S. Chin

I’m a 35-year-old Chinese American woman who grew up in Queens. At work I have often been told that my leadership style is surprising for an Asian American woman. They are surprised when I encourage the use of creative tools over purely data-driven approaches. Their words reflect the box in which they expect me to exist. I respond by questioning where their assumptions and surprise come from and by proudly owning my individual leadership style. People see my Asian-face and assume that my family immigration story to America is a recent one. I proudly correct them that my family has been in America for over four generations, including service for the United States in World War II. We are Toisanese, historically known as the home of the Chinese overseas for our work in coming to America, helping build the railroads and contributing to the transformation of the American West.