“Do you even belong here?” - I was asked if I speak English
❤️The topic of belonging is a big one here at our company.
Within our communities and within my own work of healing my own sh*t, so much of what we are after seems to be this feeling of belonging.
What does it truly mean to belong, in a world of diversity, differences, and seemingly opposing opinions?
How can we be in unity while celebrating our uniqueness and feel safe with one another?
Since it's Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month, I got to reflecting on this topic.
As a former US Diplomat and first-generation immigrant to the US, I never truly felt like my face “matched my job title”, and was often asked if I actually was representing an Asian country, and not my country–the USA.
I remember one time walking down 6th avenue in Manhattan, when, after responding to someone’s request to point them in the right direction, they commented in disbelief that “my English is so good”.
Or other times when I was shopping in a store and the person behind me assumed I didn’t speak english.
These assumptions based on only what the eyes can see is a very limited way of viewing the world.
As a person who never grew up with “both parents” and grew up in a Black family in high school and having lived in multiple continents (read my story here), I believe that to belong, we have to feel SEEN as the multi-layered and evolving individuals we are at each point of our journeys.
To me, cultivating a sense of belonging means creating a space to get to know each person’s stories and NEVER assuming that their most outward traits are their most defining characteristics.
This is difficult to do in a world where we are time-poor and in contact with so many people.
❤ ️ But I believe by getting PROXIMATE to different cultures, languages, communities, and ways of life, we can start to break down stereotypes and assumptions that drive our default thinking.
❤️This is what allows us to create new perspectives on other people and embrace that not one overarching characteristic defines that person.
I often get asked how I am able to create one of the most diverse online communities that exist.
My answer is always this: if you expose yourself to different cultures and ways of being, you naturally create a space for diversity to come into your life.
This ability to be flexible in the way we think about identities and how we cast that narrative on others is how we make others feel safe in being their full, complex, and evolving selves.
Now it's your turn: how do you create a sense of belonging in your life, business, and community? What does it mean to you to feel SEEN?