Culture Spotlight: Meet Movable Ink Asians

_**Movable Ink Asians seek to promote Pan-Asian cultural awareness, foster deeper connections, and educate the Movable Ink community. Through events, social gatherings, and educational opportunities, we strive to encourage knowledge and interest with our fellow Inkers on our diverse Asian cultures.**_#### **Our Story**In late 2019, a small group of us raised the question of potentially forming an employee resource group for Pan-Asian employees. We had heard about these resource groups at other, larger organizations but didn’t know where to start, what the process would entail, or if this was even a possible reality. What started as an inkling of an idea and a question posed half-jokingly laid the foundation for what would become Movable Ink Asians. With the support and guidance of our CFO over the following few weeks and many surveys and meetings later, Movable Ink Asians officially launched at Movable Ink’s 2020 Kickoff. As our mission statement reflects, we wanted this group to be a space where the stories and experiences of the Pan-Asian community within Movable Ink can be shared and celebrated. While educating and creating allies within the larger organization, Movable Ink Asians encourage our Pan-Asian community to be their true, authentic selves at work. Throughout 2020, we’ve been able to observe Lunar New Year together, leverage the talents of our own team members during a Vietnamese summer roll making class, (attempt to) grow Bonsai trees, and celebrate Diwali by sending each other uplifting “firecracker messages” among many other events that capture the diverse makeup of Pan Asian culture. Although 2020 was a year of many successes for Movable Ink Asians, we also witnessed the unfortunate rise in hate and violence towards the AAPI community. As 2021 planning began, Movable Ink Asians sought to make a larger impact both within Movable Ink and externally. We continued to recognize our culture in unique ways and with a greater purpose– to hopefully create a world in which we can all feel safe and heard.Earlier this year, for Holi, the Hindu festival that involves colorful powders symbolizing the prevalence of good over evil, we started a social media fundraising campaign to raise awareness around the violence happening to the Asian community. Through this campaign, and with Movable Ink’s help, we donated $2,000 USD to the AAPI Community Fund. We were also able to work with our executive leadership to hold an open forum to safely speak about the rise in racism towards the Asian community and how we can continue supporting one another.#### **2021 and Beyond**Over the next few weeks, we’ll observe Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPIHM) by distributing care packages to employees that support AAPI-owned small businesses, celebrating Eid-al-Fitr, screening a BIPOC feminism panel along with Black Ink and Movable Pink, and hosting a standup comedy show for some much-needed comic relief.At Movable Ink, we celebrate individuals for who they are– this is the foundation of our DEI efforts. Movable Ink Asians is committed to sharing our stories and experiences with the larger organization so that we can work towards creating a more inclusive world for us all.