During the month of May Southwest Airlines recognizes and celebrates Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, an opportunity to highlight the contributions of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in history as well as modern society. This is an important time to celebrate the accomplishments and highlight the cultures of our Asian American & Pacific Islander Employees and Customers.
I grew up in West Texas in a small town called Monahans. Growing up, it was difficult for me to balance two cultures as I felt like I was being pulled in two different directions. I was American in the outside world and South Asian when I was at home. As I grew up, I was able to better understand the importance of balancing the two and realizing I could still be both at the same time.
While I grew up in Monahans, my parents were born and raised in Mumbai, India. My dad was already in the United States for a few years prior to flying to India to marry my mom after just four days of meeting each other, as it was an arranged marriage. They just celebrated their 40th anniversary this year!
I chose to work at Southwest Airlines because I would always hear about how amazing the Culture is and how important it was to put their Employees first while creating a fun work environment. I wanted to be a part of a Company that is known for its Customer Service and world-renowned Hospitality. I found this to be a true testament when I went back to pursue my MBA as each class I took, Southwest Airlines was always an example given of a great business model for low costs while providing the utmost quality Customer Service for their Customers and keeping their Employees first. I always felt so proud when I would hear this knowing that I work for one of the best companies out there!
I started my career at Southwest in February 2016 as a Contractor in Customer Relations and transitioned to full-time in September 2016, so I’ve been with the Company a little over six years. In my current role as a Sr. Customer Relations Representative, I correspond with Customers via Twitter and Facebook to answer any questions/comments, address complaints, and engage with posts from the Southwest social channels.
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month is important to me because it allows me to understand the customs, traditions, and holidays that are special to my family and culture. It also gives me an opportunity to learn about myself, my family, and my ancestors. Each one of these aspects plays a role in my identity and contributes to who I am as a person.
Some of my favorite things about my Indian heritage include the traditions and customs that we’ve had for many years and continue to practice, like our traditional weddings. I also love the importance and closeness of family, and how diverse and unique the Indian culture is. India is so big and diverse. There are many customs and practices as every region of India varies. Not every region is the same—each has its own language, food, customers, holidays, and traditions. This is why it’s important not to generalize or stereotype the Indian culture because there is so much diversity within it.
When it comes to learning about different cultures, I believe that being open-minded is really important. It’s imperative to embrace the differences between cultures and to learn from one another. Every single culture is beautiful and unique in its own way. It’s important to be inclusive and to help others feel safe when they share their culture with you. Sharing various customs, traditions, and even food can bring people close together and help them find commonalities with each other.
Everyone has their own journey in finding their own identity and being confident in who they are and where they come from. We should never shy away from learning about ourselves to have a better understanding of the importance of our culture and traditions.