May is Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the contributions and influence of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to the history, culture and achievements of the United States. At TD SYNNEX, we are proud to celebrate this month with a series of events that honor the diverse cultures and histories of the AAPI community.
Spearheaded by Rise, a Business Resource Group (BRG), our celebrations have been both vibrant and impactful, reflecting our commitment to inclusivity and cultural appreciation. The Rise goals this year for the US chapter were to educate and connect members through events and activities, focusing on the educational aspect of our goals for AAPI month.
Why May?
The legislation to annually designate May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month referenced two key dates: May 7 and May 10.
May 7, 1843, marks the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States. And May 10, 1869, or Golden Spike Day, recognizes the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S., which had significant contributions from Chinese workers. The White House has enhanced the visibility of the AAPI community in public spaces, a commitment highlighted in the Presidential Proclamations recognizing AAPI Heritage Month nationally in 1992 and further emphasized in 2015.
To educate our community, Chantal Martin, the events and education co-chair for Rise at TD SYNNEX, created a video explaining the significance of AAPI Heritage Month. This video was featured in our virtual kickoff on May 1, which also included a fun Kahoot (an online game-based learning platform) game, on AAPI heritage. The top three scorers received Rise tote bags filled with goodies.
Throughout the month, we hosted a series of events to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month across various locations:
AAPI Month (Virtual) Kickoff – May 1
We kicked off the month with a virtual kickoff event featuring members of our executive team, Steve Jow, Executive Vice President of Sales, Technology Solutions U.S., and Simon Leung, Chief Business Officer. Steve, a third-generation Chinese American, and Simon, a first-generation Chinese American, shared their insights and experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of why May is dedicated to AAPI heritage.
Reflecting on the significance of celebrating AAPI Month, John Jandoc a Rise member highlighted, “It’s important for TD SYNNEX to recognize and honor AAPI Month to showcase the diversity and contributions of the AAPI culture through language, and lifestyles; and for me, especially through food.”
Canada Lunch Celebration – May 7
Jennifer Palser, Rise Canadian Chapter Chair, and Nipun Raje, Rise member, hosted an Indian-themed lunch celebration in Mississauga. 60 colleagues at the Mississauga, Creditview office enjoyed fantastic food and engaged in meaningful conversations about Indian traditions and heritage. The event highlighted the historical ties and rich cultural heritage brought to Canada by immigrants from various parts of Asia over the past two centuries, representing numerous languages, ethnicities, and religious traditions.
Jennifer Palser shared, “Honoring API Month fosters diversity and inclusivity in the workplace by raising awareness of the Asian Pacific Islander community and their significant contributions to history. The events demonstrate TD SYNNEX’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, offering employees the opportunity to learn about and experience new cultures. This not only enhances the company’s reputation but also attracts a diverse range of talented individuals. In Canada alone, there are 7,013,835 Asian people, making up 19.3% of the population.”
Reflecting on the event, Jennifer added, “TD SYNNEX coworkers of all nationalities enjoyed the food, decorations, gifts, and videos about Indian culture, leaving attendees excited for the next event.”
She also highlighted, “An example of cultural celebrations is the Indian festival Navaratri (Nine Nights Festival). ‘Nava’ means nine and ‘Ratri’ means night in Sanskrit. Individuals meet with their family and coworkers and dance every night. Each night features a different color, and all attendees wear that color.”
Fremont Lunch Celebration – May 14
Victor Pang, Rise Community Outreach Co-Chair, and I led a Filipino-themed lunch in Fremont. The celebration provided team members with an opportunity to learn about Filipino culture through interactive discussions and shared experiences.
“Rise events are interactive, fun, and engaging, bringing cultural experiences to our own backyard. They make the unknown known through the taste of food, the sound of language, and the sight of different lifestyles, helping to connect people,” said John Jandoc. He highlighted this year’s event, sharing, “I got to model and wear the Philippines’ formal menswear shirt, the Barong Tagalog, and share traditional Filipino food with my colleagues. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and share my heritage with others at TD SYNNEX.”
I believe it is crucial for companies to acknowledge the diversity within their workforce. A few members told us after our event in Fremont that they look forward to our in-office activities, which means we are making an impact on our workplace, and more importantly, it means we’re making an impact on celebrating the heritage and diversity we’re striving for.
National Asian & Pacific Islander HIV/AIDS Awareness Day– May 19
This day is crucial for raising awareness about the impact of HIV and AIDS-related stigma within AAPI communities. A joint message from Spectrum Americas and Rise BRGs highlighted the importance of addressing and removing the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS to ensure that individuals feel safe seeking prevention, testing, and treatment.
Gilbert Lunch Celebration – May 21
Samantha Wilbur, Rise Committee Member, hosted a Thailand-themed lunch in Gilbert. Attendees immersed themselves in Thai culture through engaging activities and discussions, fostering a strong sense of community.
Clearwater Lunch Celebration – May 28
Odessa O’Neil, Chantal Martin, and Shaista Rasheed of Rise organized a Persian-themed lunch in Clearwater, concluding our month-long celebration. The event highlighted Persian culture and cuisine, drawing around 40 co-workers to a vibrant and festive gathering.
It makes people feel connected to one another. Sharing food, facts, stories, and traditions about cultures connects people like nothing else. By creating this sense of community within the workplace you increase retention and foster inclusion.
Throughout the month, TD SYNNEX employees were encouraged to embrace the spirit of the celebration by downloading and using specially designed virtual backgrounds for their Teams calls.
This initiative provided a unique way to visually celebrate and honor AAPI Heritage Month, allowing co-workers to showcase their support and engagement with the month’s theme during every virtual interaction. The ‘Year of the Dragon’ theme was added to our virtual background since this is the year of the dragon from a lunar calendar perspective. Our US chapter focused on education, while the newly established Canadian chapter developed their own specific theme separately. We conducted a survey among our members at the end of last year and incorporated each of these suggestions into our AAPI month celebrations this year. I hope this encourages our members to continue providing feedback, knowing that their voices are heard and valued.
Embracing Diversity
As Yo-Yo Ma once said, “When you learn something from people, or from a culture, you accept it as a gift, and it is your lifelong commitment to preserve it and build on it.” This sentiment reflects TD SYNNEX’s ongoing commitment to embracing and celebrating the diverse backgrounds of our team members.
As we conclude AAPI Heritage Month, let us reflect on and honor the rich cultural diversity that makes our community so vibrant and unique. Together, we can continue to foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
To learn more about the history of Rise program or to learn more visit our website.
