Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

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TransUnion releases global study that underscores the importance of financial inclusion

TORONTO, May 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) More than 9 million consumers are considered to be either credit unservedi or underservedii in Canada, according to a new global TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) study Empowering Credit Inclusion: A Deeper Perspective on Credit Underserved and Unserved Consumers. However, the study found that about 14% of consumers who started as credit underserved were found to have migrated to becoming more credit active in a two-year window prior to the pandemic. During the height of the pandemic, this percentage of consumers becoming more active decreased slightly, to 12%, with the profile of those consumers skewing younger than the pre-pandemic sample.

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In addition to Canada, the TransUnion global study observed consumer credit behavior in Colombia, Hong Kong, India, South Africa and the United States, to get a better sense of the market size of these unserved and underserved consumer segments.

Our study clearly points to hundreds of millions of consumers around the globe being credit unserved or underserved, said Matt Fabian, director of financial services research and consulting at TransUnion. These credit disadvantaged consumers are often unable to access financial products and services because they have no, or little, credit history. This study served to better understand how many people are truly under- or unserved from a credit perspective while also determining paths for them to gain opportunities for access to credit.

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The study explored the characteristics and behaviours of credit unserved and underserved consumers and their overall sentiments towards credit, while offering key insights into the credit journeys of these consumers. Unserved consumers are defined as any person who has never had an open traditional credit product (such as a credit card, personal loan or auto loan, to name a few) as reported on the TransUnion consumer credit database. The underserved population have minimal credit participation, limited to a single type of credit product and no more than two open accounts of that type, and have been active in the credit market for at least two years.

This study specifically excluded new-to-credit consumers those who have opened their first product within the past two years from the underserved population, as many of those new-to-credit consumers become more fully credit active soon after opening their first product. The study sought to understand those consumers who remain unserved or underserved over a longer time period.

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Two cohorts of consumers were studied, each over a two year time period the first during the pre-pandemic period beginning March 2018 through March 2020, and the second beginning in June 2019 and studied through the pandemic time period of June 2021, to determine if there were any pandemic-related shifts in consumer credit migration trends.

Global Market Sizing of the Credit Unserved and Underserved Populations

Canada

2.1M

7%

7.5M

24%

Colombia

16.3M

44%

7.1M

19%

Hong Kong

1.0M

16%

1.8M

28%

India

571M

63%

170M

19%

South Africa

20.6M

51%

5.96M

15%

United States

8.1M

3%

37M

14%

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While some unserved (also called credit inactive) consumers may have traditional credit scores when they open their first credit product, many do not. This lack of a credit score and any history of credit activity is certainly an impediment for these unserved consumers to get their first credit product, as many lenders are hesitant to extend credit to consumers without any credit history or score. For these traditionally unscoreable consumers, they face a chicken or egg conundrum of how to get that first credit product when they lack a credit history.

This reality underscores the importance of incorporating alternative and consumer contributed data into the financial ecosystem, so that fewer consumers find themselves as credit invisible. Broader views of a consumer allow lenders to determine where there might be new opportunities for growth and allow consumers to potentially qualify for more credit at lower rates, supporting credit inclusion, said Fabian.

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Once Canadian Underserved Consumers Become Credit Served, They are Likely to Apply for More Credit

Every year a portion of the underserved consumer population those with minimal credit activity become more fully credit active by opening additional credit products, while many remain in that underserved segment. To better understand how underserved consumers transitioned to becoming more fully credit active, the study looked at which credit products consumers opened within the two-year period. For the purpose of the study, underserved consumers transitioned to served if they opened additional product types over the two-year study period for example, when a previous credit card-only consumer also opens an auto loan. Alternatively, they could become credit active if they opened additional products of the same type for example, if they opened additional accounts of the same product type and reached three or more open accounts over the two-year study period.

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The most common first credit products held by underserved consumers in Canada were credit cards (84%), which held true in the United States as well, but was seen to a lesser degree (44%). This mirrors broader trends that TransUnion has observed in these regions, where credit cards are the most common first product for consumers entering the credit market. This varied by country; however, as the study found that in emerging markets like Colombia, India and South Africa, the product type most commonly held by underserved consumers were microcredit, agricultural loans and clothing loans, respectively. In Canada, over 90% of underserved consumers that migrated to credit served within the two year period did so by opening a second product type. The most commonly opened second product types were credit card (for consumers that did not already have a credit card) and personal loans.

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The study also found that consumers who migrated from underserved to served (opened at least one new product type, or opened additional products of the same type) over the two year period had more inquiries applications for new credit than consumers who remained underserved. While some of that higher inquiry activity was attributable to the fact that they opened new accounts, the overall higher level of inquiry activity by those consumers who migrated to the served segment implies that these consumers have significantly higher demand for new credit, and that this demand is not necessarily being met by lenders.

The number of new credit inquiries was materially higher for consumers that migrated to served compared to consumers who remained underserved. These consumers appear to be actively seeking additional credit, but they are not necessarily able to access the credit they want, potentially due to their limited credit history. This highlights an opportunity for lenders who are seeking to grow and add new customers. Many of these underserved consumers would likely be well-performing and profitable borrowers, but because of their limited credit history, lenders are reluctant to extend them credit. Expanding the use of alternative data on consumers into lending decisions could enable lenders to get a fuller picture of the financial capacity of underserved consumers and make credit available to more of them, added Fabian.

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Unserved or Underserved? Survey Confirms Varying Levels of Credit Satisfaction

TransUnion also commissioned an online global surveyiii of more than 11,100 adults (ages 18 years and older) to gather sentiment from unserved and underserved consumers on the topic of credit. The countries studied included Canada, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Philippines and the United States. The findings revealed consumer beliefs, attitudes and experiences with credit that may be influencing current and future behaviours.

Depending upon the country, respondents cited they are interested in applying for credit in 2022 to varying degrees. In Canada, for example, 33% of unserved consumers those without any credit products plan on applying for credit, compared to 36% of underserved consumers. The reason for the slightly higher level for underserved consumers may be due to the fact that it is typically easier for underserved consumers, who generally have at least one credit account, to secure credit than consumers who are completely credit inactive.

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When comparing the consumer sentiment of unserved consumers with underserved consumers, there tends to be a pronounced difference in the level of satisfaction with their current amount of credit. In Canada, 71% of underserved consumers were satisfied or extremely satisfied with their current amount of credit, while only 56% of unserved consumers, those with no credit currently, had the same level of satisfaction. Additionally, 12% of unserved consumers were not satisfied at all with their level of credit while only 6% of underserved consumers expressed dissatisfaction. This potentially speaks to differences in awareness of the potential uses and benefits of credit between those with some limited credit activity and those with no credit at all.

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Financial inclusion is important as it supports consumers in day-to-day living, and helps families and businesses plan for everything from long-term goals to unexpected emergencies. Promoting financial inclusion starts with gathering a better understanding of the different nuances between the unserved, underserved and served populations and what makes them tick. For example, what drives unserved consumers to apply for credit, and why underserved consumers may need a different type of credit product, may vary greatly. As lenders continue to be better able to meet the unique needs and educate these unserved and underserved segments on ways they can build and improve their credit profiles, a larger percentage of consumers that want to will become actively engaged in the credit system, concluded Fabian.

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For more information and insights on the global TransUnion study, Empowering Credit Inclusion: A Deeper Perspective on Credit Underserved and Unserved Consumers, please download the report.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing an actionable picture of each person so they can be reliably represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good. TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people in more than 30 countries. Our customers in Canada comprise some of the nations largest banks and card issuers, and TransUnion is a major credit reporting, fraud, and analytics solutions provider across the finance, retail, telecommunications, utilities, government and insurance sectors.

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Contact: Fiona BangE-mail: Fiona.Bang@ketchum.comTelephone: 647-680-2885

i Unserved: Consumers that have never had an open traditional credit product, based on reported accounts on the TransUnion consumer credit database. To size the unserved, we started with the total adult population as reported by the United Nations. We then subtracted the underserved, new to credit and served consumers. The remaining number is the unserved.

ii Underserved: Consumers with some, but limited, credit presence. Specifically, they have:

iii TransUnions online global survey included responses from 11,128 adults and was conducted between August 3 2021 January 5 2022 by TransUnion in partnership with third-party research provider Qualtrics Research-Services.

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More than 9 Million Canadians are Either Credit Unserved or Underserved; Approximately 14% Migrate to Being Credit Active Every Two Years - Financial...

Last seen in NYC in 2019, in the Off-Broadway revival of poet/playwright Ntozake Shanges groundbreaking genre-defying choreopoem at The Public Theater (where it was first presented in 1976, and was honored with a 1977 Obie Award for Distinguished Production), for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf has returned to the Booth Theatre four decades after its pioneering Broadway premiere there the second play ever by a Black woman to reach the Broadway stage for a limited engagement through May 22.

The works radically inventive format and under-represented perspective fuses spoken word, poetry, music, dance, and song in a nonlinear sequence of short segments (30 here) featuring seven women of color symbolically identified not by their first and last names, but as the seven beautiful colors of the rainbow sharing their personal memories, attitudes, and experiences of racial and sexual oppression, while finding strength, self-empowerment, and sisterhood in the joyful celebration of their resilience, survival, camaraderie, and support of one another.

Fluidly directed and expressively choreographed by the masterful Camille A. Brown (who also choreographed the recent production at The Public), the stories presented as an array of direct-address monologues and free verse, narrations and re-enactments, dialogues and rounds are at once natural and colloquial, eloquent and poetic. The profoundly affecting language and perfectly attuned interpretive movements (that start off individualized then become increasingly synchronized as the women join together and acknowledge the commonality of their struggles) are filled with a range of emotions, from pleasure and pain to humor and outrage, and, above all, empathy, which resonates throughout the stage to the hearts, minds, and souls of the audience.

Each of the characters is portrayed with a unique personality, distinct likability, and unfailing humanity by a superb cast (which included three top-notch understudies on the date I attended) Kenita R. Miller as the Lady in Red, McKenzie Frye (filling in for Amara Granderson) as the Lady in Orange, D. Woods as the Lady in Yellow, Alexis Sims (a standby for Okwui Okpokwasili) as the Lady in Green, Stacey Sargeant as the Lady in Blue, Treshelle Edmond (in for Alexandria Wailes) as the Lady in Purple, and Tendayi Kuumba as the Lady in Brown.

As an ensemble, they transition seamlessly from scene to scene, openly and honestly revealing everything from childhood games and first sexual encounters to date rape, unwanted pregnancy and abortion, to male infidelity, abandonment, and domestic abuse. They also capture the raw emotions those events engendered, along with the triumph of moving on and the joy of being part of a vital uplifting community of women who understand and relate.

Among the highlights of the consistently riveting production is the seductive dancing of Woods, the alternating use of signing, speaking, and motion by Edmond (who is deaf), Sims hilarious and self-confident delivery of somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff (bringing laughs with the line stealin my shit from me/dont make it yrs/makes it stolen), and an intensely harrowing account by Miller of a woman desperately trying to save her two young children from the threat of their violent father, which elicited gasps and tears from the house.

The electrifying performances and physicality of Browns choreography presented on a bare stage with large projection screens at both sides (scenic design by Myung Hee Cho) are set to original music, orchestrations, and arrangements by Martha Redbone and Aaron Whitby, drum arrangements by Jaylen Petinaud (with Deah Love Harriot serving as music director and Tia Allen as music coordinator), and sound Justin Ellington, all of which suit the stories and emotions. And the eponymous theme (inspired by Shanges life-affirming drive through a double rainbow after four suicide attempts) is referenced in the colorful lighting by Jiyoun Chang, projections by Aaron Rhyne, and costumes by Sarafina Bush in the seven different hues for which these glorious colored girls are named.

What was a revolutionary work of theater in the 1970s, remains a powerful expression of Shanges voice of feminism and Black power; its a momentous piece that, like her characters, should be seen and heard.

Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, without intermission.

for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf plays through Sunday, May 22, 2022, at the Booth Theatre, 222 West 45th Street, NYC. For tickets (priced at $49-225), call (212) 239-6200, or go online. Everyone must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and a photo ID to enter the building and must wear a mask at all times when inside.

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Groundbreaking choreopoem 'for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf' makes a powerful return to Broadway - DC Metro...

Oakland Universitys Healthology Symposium where science, practice and social interests meet will return next month to celebrate impactful research and collaborative approaches for addressing upstream social determinants of health, in achieving better downstream care.

Hosted annually by the School of Health Sciences, this years Symposium, Advancing, Restoring and Maintaining Physical Function, will focus on Human Movement Science the prescription of movement to impact health, movement as medicine to manage pain, and energizing community through movement science.

The 2022 Healthology Symposium is actually a two-day event May 12-13, said Kevin Ball, dean of the School of Health Sciences. We offer both our Public Forum, which is free of charge through the generous support of our sponsor, and then we engage further with health and medical professionals in our Professional Conference.

The free Public Forum, Advancing, Restoring and Maintaining Physical Function is being presented by Priority Health and will kick off at 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 12 in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms with networking, food and drink. This event includes remembrances and honors of OU health leaders, a keynote speaker, and discussions. Registration is requested.

With a welcome and introduction at 6 p.m. by Dean Ball and OU Provost Britt Rios-Ellis, the Symposium begins with a segment on the Health Achievement Leadership Legacy (HALL) Award. This award honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to OUs School of Health Sciences through leadership, community service, research or teaching.

The first to be honored will be the inaugural recipient (in 2018) of the HALL Award, Dr. Moon Jae Pak, founding director of the Oakland University Center for Health Sciences (now the School of Health Sciences) and a prominent local physician. Pak passed away in January 2022 at the age of 88.

Dr. Pak was a truly kind and appreciative man, a gracious elder with wisdom, and also pragmatism to move forward, Ball said. His accomplishments at OU earned legendary status. He will be deeply missed.

In grand recognition of Dr. Paks contributions, the Moon J. Pak Classroom will be announced, a $100,000 sponsorship gift of Dr. Susan and Bob Klemmer. The Pak family will be joined by the Klemmer family at this announcement.

Next at 6:20 p.m. the Symposium will honor the late Teresa Stayer, P.T., who was a recipient of the HALL Award in 2020. A champion of OU and physical therapy, Stayer served on the OU Alumni Association Board and as a founding School of Health Sciences (SHS) Board member. Graciously, the Teresa Stayer Endowed Scholarship in Physical Therapy funded at over $25,000 through the generous giving of friends, colleagues, admirers and the family of Teresa Stayer will be announced.

At 6:30 p.m., Dr. Christine Stiller will be honored as the 2022 recipient of the HALL Award in recognition of her exceptional 39-year career as a physical therapy faculty member and leader in clinic, teaching, research, and service to the SHS, OU, and Athletics.

At 6:45 p.m., the Symposium will recognize the career of Dr. Thomas Simmer, who recently retired as the senior vice president and chief medical officer from Blue Cross Blue Shield. Dr. Simmer also served the Henry Ford Health System as a physician for 21 years. In recognition of his genuine commitment to maintaining a fair and equitable environment in support of patients and physicians alike, and through the generous contributions of donors, the SHS is pleased to announce the Thomas Simmer Endowed Research Fund in Health Sciences; with over $25,000 this fund will support faculty and students annually in research endeavors.

Then at 7 p.m., the Symposium will welcome Angela T. Moore trainer, counselor and advocate for personal responsibility as keynote speaker during the public forum. Moore, an OU alumna, is the founder and owner of The Body Principle, an integrated health studio that provides fitness programming, mental health and nutrition counseling, and empowerment coaching to individuals and small groups. She also created the Propel Youth Empowerment Program designed to improve the self-esteem, self-confidence and self-efficacy in youth.

Moores radio show Empowered on 910 AM Superstation explores mental and physical health education. Moore enjoys her role on the Board of Advocacy and Resource Development (BOARD) for the School of Health Sciences at Oakland University.

On Friday, May 13, the Professional Conference of the 2022 Healthology Symposium will continue from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. inside the Human Health Building on the OU campus. Registration is required.

Some highlights from the second day of the Symposium will include:

8:30 8:45 a.m. Welcome Dean Kevin Ball and OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz

8:45 - 9:45 a.m. Keynote Speaker Thomas L. Simmer, M.D., F.A.C.P. Transforming Health Care with Connected Teams.

10 11 a.m. Interactive Breakouts: Home-based Older Persons Upstreaming Prevention Physical Therapy (Sara Arena, P.T, D.S.C.; Chris Wilson, D.P.T., D.S.C.P.T., G.C.S.) OR Oncology Rehabilitation (Deborah Doherty, P.T., Ph.D.; Lori Boright, P.T., Ph.D.).

11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Interactive Breakouts: Fall Prevention through portable technology (Daniel Goble, Ph.D.) OR Movement Science to Manage Pain: Pathology (Doug Creighton, P.T., D.P.T., O.C.S., F.A.A.O.M.P.T.).

12:15 1:30 p.m. Mid-day Meetups: Lunch, Research Posters, Networking.

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Interactive Breakouts: Movement Science to Manage Pain: Treatment (John Krauss, P.T., Ph.D., O.C.S., F.A.A.O.M.P.T.) OR Innovative Movement Programs (Terry Dibble, M.S.; Melodie Kondratek, D.S.C., P.T., O.M.P.T.; Lindsay Brandt, D.P.T.; Sarah Fink Carlin; Jacqueline Scully, P.T., D.P.; Ali Woerner, M.F.A.).

2:45 - 3:30 p.m. Panel discussion and wrap up: Improving Social Determinants of Health through Human Movement (Sara Arena, P.T., D.S.C.; Chris Wilson, D.P.T., D.S.C.P.T., G.C.S.; Melodie Kondratek, D.S.C., P.T., O.M.P.T.; Deborah Doherty, P.T., Ph.D.; Daniel Goble, Ph.D.)

To register for events, or for more information and details of the symposium, visit http://www.oakland.edu/shs/community/healthology.

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Oakland University to host 2022 Healthology Symposium - 2022 - School of Health Sciences - News - OU Magazine - News at OU

Frankie Sheahan is probably still best known as an Irish rugby legend. However, the Munster and Ireland star is now conquering the business world.

After retiring in 2009, the rugby hooker transformed himself into the founder and CEO of Pendulum, the worlds leading business and self-empowerment summit.

Speaking to Dublin Live at the Pendulum Summit in Dublin's RDS, Frankie said: Im very lucky, Im 45 now but when I first started rugby, I was about 10 years of age and it was a game I adored.

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I was about 17/18 when rugby union became professional. It was a dream come true, I finally had the chance to follow that and see if I could make it as a professional player.

"The Heineken Cup then started and I got the opportunity to spend the next 14 years playing with Munster and Ireland.

"I went to the same school together as Ronan (OGara) and we wouldve played all the way up together.

There was a group of us, Brian O'Meara, Mick ODriscoll, Peter Stringer, Anthony Horgan, David Wallace and Tom Tierney, there was a great crew of us at the time.

When his career on the pitch ended, Frankie decided to continue with his passions and went into a career that focused on personal development, self-help and leadership.

He said: I always gravitated to those types of books when I was younger.

Id the opportunity to play with and against the best players in the world and then I found myself in a situation where I set up a business called Front Row Speakers which brought speakers into companies and organisations covering performance, leadership and wellbeing.

By doing that, I got the lightbulb moment that all these speakers work in different sectors but all their principles are the same."

Frankie decided to set up one event a year to cover the key pillars such as authentic relationships, business excellence and leadership and team performance.

He said: We came up with the Pendulum Summit. We started it in 2014 and its fantastic eight years later, even with the pandemic.

We were dealt a curved ball over the pandemic, things went against us but we reacted. We followed the advice and we had a virtual event at the end of 2020.

Read more: Nadia Forde moved back to Dublin so young daughter could be closer to family

Is it as good as an in-person event? For me, no but for some it was okay, it was a bit of a novelty for some.

It was a great learning experience and we now have a new revolutionary learning and lifestyle platform which is online. We made the time work for us.

What we have here is an amazing energy in a room of like minded individuals who are looking for that extra bit of wisdom to take themselves to the next level. Its amazing to be back after 27 months.

Its passion, if you follow your passion you will do that bit extra. In rugby I had passion and I wanted it, it made me go to a different level. I was hugely passionate about this too, I read the books, I follow these speakers so bringing them all in feels like more of a hobby.

I always remind myself to be grateful that I'm somewhere I enjoy. When you surround yourself with like minded people theres an osmosis.

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Irish rugby star Frankie Sheahan reveals lightbulb moment that changed his life - Dublin Live

My Conversation with one of the most influential, inspirational and brilliant minds of our times. Sumaya Al Hajeris groundbreaking and practical vision for the future of AI may be exactly what this world needs.

Sumaya Al Hajeri- Head of Governance and Data at the UAE AI Office

Women always are inspired or motivated by not only challenges but also by consternation. I keep teaching this to my fellow women colleagues, my team, and my children. I teach how to stand up and walk again after a fall.

For my final interview with The 9 Inspirational Women Leaders In AI Shaping The 21st Century, I had the privilege of speaking with Sumaya Al Hajeri. She is an executive professional in the field of regulations for Technology, telecommunications, Outer Space, and the digital economy with 15 years of experience. She is heading the Governance and Data section at the Minister's Office of AI, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Application. She was assigned the responsibilities of implementing the AI National Strategy by rolling out several policies and initiatives; the most notable are: Federal Law No (44) on the Establishment of the UAE Data Office and the Federal Law No (45) regarding the Personal Data Protection Law and the UAE Digital Economy Strategy.

Her unique and layered perspective on AI is something all women and girls considering a future in AI and tech need to hear.

Sumaya AlHajeri as a speaker

I identify myself as a professional in technology policies and regulations - in telecommunication, outer space, and AI - with 14 years of experience. I am currently the Head of Governance and Data at the Minister of AI Office within the Prime Minister's Office and was able to head different policy functions across the different departments of the UAE government (AI, Outer Space, Telecommunication Competition, Radio Spectrum Planning, Defense). I was privileged to contribute to achieving several significant projects for the UAE government and guide leadership decisions through my interdisciplinary background. I influenced substantial national strategy and policy agenda, such as Federal Law on Personal Data Protection, Establishment of the UAE Data Office, Digital Economy Strategy, AI Strategy implementation, Outer-Space Policy, Federal Law Regulating Space Activities in the UAE and Digital Infrastructure.

I joined the UAE AI office in 2020 from the UAE Space Agency, where I headed the policy and data governance and was developing strategies and policies related to AI. Slowly the mandate of the Ministry of AI grew, and we started to handle more essential portfolios in the field of Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, which are all interconnected to AI.

At the same time, we were executing the UAE AI strategy, which is being implemented in three phases. The first phase was mainly making sure that the infrastructure was available: AI talent, Data, R&D activities, and the regulations. We ensured different initiatives for up-skilling and re-skilling talent, mainly in government. Then there's the availability of diverse and high-quality data, and that's the fuel of AI and R&D. All are governed by enabling regulation in the form of standards and incentives rather than enforcing constraining regulations, especially at the early stage of building a critical mass of AI businesses.

In the UAE, data governance was seen at an emirate level. In 2020, in the digital economy era and accelerated digital transformation, there was a need to harmonize federal data governance legislation. This is something that we've been working on for the past year. And we managed to finalize the project in only four months. It is the proudest achievement. I believe the success factor of such a project is the strategic conversation approach and consultation rounds with industry and concerned stakeholders. And being a woman is what we are good at; Women leaders lean towards a collaborative leadership style.

Now we're looking forward to starting and kicking off the implementation of phase two, that's, developing the business ecosystem, attracting more companies in AI, increasing the adoption rate in the government, and so on.

Sumaya Al Hajeri

I am a telecommunication engineer specializing in radio spectrum management who decided to do law at some point based on my line manager's advice back then at the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority. The attendees and experts also inspired me at the international telecommunication union radiocommunication sector(a UN body specializing in radio and telecommunication topics). I saw many representatives from member states who are doing radio, but at the same time, they are certified lawyers. They were like combining both fields and both bits of knowledge and that's important. This is why I decided to learn the law so that I understand my limitation as an engineer.

I was able even to facilitate the discussions whenever there were lawyers and engineers at the same table, and I was able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical people, including economists.

I had space in mind from a very young age. Every kid dreams about space, and I was inspired by movies like Star Wars, science documentaries, and other TV shows like Bill Nye. I was also inspired by Arab astronauts like Prince Sultan bin Salman from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Arab scientists like Farouk Al Baze, one of the key scientists who helped NASA plan and identify the Moon landing location for Apollo 11.

Sumaya AlHajeri - UAE Embassy in Washington

I remember conducting this study as part of my academic role within the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government in Dubai. I studied for my second master's degree related to public policy in science, technology, and innovation. In terms of women's empowerment and women's equality, it's all about the culture, and leaders are the ones who drive culture. The UAE leadership recognizes the importance of women's equality here in the UAE. Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak has been the driver behind the woman empowerment agenda in the UAE since the very early beginning of the UAE establishment. Society enabled women, and today women are enabling society!

We can see it even by numbers, like 77% of the Emirati women are enrolled in higher education after secondary school, which makes up to 70% of all the university graduates in the UAE. Also, the studies found that almost 50% of engineering graduates are women. Those numbers resonate with whatever I have been experiencing as an engineering student. It's even exceeding the numbers in different other countries in Europe. Women occupy 66% of public sector jobs here in the UAE. So almost two-thirds of government jobs in the UAE are occupied by women. And 30% of the 66% are women handling leadership positions and decision-making roles. However, in the private sector, more efforts are needed to increase Emirati women's participation in the workforce.

One crucial success factor of the high women's participation in the public workforce is the women's role models. The UAE female ministers handle extensive portfolios such as space, culture, food security, and the youth. And every little girl in school or woman in universities and the workforce would look up to them and see them as role models. And that's what leadership is. And now, looking into the private sector, another study that I've been doing within my capacity as a researcher requires more effort to catch up with the public sector.

Now, what are the roadblocks? The only roadblock I see is not only in the UAE, but it's a global roadblock: the blue washing of the woman empowerment implementation in the organization. And what is known as selective disclosure. So they disclose a different culture than the authentic culture, the truth that is happening within the organization, revealing that is not the truth of the organizational culture. And culture, as I said, it's driven by leadership, so leaders are the ones who can eliminate all of this bluewashing and roadblocks.

They do give attention to enabling organizational woman networks as well. That's an essential practice that has been seen in different organizations to create a woman network that they back up together to establish a voice of women and build leadership skills and help networking. This is where leadership also can recognize that network, the woman network in organizations, instead of having it there without giving it that much weight, they should understand that women make better leaders, not only because of being empathetic or a good listener or nurturing by nature so that they can enable teamwork and so on. But also, women have a very collaborative leadership style which makes them even better significant public policymakers.

One is AI ethics. Different driving forces redefined our ethics and ethical principles and values in ethics. And one of them you can see is from the various industrial revolutions. Each industrial revolution was a driving force that made humans re-think Ethical principles and redefine new ones. With the invention of the computers, the third industrial revolution was another strong driving force that changed our ethical principles. Now, Artificial Intelligence and the fourth industrial revolution embrace another more potent driving force to redefine our ethics. In addition, I would consider the pandemic as another driving force that reshaped our understanding or meaning of privacy. It's mainly about balancing individualism and societal benefits in terms of privacy. How much I would like to share out of my privacy for the use of public societal benefit and security for my security. I believe the metaverse will bring a new driving force for a new set of ethics in the near future. And policymakers shall kick off the discussion on that aspect.

The second topic would be straightforward tasks and process routines. That's what AI usually does, and this is where it's best to work. I'll be curious to see how much AI would grow in its overall intelligence.

I believe this will only be enabled by standardization. Instead of countries doing more of the constrained type of regulation, I would like to see more international standards to facilitate interoperability and international operation in making AI happen worldwide and reducing the gaps between nations. We have countries behind, while others are far away from the top. International standardization would be a perfect approach to reduce that gap. And then we have another method which is incentives. Incentives as part of regulation and policies to enable AI. We need to get to a world of international standards incentives instead of constraints.

Sumaya Al Hajeris experience of the recent past and her vision for the future is a mighty pairing to move AI forward over the years to come. The idea of a global standard for AI to open the opportunity for innovation to all nations is groundbreaking and genuinely visionary. Imagine if all countries with brilliant minds work within the same standards. Then we would see the true potential of AI and AI for Good.

Sumaya Al Hajeri

Sumaya Al Hajeri is a leader in the field of Technology, telecommunications and Outer Space regulations. She is currently heading the Governance and Data section at the Minister's Office of AI, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Application. She was assigned the responsibilities of implementing the AI National Strategy by rolling out a number of policies, strategies and initiatives, the most notable are: the UAE Digital Economy Strategy, Federal Law No (44) on the Establishment of the UAE Data Office and the Federal Law No (45) regarding the Personal Data Protection Law. Moreover, she was the Head of Space Policies and Regulations at the UAE Space Agency. She contributed to achieving several projects, such as the UAE's participation in the UN Committee of the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs, the Federal law No (12) of 2019 regarding the regulation of the UAE Space Sector and other related strategies and policies. Sumaya has several professional and academic contributions in the field of Competition regulations, competitiveness, Industry and Technology Cluster Policies, Smart Specialization Policies, Microeconomic Cluster Mapping tool, women in ICT as part of the ITU agenda, Women in Space as part of the UNOOSA agenda, increasing Emirati women participation in the workforce, Space Policies and Strategies.

Read more:

AI Visionary And Innovation Leader Sumaya Al Hajeri Of The UAE AI Office May Be Exactly What This World Needs - Forbes

Spring 2022 commencement student speakers, from left, Aiga Ale, Jesse Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku and Michelle Zheng.

Share your stories with others. Make a difference in this world. Continue to persevere throughout life.

These are some of the uplifting messages three studentsAiga Ale, Jesse Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku and Michelle Zhenghope to convey to their fellow graduates and all those in attendance at University of HawaiiWest Oahus Spring 2022 Commencement.

The three are among more than 400 students who are candidates for graduation, the highest number to date for UH West Oahu, which will be holding two in-person ceremonies on May 7. Ale will speak during the morning ceremony, and Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku and Zheng will speak during the afternoon ceremony.

Everything I do is for my family, so its not just a big day for me, Ale said. This accomplishment is dedicated to my family, especially my mom, whos sacrificed so much to build a solid foundation for me to succeed.

Age: 23From: Ewa BeachDegree: Bachelor of Applied ScienceHealth Professions

Among Ales most notable accomplishments was becoming the first organic chemistry tutor at the Noeau Center.Before going into organic chemistry, I was absolutely terrified because I heard it was one of the hardest science classes in undergrad, Ale said. But it ended up being my favorite class, and I went on to tutor it because I absolutely love this subject.

Ale continued, Being the first for something like that, I feel like as a Smoan woman, it was a big accomplishment because Im hoping itll inspire more Pacific Islanders to go into STEM. I want people to say, If she can do it, so can I.

As a commencement student speaker, Ale hopes to emphasize to those in attendance the importance of people sharing their stories with one another.

One of my biggest role models at UH West Oahu, Joseph Mareko, reminded me that we Smoans come from a long line of storytellers and sharing our stories can help heal, inspire or build deeper connections with others, she said. By sharing my story, Im hoping to do the same.

Her family is a big part of Ales story. Her father passed away in 2011.

I know how much he wanted us to succeed in academia, and I can still picture that big smile he had when I graduated from 6th grade, Ale recalled. So graduating from college is kind of that I did it, dad. Were here. I made it moment.

Age: 24From: Lualualei, WaianaeDegrees: Bachelor of Applied ScienceSustainable Community Food Systems, Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences-Political Science

Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku is the first in his family to choose the path of a college education.

Graduating with my undergraduate degree is a huge stepping stone to a healthy and happy life, he said.Part of pursuing a fulfilling life means helping others.

Intentions shouldnt be just about aspiring to make a livingaspire to make a difference, he said.

He got involved with NiU NOW!, a movement whose mission is to strengthen Oceanias knowledge, connection and aloha for cultural food sovereignty.

My most notable achievement at UH West Oahu is participating in carrying out the collective vision (of) NiU NOW! through the creation and implementation of Aloha ina Student Service Club, Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku said.

Mikasobe-Kealiinohomoku is the current president of the club, which offers an opportunity for people to learn how to work the land with their hands and to get a better understanding of plants.

Its a personal passion for Mikasobe-Kealiinohomuku, a Native Hawaiian plant conservationist and farmer who in his free time enjoys the practice of growing a diversity of plant varieties.

Through these practices I want to emphasize that its very fun to share plant material as we try to advance a more equitable food system, he said. I also see the sharing of plants as empowerment of others in the growing of their own food and participating in systemic change.

He is exploring the possibility of graduate school, and aspires to continue this work long past his studies.

So far, I have my mind set on utilizing my degree in food systems on either the state or national level to assist my community in advancing a more sustainable and equitable food system, he said.

Age: 21From: KapoleiDegree: Bachelor of Arts in Creative MediaGeneral Creative Media

For Zheng, confidence is key.

Beyond the formal education of how to write papers, do research, and manage time, I think the biggest thing UH West Oahu has taught me is just to be confident and trust in my skills, Zheng said.

She became editor of The Hoot, UH West Oahus student-run newspaper. Then the pandemic hit.

Despite not having a formal advisor, I pulled together my team and we were still able to get two issues a semester out, Zheng said. Would I have volunteered for that role at first? No way. But duty called, and I was able to step up to the plate.

Other opportunities at UH West Oahu resulted in a great sense of pride for Zheng, including creating wall decals and sticker designs for the Noeau Center, and working on her senior project, an animation of Aunty Puanani Burgess Building a Beloved Community story, Boy with a Gift. The project inspired Zheng to explore how to contribute to her own community.

Looking ahead, I would like to continue to share stories through different mediums, whether that be on film, videos or animations, Zheng said. I hope to elevate smaller voices and share important stories with people, but most importantly, just make people laugh and feel supported.

She wants to tell her fellow graduates to be proud of what theyve accomplished and to continue persevering.

No matter how long their journey may have taken or if they are on a completely different road than when they first started, they made it to that metaphorical end of the road, Zheng said. And as they look forward into the future, I hope they never forget the feelings of warmth and support that got them there, and I hope they reciprocate it to make the world a better place.

Read more in Ka Puna O Kaloi.

By Zenaida Serrano Arvman

Go here to see the original:

UH West Oahu commencement student speakers share their manao | University of Hawaii System News - University of Hawaii

I. Where Weve Been

Melissa McKay

Melissa McKay is a developer advocate for JFrog. She is active in the developer community, chair of the Interoperability SIG under the Continuous Delivery Foundation, an international public speaker, author, Java Champion, Docker Captain, and a cheerleader for safe coding.

Ive had a variety of experiences in my career, wildly different expectations based on ability level from the lowly intern to a principal engineer, as well as differences between small company/small team versus large company/large team. I am grateful for the opportunity to have started out in a position where I learned how to wear a few different hats. I learned the benefits of CI fairly early almost 15 years ago! I was trained in Extreme Programming, which brought me into the world of sprint planning, pair programming, and retrospectives, seeing features and bug fixes all the way through from planning to release.

I thrived in this environment, but looking back, I can honestly say that our development pipelines were relatively simple compared to what I see today. At that time, I was never involved in anything that happened after release. And there was nothing security-related that I dealt with prior to that. I assumed this was in the hands of operations or security engineers at the tail end of the pipeline, perhaps even after deployment. If something were to be discovered, we would begin again with the planning stages of fitting an update into our development cycle. Seems a little late in the game, no?

Many developers have seen a lot of changes in the past several years as they move onto DevOps teams, and they should expect more to come. It feels like more and more responsibility is shifting our way. I dont look at this in the same way as simply more work and higher expectations, but rather more empowerment to make better decisions about the software we develop working smarter.

Developers are being pressed to break out of their silos. Gone are the days of throwing code changes over the wall and hoping for the best. Although the details of coding and software design will always be understood to be in the realm of our expertise, we also must acknowledge the details in the delivery and deployment process. This includes knowledge of our pipelines and of basic security concepts. Having a better understanding of the process our software endures as it hurdles toward deployment, we are better able to efficiently and effectively design the means to get there.

Several years ago, I participated in a security training program for developers. Much of this was rehashing responsible coding, taking charge of the code I wrote and ensuring I wasnt building any obvious welcome mats for attackers. The training included defensive coding techniques for common attack vectors such as cross-site scripting, SQL injection and leaking credentials. There was some mention of watching out for packages and libraries that included known vulnerabilities, but looking back, this was not emphasized nearly enough.

Then came the Equifax breach of 2017 and then various dependency injection attacks, such as the SolarWinds hack, log4shell, spring4shell and rogue developers (to name a few) corrupting their own open source packages!

Mass amounts of information have been collected on individuals with the intent of serving the public with more efficient and performant applications personal details abound on social media and logging into your bank account online to get an up-to-date balance is now the minimum expectation of good service.

The amount and detail of this type of information are attractive to the criminal element. As long as theres a possibility of getting to it, the attention of attackers will not dissipate. Breaches in software are now heavily publicized and an embarrassment to organizations if its discovered that preventable measures were not prioritized or were ignored. The consequences to consumers have steadily increased over the last several years. To put it simply, there is now a very personal cost to developers, as we also take advantage of todays technology and software to further enhance and enjoy our own daily lives.

Security breaches have become more and more common, or at least more frequently announced in the media. It has become apparent that much of our software is missing the bar when it comes to hardened security practices. And as pointed fingers fly around looking for who to blame, its expected that several are going to land in the direction of the developer.

What can we do? It is no longer enough to lounge in the satisfaction that the software weve developed works. We now need to make sure that it works responsibly.

First, lets understand a few of the reasons we are in this predicament today. Along with the existence of masses of personal information, the following are also contributing factors:

We have learned that paying attention to security defects earlier in our development process makes a huge difference. We might not be able to predict future vulnerabilities, but we can certainly use the knowledge gained from previous attacks to prevent repeated infiltrations due to the same issues. The adage fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me comes to mind. We have no excuse when the information is available to us.

This does NOT mean the onus is entirely on developers. We rely heavily on our security engineers and on our operations personnel to not only help put safeguards in the appropriate places, but to help collect and curate security information to begin with. DevSecOps, anyone?

My main concern, however, is that as developers become more involved in building cloud native applications and packaging their applications into containers, we are multiplying the possibility of unintentionally packaging existing vulnerabilities. Not only are we accustomed to pulling in the frameworks and related dependencies that we have become comfortable with, but also pulling in parent and base images from public sources as well!

Worse, some of this happens automatically behind the scenes via plugins that intentionally hide these details. The intention is good, mostly an attempt to ease the developers workflow, but we really need to be more aware and careful about what were doing. My thoughts wander to that random flash drive innocently lying on the sidewalk.

The security space has evolved and improved dramatically over the last several years. Vulnerability databases continue to grow and provide the information we need sources like the U.S. governments NVD and Risk-Based Securitys VulnDB, as well as other public security bug and CVE trackers, are invaluable.

Using the combination of these resources as well as increasing our awareness of how our software is built with regard to dependencies, open source and other third-party resources, will bring us a long way to improve our protections. A lot of this responsibility is finding its way directly in front of developers. We are in an excellent position to begin the vulnerability filtering and detection process right from our development environment!

Knowledge is power. This is undeniable. But it can also be pretty scary if you dont know what to do with it. The next step after collecting information is to analyze it, and this is when the decisions that matter are made. The amount of data available to us now is overwhelming. Now its time to focus on curating this data and then make reasonable recommendations based on analysis.

When it comes to reviewing a list of vulnerabilities, for example, it is naive to think that we will be able to eliminate them all. It would be an unhealthy exercise to block every check-in or fail every build based on a zero-vulnerability policy. Instead, we need to be able to keep moving forward and make reasonable decisions based on answers to the following questions:

I believe that some of these decisions are best made by security specialists rather than developers, and this is where the importance of solid security policies come into play. What Im looking forward to as a developer is more guidance on when it is appropriate to sound the alarm. CVSS scores to help us measure severity are a good start, but these are a work in progress (CVSS v2 versus CVSS v3?), and there is much more to be done.

All in all, we are heading in the right direction. I see more and more vulnerability scanning tools that are intended for the furthest left regions of our pipeline the developer. Ill be embracing these tools that help me to make wiser decisions when building my software, especially those I can incorporate directly into my existing development environment.

Detecting vulnerabilities transparently and easily is a great first step. But now that I see those red lines warning me of danger what should I do next?

The New Stack is a wholly owned subsidiary of Insight Partners, an investor in the following companies mentioned in this article: Docker, JFrog.

Image byRubn M. i SantosfromPixabay.

More:

A Developer's Lifecycle: How I Shifted My Thinking and Coding Left - thenewstack.io

(Boston)Youth movements for social justice are growing across the U.S. and worldwide, tackling important issues from climate change, to racial justice, to education access and gun control. In the realm of health care, youth participation can lead to greater patient understanding, engagement in services and enhanced trust in services. It can also promote patient and community empowerment.

Recognizing the benefits of youth engagement and leadership, a novel study by researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Social Work, presents the perspectives and experiences of youth on the issue of individual and community health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The researchers used Photovoice, an established methodology that incorporates the use of cameras to capture images that are later reviewed and reflected upon. In this case the goal was to explore youths of color individual and community perceptions of health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The youth researchers were asked to take a series of photos over three weeks focused on what health or healthiness meant to them and their community. They then selected five photos and shared them with the group. Questions were asked to encourage deeper reflection on how social, cultural and contextual factors impact how youth of color conceptualize what health means to them.

The youth researchers then were asked to share their reactions to seeing the photos as a group, including what they found interesting and what stood out to them. Photos were captioned and five photos that reflected the larger story were selected. Using thematic analysis, the youth researchers then brainstormed themes from the individual photos and across the photos, considering how the photos connected with the research question. Through in-depth discussion and drawing from the identified themes, youth researchers reached consensus on the larger narrative represented in the photos.

The youth researchers identified four themes related to individual and community health through the digital images and discussions, including: 1) Taking health into our own hands; 2) Toxic productivity culture; 3) High cost of personal health resources; and 4) Inequitable health policies and services.

According to the researchers, these themes are a powerful demonstration of both the inequitable impact of COVID-19 on communities of color as well as the historic medical mistrust (of government, policy makers, and health care) in communities of color. Our findings show the need to change this narrative of distrust, said Gergen Barnett who also is Vice Chair of Primary Care Innovation and Transformation at Boston Medical Center.

First, we want to create a tangible change in the structure of health resources in Bostons communities of color. Secondly, we hope that the impact of our research demonstrates the resilience of communities of color during the quarantine period of the COVID-19 pandemic, said youth researcher and co-author Osasenaga Idahor.

The researchers believe this study shows the importance of creating spaces to elevate the voices and leadership of youth of color in health care decision making.Community engagement is critical to developing and implementing relevant and racially responsive health care practices, added corresponding author Astraea Augsberger, PhD, assistant professor at BU School of Social Work.

These findings appear online in the Journal of Community Psychology.

The youth researchers in this study were members of a pilot Youth Advisory Board for Boston Medical Center Family Medicine Department funded through National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Boston University-Clinical & Transitional Science Institute, Pilot Grant 1UL1TR001430 (PIs Drs. Augsberger and Gergen Barnett).

Journal of Community Psychology

Observational study

Not applicable

COVID-19 shines a light on health inequities in communities of color: A youth-driven photovoice inquiry

20-Apr-2022

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

Link:

Youths of color use photographs to highlight health-care inequities throughout COVID-19 pandemic - EurekAlert

LOM, DOUALA and PARIS, 03 May2022-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Heal by Hair, Bluemind Foundations signature program, has been named Most innovative mental health program in Africa and female empowerment excellence award 2022 by Acquisition International. The first movement of mental health hairdressers ambassadors in Africa, Heal by Hair, is a short and innovative training program of three (3) days, aiming to make professional hairdressers the first step in mental health care chain in Africa. In addition, Heal by Hair also gives back to women their power to act on their mental health by providing them the keys and social incentives to develop their enterprises.

Heal by Hairs inaugural session was held in Abidjan from April 4 to 6, 2022. Following an open call with almost 250 applications and a selection of 30 hairdressers, 22 laureates from the popular municipalities of Abobo, Cocody, and Yopougon have been certified. They have been provided training in active listening, basics of mental health, psychological first aid, and leadership by experts and psychiatrists. Since then, they became the first hairdressers ambassadors in mental health on the African Continent. They can detect the first signs of emotional distress, listen carefully to their clients, and refer to mental health professionals. With the ultimate goal to contribute to improving African womens mental health and wellbeing through the hairdressers chair, one client at a time, Heal by Hair strives to reach at least 5 million women in Africa by 2035.

This double award is a recognition that honors and obliges us. By testifying the high-impact social innovation brought by the Bluemind Foundation and Heal by Hair in the field of mental health in Africa, it rewards our daily collective efforts to improve the mental health, well-being, and empowerment of African women. We are determined to continue our commitment with humility and responsibility, states MarieAlix de Putter, Founder and President of the Bluemind Foundation.

Distributed byAfrican Media Agencyon behalf of Bluemind Foundation.

About Bluemind Foundation

Bluemind Foundation Bluemind Foundation is an international non-profit organization founded in July 2021 and chaired by Marie-Alix de Putter after the murder of her husband and her personal experience 2 with post-traumatic stress, chronic depression, and anxiety. Our constant message is based on a strong conviction: mental health is health. With the ambition to make mental health a social, societal, cultural, and political issue, Bluemind Foundations mission is to destigmatize mental health and make care accessible for all.Bluemind Foundation headquarter is located in Lom (Togo) with representations in Douala (Cameroun) and Paris (France).

Media Contacts

International

Onja RASAMIMANANA

+261 34 83 012 95

+33 7 45 45 34 64Abidjan

Evrard AKA

+225 05 04 27 14 28

welcome@bluemindfoundation.org

http://www.bluemindfoundation.org

The post Heal by Hair: Bluemind Foundation launches the inaugural promotion of the first Movement of Hairdresser Ambassadors for Mental Health in Africa appeared first on African Media Agency.

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Heal by Hair: Bluemind Foundation launches the inaugural promotion of the first Movement of Hairdresser Ambassadors for Mental Health in Africa -...

What is a story that inspires you?

What is a story that has inspired you either as a child or now?

Many of us carry stories from our childhood or now that continue to make us think or create. These stories can be surprising, heartfelt, silly, dark or deeply truthful. This question was posed to 85 truly inspirational and diverse Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) and Asian storytellers across a variety of industries and disciplines - from entertainment and technology to writing and gaming. Here are the stories and ideas that have inspired them to create and Twitter handles. What story would you choose?

1) Like a lot of YA authors, I was heavily inspired by The Baby-Sitters Club, and the books about Claudia Kishi, specifically. She was the first Asian American character I came across in the dozens and probably, hundreds of books I read as a kid. And she was just so coolan artist and popular and stylishworking against all the stereotypes that felt so oppressive at that time. - Maurene Goo, Author (@maurenegoo)

2) I was inspired by Mulan. Besides being the first time I'd ever seen an Asian female as a protagonist, her main story wasn't about falling in love, but saving the world. The sense of strength, ambition, and "main character energy" really drove my storytelling from that point forward. - Anna Akana, Actress and Writer (@AnnaAkana)

3) My grandmother, who lived with me her entire life until I buried her almost ten years ago, used to tell me a simple story. She said go good deeds for the sake of doing them. Imagine releasing into a flowing stream of water, never expecting it to return, but realizing it'll keep going forward. However, she warned me that breaking someone's heart is like releasing a poison in the water that would inevitable return back to you. - Wajahat Ali, Author of Go Back To Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations On How To Become American (@WajahatAli)

4) I didn't see a lot of Filipino Women in the directing seat outside of our home country and now I live in a world where we have women with film credits at big festivals, such as Berlinale and Sundance, films getting distributed by Sony and Array, and directing episodes on big tv networks. It gives me hope that we all have a chance to tell our stories, and it's all the AAPI women before me who opened the door for me. - Andrea A. Walter, Writer, Director and Cinematographer (@andreaannwalter)

5) The Magical Language of Others by E.J. Koh gave me the greatest gift any story can give you: recognition. Last year, I moved to Canada, a country where I knew no one and Koh inspired me to ask my mother to write me letters, so now I hold her words close even when I cant hold her. Ive never thought more about all the journeys - personal and physical - the women in my family have made across the world since reading it. - Ellie Vengala at Ubisoft (@tsellieot)

6) There are so many stories that have inspired me and brought me to where I am today. But if I had to choose one, it would be the movie The Raid. Not only did this movie overcome so many odds, but it was born of passion, care, and persistence. As an Indonesian American, growing up with not feeling seen or connected to western media, this movie was a breath of fresh air. All of a sudden, people were curious about my home country, language, martial arts, and it made me feel that I could truly belong in this entertainment industry. It gave me the confidence to try, and the strength to not give up. - Yoshi Sudarso, Actor (@yoshi_sudarso)

7) I'm inspired by stories of people who show up in places where they're "not supposed to be." It could be in culture, like BTS performing on Saturday Night Live, it could be in the news, like Judge Jackson being confirmed to the Supreme Court, or anything in between there's something so contagious about seeing people claim their space that makes me want to help create that space for whoever's next. - Yohan Lee, Lead at Twitter Next Creative Lab (@yohanjlee)

8) Same Difference by Derek Kirk Kim. Granted, I'm biased because Derek is one of my best friends and I got a front-row seat watching him create this masterpiece from beginning to end, but I think he captured something quintessential about the 90s Asian American experience. The story won all three industry awards: the Eisner, the Harvey, and the Ignatz, so even people who aren't as biased as me loved it. - Gene Luen Yang, Author of American Born Chinese (@geneluenyang)

9) Well, a story that inspires me today is a story that was told to me by my dad during bedtime, the Indian epic called Mahabharata. It was an epic saga about gods, heroes, family, betrayal, magic, war, and our place in the universe, and it really formed the types of stories I tell and themes I would like to bring into my various works! - KP at KP11 Studios (@KP11Studios)

10) I love stories about women overcoming obstacles to discover their passions, and I especially love stories about when that discovery comes later in life. These days, so much emphasis is placed on youth, but our lives are long, and complicated, and we contain multitudes. Its always so inspiring to be reminded that as long as you keep yourself open to new experiences, its never too late, and the best may be yet to come. - Peng Shepard, nationally bestselling author of The Cartographers and The Book Of M. (@pengshepherd)

11) Theres a Korean folktale called The Magpie and the Bell. My family told me the story often as a child, and to this day I think about it often! - Jeeyon Shim, Founder and Creative Director at Jeeyon Shim Games (@jeeyonshim)

12) Ive always loved fairytales and mythologies. I grew up on them as a child in Bali. When I went to high school in Australia, I was struggling to fit in and I turned to fantasy books. One series in particular, by author David Eddings, really spoke to me. Its a huge world, with magic, mystery, love, loss and I found myself devouring them. I wanted to see them on screen and I wanted, and still want, to be the one to do that. To this day, my dream is to create and direct the Mallorean series and in a way, the books are what inspired me to direct genre films. - Soma Helmi, Director (@somahelmi)

13) As someone who was led to believe that her Asian identity made her undesirable and unworthy of affection throughout high school, reading and watching the To All the Boys Ive Loved Before trilogy was exactly what adult-me needed to heal all the trauma that teenage-me endured. Beyond empowerment, the film is something I constantly go back to whenever I, as an actor, need a reminder that the work Im doing has the power to inspire others who may question if theres a place for them in this industry; the answer - yes, there is! - Abby Espiritu, On-Camera and Voice Actor (@missabbyespirit)

14) I recently watched director Jon M. Chu's episode in Ava DuVernay's "One Perfect Shot" HBO series, and his journey making a short film as a USC film student really struck a chord with me. He described his experiences being labeled both "too Asian" by non-Asian folks and "not Asian enough" by Asian folks, something a lot of Asian Americans including myself go through, and are constantly navigating as we move through life and career. Holly Hua, Communications Manager and Asian & Pacific Islander ERG Global Lead at Ubisoft (@thehollybible)

15) im often reminded of this story that was shared on reddit about spreading kindness to strangers known as Today you, Tomorrow me, which is about someone who ran into car troubles on the road and was helped by an immigrant family who refused payment and instead encouraged OP to pay it forward. its stuck with me to lend a helping hand when i can because you never really know what people are dealing with and what your small (or big) gesture of kindness can do for others. - tiny, creator at tinymakesthings (@tinymakesthings)

16) Big Trouble in Little China had a significant impact on me when I first saw it. There were so many Asian characters and they were both heroes and villains. They were funny, cruel, brave, intelligent, it was the first time I'd seen such diversity in a western film. - Lee Shorten, Actor in Swan Song, Ghost of Tsushima, and Man in the High Castle (@lcshorten)

17) One of the most influential books of my childhood was A ROYAL PAIN by Ellen Conford, which might sound weird coming from a male AAPI sci-fi author. That was the first book where I saw how a strong voice can convey character, wit, and emotion, and it's something I carry with me in my work now. - Mike Chen, author of Star Wars: Brotherhood and Light Years From Home (@mikechenwriter)

18) There is a story in Japanese mythology about the sun goddess Amaterasu leaving the world in darkness after her brother kills one of the hand maidens. Most people talk about the story that comes after, but I was told by a person who studies regional folklore in Japan that some placed traditionally believed the handmaiden was Amaterasus lover. Its really made me think about the history of queer stories, forgotten, remembered, reborn, and how to keep telling them. - Yoshi Yoshitani, creator of The Tarot of the Divine (@yoshisquared)

19) A story that has long inspired me is Amy Tan's "Joy Luck Club." It was the first time I felt seen as an Asian-American woman, and it led me to produce a sci-fi film called "The Deal," which is inspired by my own mom and our relationship. I don't think anything like it has ever been made before and I'm excited for people to see it. - Sumalee Montano, Filipina-Thai Actress and Producer at LinLay Productions (@sumaleedotcom)

20) For me it wasnt a story but a magazine. Growing up as a child in the mid-90s, I loved American Girl magazine because it featured stories about real girls from different cultures and different parts of America. It had a paper doll of an Indian American girls traditional clothing, or a feature about a New Mexican girl and her family as they celebrated the Luminarias festival. They were early lessons for me as a storyteller: that my own personal story could be compelling and interesting and that my experience as a girl living in America was just as valid as anyone else's. - Malaka Gharib, NPR journalist, a cartoonist and the author of the graphic memoirs I Was Their American Dream and It Won't Always Be Like This (@MalakaGharib)

21) I saw West Side Story (1961) in high school and it transformed the way I saw movies. I hadn't seen music and song used in such a dark and dramatic way that made me fall in love with the power of cinema. It definitely inspired me to be a filmmaker. - Gary King, writer and director (@grking)

22) In the late 1970s, David Chuenyan Lai, a Chinese Canadian professor who spent decades of his life working to preserve Chinatowns and Chinese Canadian history, discovered some poetry left by detained Chinese immigrants on the walls of the soon-to-be-demolished Dominion Immigration Building in Victoria, Canada. When a construction foreman warned him to leave before the building collapsed, he stayed long enough to cut and salvage several chunks of the wall that held fragments of carved poems; he kept the pieces under his bed for decades hoping for a Chinese Canadian history museum to open, but eventually donated them to the Royal BC Museum in summer 2020, when he saw refugees in Canada once again protesting poor conditions in detention centers. - Yilin Wang, writer (@yilinwriter)

23) Growing up in Hong Kong, I've always been a fan of scary stories (especially ones with a comedic or campy twist). One of my favorites is probably Ann Hui's The Spooky Buncha movie that follows a Cantonese opera group that's being terrorized by an angry ghost. - Banana Chan, Game Designer and Publisher at Game and a Curry (@bananachangames)

24) Code Geass is the most formative piece of media I have ever experienced, because it's shamelessly indulgent about drama instead of being caught up in trying to justify itself. - Sisi Jiang, independent Game Developer and Kotaku staff writer (@six6jiang)

25) I moved to the US from Sri Lanka when I was 8. The first time I really saw myself represented in media wasn't until I was 40 watching Hasan Minhaj's Homecoming King. The way Hasan described generational immigrant trauma and how he dealt with it contrasting how his parents dealt with it hit me hard. That inspired me to start a game studio to focus on telling stories about underrepresented culture and themes. - Chandana Ekanayake at Outerloop Games (@Ekanaut)

26) Growing up, my Thai mother delighted me with stories from the Ramakienits our national epic that can go toe-to-toe with Western stories like The Odyssey. Knowing that my own culture has such a rich literary canon inspires my own storytelling work today. - Malika Lim Eubank, CEO at HyperRPG (@hello_malika)

27) When I was little, I was always told about my grandma's good nature and how she talked to everyone- whether they had anything to offer her or not. She didnt grow up with much but she always had a good community with her- which was more than enough. - Angela Li (@hiangelali)

28) Akiyuki Nosaka's harrowing short story, "Grave of the Fireflies", based on his childhood experiences living through the 1945 fire bombing of Kobe has always been an inspirational lynchpin in my formative storytelling. The emotional narrative encompasses dealing with survivor's guilt and personal trauma regarding the loss of his younger sisters during World War II. The story also inspired the classic anime that has brought anyone who has watched it to tears. - Steve Nguyen at Studio APA (@Steve_Nguyen)

29) As convoluted as it was, the eccentric, jumbled and unapologetic Legend of Mana really affected me early on. Every aspect of it unfolded some form or honest truth about love, and even now, two decades after my first attempt at playing it, I go back to it. - HTTPaladin (@HTTPaladin)

30) In my research for DREAM, ANNIE, DREAM, I came across a number of immigration stories from my own and my friends' parents. When I was younger, the extent of their sacrifices to start a new life in this country never really sank inas a parent myself now, I'm truly in awe of what they were able to accomplish. - Waka T. Brown, author at Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins (@W_T_Brown)

31) As for a story, one of my favorite games as a kid was "Tales of the Abyss." It's about a journey of self-discovery and finding your place in the world. It has one of the best character casts and backstories I've experienced in a Japanese RPG game! While the game isn't directly related to AAPI, it's one of the reasons why I love video games and what I do today! - George Yang, a freelance games writer (@Yinyangfooey)

32) I recently heard a story about a successful writer, who at the time, was hustling and moonlit as an Uber driver. A suicidal passenger boarded and she helped him through it by teaching him how to drive a stick shift. Years later when she found success he messaged her how well hes doing and how thrilled he was for her success. - JB Tadena, Actor at Kung Fu (@JayBeeTadena)

33) The Legend of Change from Chinese folklore, and by extension, the moon itself, has always meant a lot to me as an adopted person because its one of the stories I grew up with, and it has helped me feel more connected to my birth country. Even now, when I look at the moon, it reminds me of where Im from. - Nala J. Wu, sci-fi and fantasy illustrator (@NalaWu)

34) A story that deeply inspired me as a child was Taran Wanderer by Lloyd Alexander. Thematically, the book explores identity, and how where you came from defines you less than the choices and the actions you take in the present. - Andrea Stewart (@AndreaGStewart)

35) A story that inspired me when I was younger and to this day features my mother, who was raised in the province by her Lola, then later immigrated to the U.S. A lot of her culture was lost as she attempted to fit in with life here, but she introduced me to a lot of our Filipino culture again by way of heirloom recipes, food that she remembered from her Lola. Not only did we gain an appreciation for her upbringing together, but as mother and daughter we had the chance to redefine what it meant to us to be Filipino and pass down traditions in a way that felt more authentic to us. - Lucia Versprille, Seersword (@seersword)

36) My grandmother made rice balls for herself and my 8-year-old mother in preparation to search for the remains of my grandfather in Ground Zero of the Hiroshima atomic bombing. The strength of my grandmother has inspired me to keep writing stories of my family and larger community. - Naomi Hirahara, author of Clark and Division and the Mas Arai mystery series (@gasagasagirl)

37) I think the immigrant story, my parents included, is so inspirational. They left everything they knew behind to start a new life, in a new country to give their children a better life. - Manny Shih (@MannyShih)

38) Young-ha Kim's TEDxSeoul talk "Be an artist, right now!" really resonated with me when I first heard it, and I think about it often as a reminder of my passion for art and creating. Growing up in an Asian household where communication wasn't a big thing, art was often times my only outlet and the only way I could express myself. Fave quote: "The magic question is, "What for?" But art is not for anything. Art is the ultimate goal. It saves our souls and makes us live happily. It helps us express ourselves and be happy without the help of alcohol or drugs." - Lizzie Killian, Founder at FIFTYcc (@lizziekillian)

39) A story that inspired me as a child: Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak. Re: Sometimes you have to look closer at things because what can look scary, isnt and in the end, we all want a place to come home to where we feel loved and appreciated. - Shelly Nathan at Shelly Saves the Day (@shellysavesthe)

40) A story that inspired me growing up is that of Hsieh Kun-Shan, a man who overcame an electrical accident that led to the amputation of both his arms, a leg, and losing sight in one eye, to then become a great mouth painter that also starred in a TV show about his own life. - James Tang, Actor and content creator (@jamesthetang)

41) A story that still constantly inspires me is Poison by Chris Wooding, I always go back to it when I need to remember the "why" of anything I make. - Kailey Bray at Pixel Circus (@HapaBarbarian)

42) A story that inspires me is You are mine by Max Lucado. This is the story of remembering who you are and who made you. Its one of my favorite childhood stories. This story inspired me to write childrens stories. - Jessi Hersey at Onenesslove publishing LLC (@Jessistories)

43) A story that has inspired me from childhood (and continues to today) is Kikis Delivery Service! I will always think of this film and story because it showcases how you can create a real story without the hard edges of extreme, war-like conflict, and that matters of the heart are just as compelling. - Yssa Badiola, Director at Rooster Teeth Animation (@dearbassy)

44) When I was very young my father would read through a picture book he was gifted from his sister in Korea and would translate the stories as we looked through the drawings. He'd ask me questions like "Do you see how these people have a darker skin color" or "these people speak a different language than us", but we're all the same. Those early messages of equality and acceptance of those who are different gave me the foundation to teach those same ideas to my kids and hopefully they will share with their kids. - Mike Park at Asian Man Records (@mikeparkmusic)

45) Filipinos have always been chameleons in media growing up. From being a pizza delivery guy or to being a prince, it made me think I could do absolutely anything. - Jan Ochoa at Giant Bomb Dot Com (@_janjerome)

46) As a child I was inspired by the legendary Korean White Tiger. The tiger that earned its white fur by overcoming adversity and used its powers to serve others. - Mike Moh (@mikemoh)

47) As a teen I attended the Hawai'i premiere of "The Debut" which was inspiring to me because it was the first time that I saw the Filipino American teen experience on the big screen. It was incredible to see the film's ambassadors (also Filipino) talk about the movie with such passion. It felt like a movement. - Candice Dayoan, VP of Creative at 50+1 Strategies (@candicecd)

48) I have a memory of watching a little toddler girl playing at my apartment complex, when all of a sudden, she squatted down, picked a yellow dandelion flower, brought it to her nose, took a big sniff, and exhaled with a deep "mmmmm." I don't even know if dandelion flowers have a scent, but to me it was a master class on being fully present to the moment and letting yourself enjoy what you love. Hana Wu, Actor at Monogram Management Group (@heyhanawu)

49) When I was very young, a substitute teacher said "hey, we don't say those things here" when another kid was calling me racist names. No one else had tried to stop the bullying before then, and that one simple action not only showed me there was hope, it taught me that you can be a hero by doing the smallest things within your reach and change - even save - someone's life. - Clara Sia, Influencer Strategy at Devolver Digital (@seriouslyclara)

50) So, as a young Australian Singaporean, there weren't a lot of artistic sources for me to look up to. But we did have a family friend, an uncle, Tan Swie Hian who was a multidisciplinary artist; painting, poems, and he climbed a thousand steps a day. That's the breadth of life that I aspire to now. - Desmond Chiam, Actor at The Falcon and Winter Soldier (@deschiam)

51) The story that inspired me the most growing up, was Naruto, the anime haha. It sounds strange, but the narrative helped me to understand and navigate my own situation of being an outsider in a foreign landscape/a different country (Im an immigrant, born in Indonesia). His story of growing as an outsider, yet always striving for community really inspired me to be a possible light in my own communities, though I myself am an outsider. Also, the cool animations helped to keep my attention. - Peter Adrian Sudarso, Actor at Abrams Artists Agency (@PeterSAdrian)

52) Teen Titans' Raven stood out to me with her arc about standing up to her evil dad because many of my AAPI friends were made to feel like they owed their parents their souls. I might have been a brat, but at least I knew early on that I get to choose who I want to be. Also, Im actually on good terms with both my parents now, so I guess it worked out. - Jess Reyes, part-time writer at Inverse (@jpreyes__)

53) It makes me proud to see female tech bloggers out there, so few of us Asian, a woman wrote me in an email once. From then on my content creator journey wasnt just about creating tech content catered to women and the less techie, it was also about representation and being visible to those who want to do the same. Isa Rodriguez, lifestyle and technology content creator (@isadoes_)

54) Growing up, I loved the movie "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." I was inspired by Michelle Yeoh's character, a strong Asian female lead who was every bit as capable as her male counterparts. Michelle continues to inspire me by telling stories of strong Asian female role models. - Victoria Grace, Actress (@vgraceactress)

55) Kogonadas Columbus might be the first time I truly felt seen in a film. And that came out in 2017. To see a flawed, empathetic, evolving Korean American on-screen like that continues to sit with me as I move forward in my own writing. - William Yu, Screenwriter (@its_willyu)

56) Growing up, I only knew my grandmother as a homemaker. But, in getting to learn more about her as an adult, she told me all these stories of being a travel agent, a designer, a model, a treasury secretary of an organization, charity work, and more, all things she did while showing up unconditionally for her family. Even today, she continues to push the boundaries of her imagination with art, tattoos, with writing poetry. Her story reminds me that we are all more than just one thing; it drives how I show up in my professional and personal life curious and empathetic. And every day, it reminds me that I can be anything and everything I want to be, whenever I want to be it. - Jiya Jaisingh, Social Impact Digital Strategy (@JaisinghJiya)

57) Although fictional, the story of working through feeling both too Indian and not Indian enough in the show Never Have I Ever is something that has hit really deep for me, especially as a mixed girl growing up battling Indian stereotypes while looking more Indian than I truly felt. Its inspiring to see these stories finally represented on screen as I learn to embrace my gorgeous and colorful culture as an adult the way I always should have, free of shame and embarrassment. - Sonali Shukla, Sales and marketing professional (@CapnSonali)

58) I was obsessed with Little House on the Prairie as a child, which was such a distant homesteading fantasy to a child growing up in Malaysia, so many miles away from Laura Ingalls Wilder's American Midwest. It was life-changing for me to discover(much later in life) that people that looked like me absolutely existed in these stories too, and in American history, and it continues to shape my storytelling and research paths. - Shing Yin Khor, author of The Legend of Auntie Po and The American Dream? (@sawdustbear)

59) A few years ago I learned about Frederick Lee, one of the first known Chinese Canadians to serve and die on the front lines of the First World War. His story was one of many: a member of a marginalized community who overcame discrimination and systemic racism in Canada to fight for peace. It still resonates with me today. - Daniel Kwan at Asians Represent Podcast (@danielhkwan)

60) When I was growing up in Australia during the 1990s, the British dub of Monkey was broadcast every Saturday morning during an alternative music show, framed like some underground cult thing, Wu-Tang style. There wasn't a heap of Asian representation on TV back then, so I latched onto those boisterous heroes pretty hard. The English dub is hilariously problematic today, but I can't deny how that show railroaded my interests into screen media, retro aesthetics, and encouraged my bullheaded personality. - Edmond Tran, Managing Editor at GamesHub (@EdmondTran)

61) The first comic I ever read was a photocopied version of the German series Father and Son by E.O. Plauen my mother hand-bound for me when I was 5. Since it was told without words, I scribbled in my own dialogue and pretended I was the author. - Laura Gao, comic artist and author of Indie Bestseller, Messy Roots (@heylauragao)

62) Of all the possible answers I could give to this question, the one piece of media I can definitively say inspired me and changed my career trajectory is the movie Megamind. There was something so compelling about seeing pure earnestness in embracing the qualities people saw as laughable, to instead lean into those things 500%, that to this day has been the core of what drives me as a creator. - Hannako Lambert at Innersloth (@thisishannako)

63) Hayao Miyazaki's classic film My Neighbor Totoro encouraged me to embrace my imagination, curiosity, and creativity, and showed me an ideal world free of conflict and full of kindness and love. I was also inspired by the movie's wonderful depiction of supportive adults who listen intently with open minds, offer advice, and encourage children to discover their own path. - Chastity Vicencio, producer and host (@chastity_v)

64) The first book that came to mind is Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin, about a girl who wakes up in the afterlife after a hit-and-run. It's very unique, human, and speculativequalities I try to put into my work. - Deb JJ Lee, writer and illustrator of In Limbo: a Graphic Memoir (out March 2023) (@jdebbiel)

65) As a nerdy Asian kid growing up in the 80s who rarely saw people that looked like him in key roles, no other character resonated with me quite like Data from The Goonies, as portrayed by Ke Huy Quan. I was 13 when I was first witnessed Data unleash the Bully Blinders and Slick Shoes on the big screen and I was 48 when I was tasked with writing the dialogue and designing the puzzles for my childhood hero in the game The Goonies: Escape With One-Eyed Willys Rich Stuff. Even after all of these years, Data remains the one Hollywood character that I truly identify with. - Sen-Foong Lim, Game Designer (@SenFoongLim)

66) It's super silly thinking about it now but when the Disney movie "Mulan" came out, it really changed my life. I saw someone that was funny, determined, and not afraid to help the people around her. I dressed up as warrior Mulan like 3 Halloweens in a row because it was a tomboy-princess outfit in one! - Amy Liu, Lead Artist (@aemuuu)

67) So a story that inspired me in an oddly bad time of my life was 10 Things I Hate About You, the movie with Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. It came at a time in my life where I was feeling like I was being used by people I thought were my friends and when I watched the movie for the first time I realized it's okay to be soft with people who care about you/you care about but also to be firm and tough and set boundaries for what you need. It's my favorite movie for that reason, for making me realize I can be a strong independent woman while also being soft at the right times. - Stella Chung at IGN (@ParallaxStella)

68) Revolution throughout Philippine history, even when there isnt always a good ending, particularly the story of Gabriela Silang and Filipino resistance to Spanish rule. Learning and understanding the history of my people shaped the lens in which I see the world and digest stories of rebellion found in media and while there isnt always perfect parallel, stories of uprising have often been the most empowering and influential when done in earnest. - Michael Higham, Editor at Fanbyte Media (@michaelphigham)

69) Rebelwing by Andrea Tang was one of the first stories I read featuring a young Asian American character existing comfortably within her own identity. It's a science fiction novel about a prep school student turned reluctant mecha dragon rider, and taught me that our stories can be fun and escapist while also deeply thoughtful in examining identity, politics, and belonging. - Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief (@gracedli)

70) My mom often shared her love for the book The Little Prince (Le Petit Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupry with me as a kid. She attended Mount Saint Mary's as a 19-year-old Vietnamese refugee back in 1975 and checked it out from the library so often they ended up gifting it to her. At first, I loved it because it was fantasy. Later, I loved it because it was art. And now I love it for the truth it still speaks about what is truly essential in my life. - Grace L, Head of Development and Talent at G4

71) The story I was and always will be inspired by is one that only I really know: story of my mom. I would need an entire novel to express why but Ill just say that my mom is the greatest superhero story never told. - Jon Lee Brody, Filmmaker and mental health advocate (@JonLeeBrody)

72) Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuks development story has been such an inspiration to me as a fellow filmmaker. Trust the vision of your stories and its time will fall into place. - Alyssa Brayboy, Actor and Producer

73) Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli is a book that I reread at least once a year. It is a coming-of-age story, but it can resonate with anyone at any stage of their life. The main character of Stargirl reminds us in a world that is unkind, what we choose to be is ultimately what will make us happy. Her mindset results in a personality that is kind, brave, and nonconforming. This type of decision will always lead to a ripple effect, leaving behind a lasting and profound impact. - Jessica Tseang, Pop Culture Speaker

74) Steven Universe has changed my life for the better. It taught me the importance of communication, understanding, and love in healthy relationships and I strive to embody that every single day. - Belinda Garcia, Narrative Designer at Sledgehammer Games (@bbcgarcia)

75) Mulan is a story that has inspired me! I have always identified with a woman living in a "man's world" being in tech and with Mulan disguising herself as a man to serve in the army, I find it a very powerful message to send to our children. - Tracy Lee, CEO of This Dot Labs (@ladyleet)

76) The stories of how my parents escaped Vietnam after the Vietnam War is something I always carry with me. They've seen some of the worst things in the world, but continue to encourage me to approach life with love, growth, and patience. It's always worth it. - Victoria Tran, Community Director at Innersloth (@TheVTran)

77) I grew up obsessed with Dragon Ball Z and literally commissioned a small art piece recently related to it! Not only was it the only show where the characters had some resemblance to me, but it was also embodied so many lessons around the balance of pride, hard work, learning, and determination that I carry with me to this day. - Sydney Liu, Co-founder of Commaful (@Sydney_Liu_sl)

78) One of the most inspiring stories that inspired me as a child and now is the perseverance of my mother, Chuong, who survived the Khmer Rouge. As a part of her survival story, there was a point when her family ran out of supplies, so she left her family by foot to find a way to work for the rice from a local village woman who showed compassion to her and gave her enough rice to last the rest of her journey. My mom's fearlessness in the face of uncertainty still inspires me to this day. You can read more about her complete journey in a memoir I wrote about her life in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: An American Dream, with Sprinkles: The Legacy Story of the Donut Queen and Donut Princess. - Mayly Tao, Mayly Tao, Donut Princess LA (@maylytao)

79) Having lived in the Philippines even for small portion of my childhood, I admired how multi-generational families are so close knit. I used to live in a neighborhood that had all my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great grandparents all in one neighborhood. You never really leave your family - theres no expectation to - it just gets bigger and you have a support system for life! - Cyrene Quiamco, Augmented Reality Artist (@CyreneQ)

80) My freshman year of college, I read Maxine Hong Kingstons The Woman Warrior and it shifted something inside me. I had never before read something by an Asian American woman that included such diverse perspectives, interweaving cultural folklore with firsthand experiences as a first generation AA. It inspires me to tell my story while simultaneously feeling like a big hug. - Angie Hilem, Marketing Consultant (@angiehilem)

81) What inspires me the most is the richness of Asian cultures as a collective. Theres a spirit of connectivity and resilience between Asians of all ethnicities. And as a Filipino, one of the things Ive seen our culture do so wonderfully is how were able to pull from our experiences, look to the future with hope, & use that same feeling create something beautiful. - Anna Melissa, Copywriter (@annamelissa)

82) The true story about a tiny, kind and courageous Chinese woman with bound feet who walked thousands of miles during a war that almost killed her, how she managed to keep seven of her eight children alive living in a shack built on top of a graveyard in a foreign land, and how she spoiled every single one of her grandchildren with sweets, money, and unconditional love, myself included. - Martin Hsu, Artist (@martinhsu)

83) Despite growing up in Texas, my mom always made sure that I was immersed and inspired by my Chinese heritage. Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, from the epic, "Journey to the West" became my comfort character that inspired my shy self due to his resolve, wit, and of course, mischief and the ambition of a true leader! - Alyssa Liu, Sr. Social Media Manager, Devsisters USA (@texastrashtoast)

84) A story that has always inspired me is my incredible grandmothers life. She lived through WW2, raised 5 children, immigrated to the U.S. knowing no one, raised 7 grand kids, saved numerous lives as a nurse, and spoke Taiwanese, Mandarin, Japanese, and Hakkanese fluently. She was cut from a different cloth because they dont make them like this anymore! - Monica Lin, Director of Brand Partnerships at Culture Kings (@thundercupLA)

85) The Old Man and the Starfish is a story about a man who spends hours tossing starfish that have washed ashore, one by one, back into the water, because they would die if left in the morning sun. When asked by a young kid who passes by why he even bothers throwing them back in because there are millions of starfish on thousands of beaches and it won't even make a difference, the old man tosses a starfish into the sea and replies, It made a difference to that one. - Rosie Nguyen, Founder at Fanhouse (@jasminericegirl)

Originally posted here:

85 Stories That Inspire With AAPI And Asian Storytellers - Forbes