion. It makes me a proud Chinese American; feel welcome and accepted. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a dedicated time to reflect and recognize the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and all the contributions, successes, and challenges that we have had in this country and to celebrate it. I also recommend using this month as a great time to explore and support local Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses, like trying out a new restaurant, grocery store, etc. – you never know what new must-eat dish you might discover!

What issues matter most to you and that you feel deserve more attention? 

Helen: There are so many issues that matter to me – from undoing the harmful stereotype that Asians are good workers but not good leaders, to combatting the depiction of Asians as perpetual foreigners. From the 1880s to the 1920s, the United States passed the Chinese Exclusion Act and other restrictive laws to keep Asians out of the United States and prevent Asian immigrants from becoming citizens and owning land. In recent months, different states across the country have proposed legislation to prohibit Chinese citizens from owning real estate: a move that harkens back to the discriminatory anti-Asian laws of the past. These views contribute to the surge in anti-Asian hate that we have seen in the last few years, which is another area that deserves more attention.

Ekta: I think there has been a real improvement in the acceptance of immigrants of different races and cultures in the United States. However, on and off, we do see Asian hate in several parts of the country, and that creates a sense of fear among immigrants. I think proper awareness in schools, institutions, and workplaces can help us foster a better sense of understanding of immigrant cultures and bridge the differences. Creating inclusive places and educating people about different cultures is an important step to minimizing differences.

Tara: Representation (including inside the workplace, such as seeing more Asian leaders), inclusivity, and the ongoing battle against anti-Asian hate this country still faces.

Why is your participation in the Asian Affinity Network business resource group important to you?

Helen: Being part of the Asian Affinity Network allows me to express my identity and work with wonderful colleagues to share our experiences and journeys as Asian American and Pacific Islanders with the Thomson Reuters community. I am also active in Asian Affinity Network to be part of a community that can learn together, build allyship, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and drive positive change.

Ekta: As an immigrant myself, I can connect to the various challenges and concerns that the members of the Asian Affinity Network might have. I get to curate events that create more opportunities for the group to come together to celebrate our culture and festivals and embrace diversity and inclusivity within Asian communities and outside. I also want to showcase and spread awareness about our culture to other non-Asian groups.

Tara: Being part of the Asian Affinity Network business resource group is important to me and has helped shape who I am. Learning to embrace my Asian identity has been and still is a more recent and ongoing journey for me, and a big part of that is advocating for my Asian identity. When I started working at Thomson Reuters, a close friend and mentor encouraged me to join her at the Asian Affinity Network events and meetings. I remained an active member as I found being surrounded by people focused on diversity and inclusion fulfilling and motivating. As the co-chair of the Asian Affinity Network in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, I can make a direct impact by helping build stronger connections between Asian Affinity Network events and business outcomes, foster leadership development opportunities, and increase visibility and engagement.

How do you plan on celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with your friends, family, and colleagues?

Helen: Every month is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in my household! I am the first member of my family to be born in the United States, and I’m proud to have retained many parts of my family’s Chinese language, culture, and traditions. My family and I are attending Asian American and Pacific Islander community events and supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned businesses.

Ekta: As it’s my first time celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, I plan to read more about the history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the United States. I hope to share the knowledge I gain with my other Asian friends in the United States and my friends back in India. I look forward to visiting the Crow Museum of Asian Art in the Dallas Arts District to revisit the history through art and plan on eating my favorite Asian cuisines like Thai and Indo-Chinese.

Tara: At Thomson Reuters, the Asian Affinity Network is excited about all the events we have planned in honor of the month. Some examples include a virtual Tenement Museum tour, an APIAVote virtual event, a virtual Pro Bono Sprint, and an in-person event in Minneapolis–Saint Paul, where we can enjoy delicious Asian food and participate in activities that help celebrate the month.

Thanks to Helen, Ekta, and Tara for sitting down with us to reflect on the importance of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month. Stay tuned for our next Inside Thomson Reuters blog to learn more about the Asian Affinity Network business resource group and the impact the group is having at Thomson Reuters.