Hear From Our Employees: Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

Hi Blackbaud Community,

We are excited to be celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, in the US and Canada. The AANHPI community represents a rich ancestral history, spanning origins in more than 40 countries, with over 50 ethnicities, and over 100 languages and dialects. AANHPI Heritage Month is a time to recognize the remarkable accomplishments of the AANHPI community in the US and Canada, including their contributions to science and medicine, literature and art, sports and recreation, government and politics, and activism and law.

These contributions are also rooted in the traditions, cultures, and diverse stories of our Blackbaud employees. Read a few of their quotes below. Plus, be sure to check out The Buzz newsletter every week—one employee story will be featured in The Buzz every Wednesday for the remainder of the month.

I am the first Asian-American in my family “Having the privilege of growing up around the world…shaped my love for learning about different cultures. Perhaps I was always meant to have a career involved in giving back to communities.” -Jenalyn Walton, Social Responsibility Coordinator

More than a stereotype “In my small town where Asians made up less than 1% of the population, …the media and non-Asian community [said] I was supposed to be good at math and science…I was able to choose this career based on my actual skills and interests…not based on what or who I was supposed to be.” -Kathleen Glass, Senior Diversity and Inclusion Specialist

The perfect marriage of education and tech “I never saw myself in the tech industry…I found the perfect marriage of both education and tech…and the AAPI community has provided a safe space for me at work and another way to network within the field.” -Hanna Kim, Implementation Specialist

To learn more about AANHPI, check out these resources:
• PBS: Are You “AAPI” or “Asian American”? It’s Complicated. | A People’s History of Asian America
• NPR: The story behind Asian Pacific American Heritage, and why it's celebrated in May
• Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center: A Museum Without Walls
• American Writers Museum: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources