The Other Side

Ascend Leadership


Ascend Leadership is the largest Pan-Asian business professional membership organization in North America. Their mission is to drive workplace and societal impact by developing and elevating all AAPI business leaders and empowering them to become catalysts for change.

Challenge:
We’re facing a problem around lack of believability around AAPI discrimination. AAPI professionals face nuanced, subtle microaggressions that often disguise themselves as innocent questions or throwaway comments. Over 30% of AAPIs report workplace discrimination – the highest percentage among all ethnic groups – the vast majority of people of other races say discrimination against Asians do not exist. As a result, they choose to stay silent. And for the longest time, Asian-Americans have felt like they can achieve the American dream as long as they shut up and aren’t seen.

Idea:
There are two sides to being an Asian in the workplace. On one Side, AAPI professionals seem well-represented. They’re highly employed and are high earners. But on the Other Side, long-held bias toward their community makes them less likely to be promoted to leadership levels. We’ll raise awareness by shining a light on The Other Side and help spark change in corporate America.