Editor’s Note: The following message is an excerpt of an email originally shared with employees from CFO Harmit Singh.
May is upon us, and I invite you all to join me in celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month over the next several weeks. As a company, our focus this year centers around visibility. Through a series of impactful activities scheduled throughout the month – from a “Sashiko” customization day with our women’s Employee Resource Group (ERG) to a collaboration with the Inside Out ERG celebrating the AAPI members of the LGTBQ+ community – LS&Co. programs honor AAPI identity, celebrate heritage and support our local community and the next generation of AAPI youth.
As the proud executive sponsor of our Asian ERG, I remain deeply invested in working with our LS&Co. employees and the community to amplify a sense of belonging and foster empowerment for AAPI members and allies. Unfortunately, hate crimes targeting the Asian American community continue to rise, and as we continue to struggle with hateful rhetoric visibility becomes increasingly important to elevate awareness and advance equity and opportunity for Asian Americans. Visibility includes improving diverse representation through partnerships, leveraging our brand & social activism to create consumer connection and advocacy, and uplifting AAPI voices to create a safe space to celebrate culture and share legacy, which is critical to the future of the Asian American community.
I am committed to elevating our focus on visibility for AAPI Heritage Month, reaffirming the remarkable beauty of our cultures and contributions and driving the importance of advancing diversity, equity and inclusion towards greater equality for our AAPI community and all persons of color. Coming together is not only important to our ERG community, but it directly impacts the strength of our employee culture and diversity at LS&Co.
