Thank you for seeing us.
Women. People of Color. Immigrants. LGBTQ+
When we landed in the United States almost ten years ago, we quickly became aware that we check a number of boxes:
☑ Women
☑ People of Color
☑ Immigrants
☑ LGBTQ+
✓, ✓,✓, and ✓.
In the beginning, we're annoyed to have our identities summarized into two dimensional checkboxes —☑— but we did it anyway. We thought this was required of us to fit in, so we ✓-ed away.
What we didn't expect, was how checking these boxes kicked off our first careers in the States as storytelling artists.
What we didn't know, was how interacting with these communities over the next three years would inspire us to lead by example, shape the way we run our business, and inform how we show up in the world.
2014: Our first grant award from Seattle Office Of Arts & Culture funded our first #DreamsUnlimited storytelling performance at Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.
#DreamsUnlimited was a series of multimedia performances we crafted, performed, and toured around the country. Every opportunity we get, we'd intentionally bring these performances to people of color, immigrant-refugee and LGBTQ+ communities.
During these performances, we invited artists from diverse backgrounds—sometimes from the very communities we were performing in—to share the stage with us and tell their stories of hopes and dreams.
We wanted the artists on stage to be a collective mirror of possibility for the folks in the audience—that they, too, can realize their hopes and dreams.
#DreamsUnlimited was about un-limiting the potential of individuals. It was also about un-limiting the access to hopes and dreams to communities that have been systemically excluded.
Left: Collecting dreams in Kent. Top right: Performing artist Hollis Wong-Wear sharing her dream. Bottom right: A family share their dreams at Foster High School, Tukwila.
Each performance gifted us an opportunity to understand these communities beyond the checkboxes it ✓. We got to witness what their hopes and dreams were as individuals. As fellow human beings.
The artists, the crew, the audience, and the funding organizations who co-created each performance with us taught us:
Representation matters.
We started applying for grants in the first place because we witnessed another artist of color doing meaningful work through the grants she got. She encouraged us to do the same. So we did.
Representation matters.
At M, having diverse voices in the room is a non-negotiable criteria for any event we're involved in, whether as organizers, speakers, or even just attendees. Yes it takes a lot more time, energy, and heart—to find diverse leaders, research how they are leading by example (#IRL), gain their trust, and then work with them to share their most relevant stories to the topic...
But when we see the same demographics being reflected in the room, it's 💯 worth it. When we witness diverse folks in the audience feeling safe enough to bravely raise their hands—ask questions, share helpful tips, include their voices in the room, be seen and heard—it's ∞ 💯∞ worth it.
In life, whether we're performing on stage, giving a TEDx talk, teaching a mindfulness workshop, attending a networking event, meeting friends for brunch, we show up as a pair. (Yes, the one on the left is Tay, and the one on the right is Val. You can count on us to appear in this order, too 😘)
We made 'us' visible. A 'dynamic female Asian couple' became our business branding. And even more so, our way of living. Because work is love made visible. Because love is love. Because we wished we had other role models that looked like us when we were younger, growing up in a country where our sexuality is (still) illegal.
Women. People of Color. Immigrants. LGBTQ+.
Over the years, these words became less of a label, and more of a mission.
A mission to communicate that we can be successful, we can have positive impact, we can lead by example, we can have positive representation. We can stand out and be seen—no longer as sore thumbs or diversity tokens—but comfortably in all of our 'differentness'.
And no matter where we're standing...
Seattle Startup Week - Being The CEO Of Your Own Life From left: Donte Parks - VP of People Engagement @Substantial | Ann Dorgan - CEO @Gumball Enterprises | Martin Tobias - CEO @Bulletproof Labs | Michel Feaster - CEO @Usermind | Jonathan Sposato - Chairman and co-founder @Geekwire
We see you.
Organizers told us that they're surprised to see employees who have never attended any company events come to our workshops. These same 'quiet', 'hardworking', 'keep their heads down' employees would ask questions, share their challenges, and engage during the workshop.
They're glad we came to their companies. They're glad they got to hear from these employees. We're glad, too.
Women. People of Color. Immigrants. LGBTQ+.
These terms have become more than checkboxes, labels and tokens.
It's an identity we're learning to embody more fully each day. It's a #safespace we're fiercely committed to creating—for ourselves and you, ALL (parts) of you—so that we can all be brave.
Bravely being more of me. Bravely reimagining who we get to be beyond norms, stereotypes, and biases.
We honored AAPI month in May. We celebrate Pride this month.
We offer ourselves and M as a resource to you and the DEI efforts in your organization. It's ok to tell us that we represent everything you care about, including our color, our sexuality, our expertise, and being different.
We work hard to lead by example and are honored that you see us.
If you're thinking of doing a mindfulness-based DEI workshop, hit reply and tell us what you and your team need. We can customize content, craft engaging invitations, help you get buy in, and create a #bravespace to grow in.
Let's get the conversation going.
