As we wrapped up Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, we caught up with Ishan, one of our associates who recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary at Fidelity and is an active member of our Asian Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) employee resource group. He shares what this month means to him and how Fidelity has supported him as an Asian associate.
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and your career path at Fidelity.
Ishan: I was born in India and raised in North Carolina. After graduating NC State University, I began my career at Fidelity as a technology associate. After several opportunities, like the General Management Apprenticeship talent development program, I arrived at my current role as a Squad Lead for one of our products. When I started, I never thought Fidelity would be more than a two-year stepping stone into the professional world, but I just celebrated my 10th anniversary with Fidelity in January 2021. Working at Fidelity has given me chances to meet amazing people; people that nurtured my career, provided me advice, guidance, opportunities, and lifelong friendships around the world. Over the past decade, I’ve had the opportunity to work in our Raleigh, NC; Covington, KY; and Boston, MA locations, and even visit colleagues in India and China.
Q: How did you get involved with Fidelity’s Asian employee resource group, AIM (Asian Inclusivity & Multiculturalism)?
Ishan: I started a role in Covington, Kentucky and didn’t know the geography or people in the region. My manager at the time took me to my first AIM (then known as AERG) meeting to help me network and meet people outside of my project. Volunteering with AIM, I was able to make new friends, discover new experiences, enjoy the local culture (like cheesy spaghetti and Goettafest), and grow to make the KY-OH region home for the next three and a half years.
Having grown up in India, my favorite Hindu festival has always been Diwali. I vividly remember celebrating with my family by shooting off fireworks, eating delicious sweets, spending time with my cousins, and wearing brand new colorful clothes. Moving around the U.S., Diwali wasn’t as big a celebration as I remembered, and when I lived on my own, it became even harder to find others who celebrated. AIM gave me an outlet to find people that wanted to celebrate and learn about my culture, including Diwali. I met colleagues that invited me into their homes to celebrate with their families; people that taught me about their cultures and shared fond memories of their traditions. When I moved back to NC, I partnered with other passionate colleagues to restart the Fidelity Raleigh AIM chapter. It was my chance to give back, so we worked together to share Asian culture with our colleagues by hosting learning events, festival celebrations, and sponsoring AAPI-targeted events in the local community.
Q: What does Asian American & Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you?
Ishan: I’ve seen America as a melting pot of traditions, cultures, and heritages. To me, employee affinity groups like AIM, make a difference by bringing awareness to different cultures around the globe that exist in our backyards. They create a space where I can meet passionate people and these organizations give me opportunities to learn from others about their differences. Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage month (along with other recognition months) are meant to be intentional reminders that we should continue to celebrate our differences, learn from each other, and create a blended future.
