Community

Give and change for the better

This February, the Random Acts of Kindness week is taking place now and we have 2 holidays in a row, one is Valentine’s Day which just happened, and today is Random Acts of Kindness Day to encourage people for giving back and helping each other with kind gestures.

So how’s your February so far? and how do you celebrate love and kindness throughout this month?

Kindness is beautiful, and giving is powerful.

Give for change

Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate. It can be a praise, a thank you note, a friendly hello or a generous donation…That’s exactly the Random Acts of Kindness Day about. This annual celebration started with donating food and making a gift to someone or nonprofits, now it becomes a popular movement with small or large acts of kindness to treat people no matter you know or you don’t know.

Beautiful kindness can be seen everywhere and makes a positive impact in our life and community. In our families, we love and support each other as family members. At hospitals, many healthcare professionals work hard to help patients and save lives every day. There are doctors who try to cure the diseases, nurses who treat patients and their families with nursing skills and caring heart, emergency room workers who give medical services 24hours.

Just like firefighters and lots of everyday heroes, the frontline healthcare workers contribute a lot to our community with their professional practices and dedication. Proud of being a family member of nursing professional, I know nurses generally are kind and friendly to others as part of their work and living habit, they are trained to do something nice for injured strangers and patients with healing and caring services, they try to save lives and make the world a better place by spreading a little light at work and beyond, they really give a lot with less receiving to help people around them. That’s why nurses are called smiling angels in white.

Kindness practices do inspire people and change lives. Every day, we want to be better people to offer and help. We give to someone we love, give to someone who deserves, give to someone who matters to us, give to a nurse angel we don’t know personally but who keeps our community healthy and well. Let’s give to receive, donate for good, give to build an ecosystem with a ripple effect to pass along a kind act from one to another.

We don’t have to be a superman or healthcare heroes to save the world and many lives, a small and simple act to give and donate can also change someone’s life.

Change for the better

Be kind and do good deeds don’t have to be costly and a very huge thing, small gestures can make a big impact. Recently I joined a group conversation about helping vulnerable people and tackling social issues for a better and safer place. It’s a very open and interesting discussion among the enthusiastic participants, who are from public services, community organizations, different areas and neighborhoods. A series of topics were talked about safety and security, equity and diversity, accessibility and inclusion, education and discrimination. All is about community building and engagement to change for the better.

In uncertain times, the high inflation and slow economy have impacted more or less every one, especially the vulnerable groups such as elderly and older adults lack of income and resources, women in need of more help and support, people and families who have lost a loved one and experienced trauma and huge pain, disabilities and homelessness living with unemployment and affordable housing problems. By looking at the matters in our surroundings, some actions need to be taken and something needs to be changed with the community network from individuals to organizations.

Equity, diversity and inclusion are definitely important to build a healthy and resilient community. Today there are still many barriers for individual members from equity-seeking and underrepresented groups, indigenous and racialized communities in all aspects of life. There are still lots of work to do on equal opportunities, a fair process and diverse environment open to all, especially for people of color and minority groups.

Help others to help ourselves. So stop hate and violence towards others, we are all the same who live in one global community. We need to take part and work together, raise our voice and speak up, donate and support to keep the conversation going and continue to call for actions and change.

The community is ours, and we are the community.

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Give now, act now

It’s friendly February and psychology month filled with kindness and wellness themed events. There are Groundhog Day and CNOY event (Coldness Night of the Year) about nature and eco-friendly practice, cultural diversity celebrations from Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival to Black History Month. There is World Cancer Day to raise awareness for health and fighting cancer causes.

We have Family Day long weekend happening with many family-friendly activities for family love and wellness. The Pink Shirt Day is coming up next week and an annual event of anti bullying at school and work, in the neighborhoods and communities. There are negative stuff and bad things happening all the time, but there are also lots of good things happening every day…so will you choose to give and change with us and spread positivity in the community together?

Kindness is not only a helpful act to build a more healthy living community, but also creates the health benefits for ourselves. Studies have shown, be kind can positively impact your depression and anxiety, and do good deeds to others can reduce your emotional stress and improve your mental health. The science and psychology of being friendly and being grateful are effective to help boost our morale as well as personal wellbeing at large.

Kindness is good for our health and our mind. Remember this: To do unto others as we would have others do unto us. So what are you waiting for? Act now to give and pay it forward mentality, treat others as you want to be treated. Wanna be respected, do respect more to others; want to be loved, do love more others; want to be helped, do help more others…just as simple as that!

Give more is to receive more. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes everyone to build a healthy and thriving community. Come one, come all, we need to work together and take action: do something, give something, get involved and start to change…In the spirit of doing good, let’s cultivate a healthy mind and life to carry out some kindness today and every day:
✓acknowledge someone who deserves
✓donate and support the nurse angel fund
✓help your elderly neighbors with a task
✓give to the community funding of FightCancer4life
✓be friendly to others especially to women and kids
✓be kind to each other and our animal friends
✓fund and give to the green change cause for a healthy and diverse ecosystem
✓express gratitude to family members
✓smile to people around you

Making an impact on health, science and digital

There is a light at the end of the tunnel,
even it happens a little bit longer sometimes…

As the year is coming to an end, time for a year-end review and end of the year reflections to think and learn. Looking back this year, no doubt it’s been a very special year for everyone, so much happened and so many challenges: coronavirus, pandemic, lockdown, social distancing, quarantine, stay at home orders, face mask…what a year for people, businesses and the world! 

For most people, this year started off with normal sense, soon the pandemic hit and getting harder over the course of the year, then we are suddenly facing an unprecedented situation and new realities. For some, this past year may be rough and difficult to survival and live healthy…For some, it may be a year filled with tears and hardship for many endings and farewells…For some, it’s full of uncertainty and changes both professionally and personally…and for all of us, it’s certainly a year unlike any other. Whatever the year has been good or bad for you, stay healthy and upbeat to finish it strong and well with some meaningful thoughts and gestures.  

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.
— Charles Dickens

Health for all

In reviewing this challenging year with the ongoing pandemic, we all have experienced and learned a lot, health and science are much more important than never in our everyday life. There are frontline healthcare professionals who keep working hard to fight for public health, many scientists who put great efforts on making and developing vaccines…Selflessness, compassion and courage, all the dedicated healthcare workers step up to protect as much as they could around the world.

From public service to business community, from World Health Organization(WHO) to local healthcare provider, there are essential service workers like everyday heroes to keep daily life running with basic needs for our health and safety. Doctors, nurses and medical staff are called as fighters in white on the frontlines, they have kept working day and night for public health and safety, provided medical care to the patients with high risks of being infected with coronavirus…Remind that, they also have a whole family and loved ones behind each of them, but they have stayed at work to help more people in the communities just being health heroes. 

We say that nurses are smiling angels with loving hearts and invisible wings, and we mean that they’ve been saving lives, caring for others, making relentless contribution to the community everyday. In honoring of their dedication and contribution to our communities, WHO designated this year as International year of the Nurses & the Midwife.

Nursing is a work of heart and nurses are angels in white among us. Amid the pandemic and in everyday life, they deserve our deep gratitude for their caring work and sacrifice to take risks and beat the coronavirus, keep people safe and improve the public health. Health is wealth, more and more people including many big performers and entertainers who have sincerely valued and supported their hard work by paying tribute and spreading the love in global community. 

No science no health, no health no life. Science improves greatly public health in many ways, let’s respect science more and show our appreciation to scientists and healthcare workers.

Science for good

Living in the challenging times from coronavirus recovery to vaccine research and development, what are your reflections on public health and science for everyday life? As we pray for the vaccines in the coming new year, we rely on the scientific research so much for this health crisis recovery across the globe. 

In this past October Nobel Prize season, total 8 scientists and medical professionals were awarded the Nobel Prizes among 12 laureates. Also a historic winning with 2 women scientific researchers as the first time in Nobel Prize history, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their scientific discovery. 

This November and December, total 175 nationwide recipients were appointed to receive the Order of Canada as one of the country’s highest civilian honors. They’ve made up with 9 Companions, 34 Officers, 1 Honorary Member and 131 Members to be honored for their accomplishments and success to build a better country. Among them, about 30 significant figures are scientists and medical professionals in a diverse fields of pediatric and obstetrics, cardiology and neuroscience, geriatric medicine and cancer research, chemistry and pharmacology, crop science, computer and planetary science. 

No two snowflakes are alike. There are women clinician-scientist, pharmaceutical researcher, scholars and many more. With outstanding achievement and dedication to the community, they’ve been honored for their service to the nation and innovations to shape the future. In the spirit of northern heritage and diversity, the Order of Canada recognize their contributions are varied and enriched the lives of others in different ways and for a better life.

https://www.gg.ca/en/activities/2020/governor-general-announces-61-new-appointments-order-canada

Order of Canada

Digital for life

This year is almost over, whatever we’ve been through are part of experience and lessons to look back and also look ahead. Knowing of digital age and power, how to go above and beyond our virtual life in the coming year with digital impact?

In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.
— Albert Einstein

The pandemic has changed our life and the world radically in unpredictable ways. Many of us have experienced the quarantine and stay at home by following the public health and safety guidelines, the restrictions for social activities and gathering have forced us to stay apart with people even with families, there are also the limitations of traveling from local to international. We are socialized human beings, how we keep up with human interaction and connection with remote work environment and social distancing everyday?

Going up like a rocket, it seems a virtual network and space happened overnight without delay, everything goes digital from study, work to social. Facing with the big changes and happenings in life and world, we need to adapt a new environment and start to redefine our life and work with digital technology. Love it or not, a virtual world has arrived and we are part of it no matter what…

Digital used to be an online solution in pre-pandemic and now becomes an essential activity in our daily life. We’ve seen digital shows and exhibits, digital theaters and operas, we’ve worked at home, attended virtual meetings almost everyday, we’ve known more and more business are going digital also many types of festivals are held online as well, thousands and millions of people stay online to meet, chat and learn through webinars and cloud video meeting platforms…all digital, all virtual, all good, so what’s not online now?

The rise of digital technology is soaring and most digital service providers see a massive success amid the pandemic. With about 300 million daily active users, Zoom has risen to the top of the market on a fast track due to the COVID. This December, Zoom CEO Eric Yuan named as Time’s businessperson of the year. Zoom meeting and Zoom social are the ones among the popular digital strategies to connect people and the world.

Today is the last day of the year, it’s hard to believe that this year has come and is almost gone enough quickly. As the pandemic continues to hammer the world without stopping point yet, it is vital that we stay well and keep mental health while isolating and dealing with loneliness. From foresight to insight and hindsight, from motivation to creativity and inspiration, what are on the top of your list of New Year’s resolutions? Being healthy, staying safe and well with digital tech could be top 3 for many people to keep going forward. 

Going digital, going global…With the pandemic challenges and physical distancing restrictions, digitalization is underway coming faster than we expected, remote work, streaming services, virtual activities and online communities are all over the place and all around the world. The year’s end means the beginning of a new one with new possibilities, jump into the coming new year with best wishes, keep calm and carry on for a digital and green life: 

*Go digital to be a game changer from local to global

*Embrace our virtual life to stay social and connected

*Dive into online world to keep up with what matters for you

*Live healthy and well with nature and animals for a safer and sustainable future

*Go above and beyond to make an impact on the global community

Giving back to the startup ecosystem

You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.
― Les Brown, The Power of Purpose

November is National Entrepreneurship Month, time to celebrate startup community and entrepreneurial experience.

Entrepreneurship matters. From economic development and transformation to sustainable community and life, it contributes to employment and business growth,  improves quality of life and work-life balance, inspires innovation and technology, supports diversity and communities in everyday life.

With Thanksgiving celebration and Giving Tuesday event, November is also the month about showing gratitude and appreciation to people and business around us, giving back to community and support good causes in many different ways.

Hard work, leadership, inspirational life and big dreams…entrepreneurship means different things to different people. To innovators and creators, it could be more about bring disruptive ideas to life and changing the world; to entrepreneurs and founders, it’s more about making impact on community and achieving their dreams. No matter you’re new startup, small business or a serial entrepreneur, the key is to take action, get started and keep doing…

Be a doer

So you want to be an entrepreneur? You have a good idea in mind, a target market to work and a great product to launch, here are a few tips about the experience of starting a company and running your own business:

1. Start smart, start well…It’s less important that you do something perfectly and more important that you do it with energy and motivation.

2. No pain no gain. Nobody is born gifted, every talent needs hard work and constant practice to chase his dream. Entrepreneurs are made, not born too. It requires sacrifice, hard work and a willingness to accept constant change in the business world.

3. Do the research and know the risks. Expect that failure will come, and minimize it where possible. Be flexible and resourceful to face the challenges along the way…

4. Identify your purpose and network with others. Resources and relationships are very important to entrepreneurship, keep in mind to form your alliance with business owners who can help grow your business.

5. Work with collaborators and get the word out about your business. Instead of doing everything on your own from marketing to finance, you can save time and energy with specialized services. Especially about marketing service and digital media projects, many entrepreneurs collaborate with marketing consultant for branding, social media marketing, event planning and public relations.

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
– African Proverb

Being an entrepreneur is not a job, it’s a lifestyle. No doubt at all, there’s more to entrepreneurship than just a business idea. Anyone can acquire the knowledge and experience to transform a business idea into reality, but it takes business skills, entrepreneurial mindset, patience and perseverance to live an entrepreneurial life. Starting a business is hard, but the hard is what makes it great. Do what you love, and love what you do…so would you be up to take action and start your own business with a purpose?

Be a giver

It’s end of the year again, there are lots of ways that small businesses, corporations and brands can get involved in year-end giving. With Thanksgiving tradition and GivingTuesday event, end of year giving is a great opportunity to do more for the causes you support and get community engagement.

Doing business with purpose is not only market-driven to make money, and also impact-driven to help people and support the community. As a service-based creative business, we support good causes from fundraising event to public presentation. We give our time, technology and expertise to raise money and awareness for charities, connect with the organizations to collaborate nonprofit projects, and help them engage people effectively via social media platforms.

Being thankful is a mindset, having an attitude of gratitude is a virtue in business and life.

What goes around comes around, helping others actually helps yourself. From individuals to startups, when we become more grateful and give our time, talent and donation to help others, they benefit from our generosity and in turn more people benefit the same as well. For startup community, giving back means to pay it forward and build an entrepreneurial ecosystem. From green business to social enterprise, check out how little things can make a big difference:

    1. Start small. Get involved in the community and support charities and non profits by making a donation, volunteering time, spreading the word for good causes and helping the community engagement.
    2. Think big. As technology has an impact on all aspect of life and people, good tech can solve the problems and save the world. Go paperless with digital, go green with solar energy, and go global with social media…think about our environment and world, we support tech for good to use, design and build tech to address social challenges like global education, waste prevention, and healthcare with innovative solutions.
    3. Pay it forward. Business and success is not everything, think of our short and long-term goals with social responsibility, be generous with our time, talents and resources to invest in social, cultural and environmental issues, at the end we are the ones who receive the greatest benefit of a sustainable community.
    4. Build an entrepreneurial ecosystem. By giving, sharing and inspiring, together we support each other to make the change and create impact through collaboration. Creators, investors, leaders, incubators and entrepreneurs are all ecosystem builders in startup community, such as venture-friendly markets, quality business support and network, available finance to research and development, effective leadership and technology for creativity and innovation…

Be an innovator

NASA has just landed successfully a robotic geologist InSight (Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Transport) on Mars after 300-million-mile journey from Earth. By NASA, the Journey to Mars is humanity’s Next Giant Leap deeper into their solar system. 45 years ago, the Apollo missions blazed a path for human exploration to the moon and today that path extends to Mars and beyond. After landing on Mars, the robot will investigate processes that shaped the rocky planets of the inner solar system more than four billion years ago, and many more missions will follow on the Path to Mars including human landing and step foot on the Red Planet.

journey_to_mars            IMG_4781

Almost on the same time, SpaceX has made a historic launch of the first and largest rideshare mission on a US rocket. It also marks a new record of its 19th launch in the year, and the 3rd launch with the same reusable rocket by the company. The spaceflight brought together payloads from 17 countries including US, UK, Canada and Australia etc. total 64 small satellites aboard its reusable Falcon 9 rocket were deployed into low-Earth orbit in this single launch. They are university spacecraft, tech demonstrations, imaging and communication spacecraft from 34 commercial and government organizations, plus the companies seeking to revolutionize the Internet of Things.

Tech for good, tech for change. From national space agency to private space services company, from space tech to reusable rocket launch and digital tech, technology drives exploration and innovation. It expands our knowledge, helps our research and development, transforms our world, tackles social challenges and change our lives for the better. Many business and social enterprises get involved in tech for good to create innovative solutions and foster positive change at work, in the community and the world.

Tech for good is a community and a movement for long term sustainability, such as digital solutions, STEM education, social design, renewable and solar energy…it adopts a responsible technology approach for business, people and planet, creates collaboration between creators, designers, founders, incubators and leaders for working together to make a change in all aspects of our life.

Tech for Good is the intentional design, development and use of digital technologies to address social challenges. It is the combination of the most powerful and flexible tool we’ve ever had and good design approaches that are user-led and test-driven.

— Dan Sutch, Researcher and CEO at the Centre for Acceleration of Social Technologies

Entrepreneurs are innovators, and builders of startup ecosystem. We share knowledge of the marketplace, provide service, advice and information to help other businesses, use technology to support the community and change our life for the better. From tech for good to digital innovation, entrepreneurship has the potential to bring new ideas and technology in life that contribute to business growth and improve well-being of global community.

Collaboration creates opportunities. In entrepreneurship system, we value business ethics, supportive environment, best practices and strategies for collaboration. Entrepreneurs, members of the public and communities are expected to collaborate and deliver research and development projects, share resources and input insights within network, create solutions and opportunities for creativity and innovation.

Based on startup mindset and entrepreneurial spirit, giving back means to pay it forward and build an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Entrepreneurship can make an impact with innovation and collaboration, be a giver and innovator to make a difference in our community. Today we give thanks to collaborators, partners and supporters, and we’re grateful to be part of global entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Happy November and end of year giving!

Doing business with cultural diversity

May is one of the most busy and beautiful months of the year. Mother’s day, World Press Freedom day, Endangered Species day and International Day for Biological Diversity, a long list of important days can be found throughout the month of May, there’s also the ongoing month-long celebration like the following one.

The Asian Pacific Heritage celebration is a time to honor and appreciate Asian heritage and contributions to the growing and prosperous communities within North America. This is an opportunity for people to celebrate the multicultural heritage and explore Pan Asian history and traditions in Arts, culture and business. People like May as the month of sunshine and flowers, in UK it’s National Smile Month, and it’s commemorative month of Asian Pacific Heritage across North America, in the US it’s called Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, in Canada it’s simply called Asian Heritage Month.

Culture matters

When we say Asia, what comes to your mind firstly? Panda, green tea or lotus…Check out some Asian cultural icons and find out their meanings in oriental traditions and philosophy. Many Asian people see green tea as green mindset. Tea culture has thousands years of history in Asia. Over a thousand varieties of tea can be found in Eastern Asia and beyond, one of the main types is green tea. With mild smell and light taste in general, green tea has spread across the oceans from Asia to the world. Behind its popularity and health benefits of drinking, people really enjoy the oriental culture and traditions such as mindfulness, meditation, peace and harmony.

Be like a lotus, let the beauty of your heart speak, be grateful to the mud, water, air and the light.
~ Amit Ray, Indian author and spiritual master

Everything in nature has a spirit, and lotus is one of the most spiritual symbols with profound cultural meanings. The lotus is to the East, as the rose is to the West.¹ Lotus is a summer flower that rises from the muddy water and blooms gracefully like a pure beauty. In Eastern cultures, people love lotus for its purity and serenity with long and deep roots in the mud. Live like the lotus flower, be enlightened by peace and harmony: the deeper root you have, the stronger growing you are.

Culture connects us

Every culture has its profound identity and deep root through the generations, it connects people, enriches our life and defines our communities from historical footprints to cultural milestones. From Asian people to Asian community, we have seen many success stories coming from this diverse, vibrant and growing community in all aspects of life.

With the importance of transmitting culture and heritage across generations, Asian descendants and immigrants contribute actively their talent to the thriving and diverse society. To emphasize the valuable contributions by women of Asian descent, here are some notable Asian figures who have made a significant impact in different fields of arts, culture, sports, entrepreneurship and business.

A nation’s culture resides in the hearts and in the soul of its people.
–Mahatma Gandhi

Since 3 decades, Asian American writer Amy Tan has written some stories about Chinese immigrants and how they embraced Chinese heritage. Her best seller The Joy Luck Club explores Chinese American experience, Chinese culture and family relationships between two generations. As the former Governor General of Canada, Asian Canadian Adrienne Clarkson, has played an active role in multicultural environment with a long and successful career in broadcasting from journalist to arts show producer.

The award-winning geneticist and broadcaster David Suzuki is widely recognized as a world leader in sustainable ecology and environmental protection. He has received numerous honors and awards throughout the lifetime, his work, documentaries and books about nature and the environment are inspiring others “to find the ways for society to live in balance with the natural world that does sustain us.”

CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai grew up in India, studied at Stanford University, and has worked at Google to the top is a remarkable personal journey and success story to inspire many people. The professional basketball player Jeremy Lin is one of the few Asian Americans to play in the NBA with impressive athletic achievements through the years. Talented and humble, he represents a younger generation of Asian descent with higher education background and influential public image today.

David        Jeremy Lin

From the East to the West

The beauty of the world lies in the diversity of its people, and the beauty of life is in living it with different traditions and cultures. Open, pacific and colorful, Asian culture is well characterized by the peaceful mindset and vibrant spirit. As one of Asian culture icons, Asian food is extremely popular across North America. Noodles, General Tso’s Chicken, sushi and fortune cookies…have a look at some famous Asian food and learn more about Eastern cuisine and culture in good smells!

General Tso’s chicken is sweet and deep-fried chicken dish and almost universally available in North American Chinese restaurants. It’s named after a Chinese military leader in the history, and the origin of the dish can be traced back to over 200 years ago with the stories connecting to Chinese traditions and history. The making of dish replicates traditional Chinese cuisine of Hunan province, it’s lightly battered and covered in a mildly spicy sweet & sour sauce in a way that adapts the recipe to fit the western taste. No doubt this chicken dish represents a typical Asian American experience about cultural connections and integration.

IMG_1636       IMG_2656

Healthy and fresh, sushi is another typical Asian food combined with a variety of ingredients such as cooked rice, seaweed, seafood, vegetables and more. As many other Asian cuisine, the sushi culture is rooted in Eastern traditions and Japanese lifestyle. Traditionally, sushi is served on wooden platter along with soy sauce, pickled and sliced ginger, wasabi and chopsticks. With a colorful presentation and aesthetic style, making sushi is more like crafting a work of art with different combinations and recipes. In North America, the western-style sushi has evolved to become something completely different from its Japanese origins. By inventing some new types like brown rice sushi and latin flavored sushi burritos, sushi art has become more and more interesting and creative with mixed cultural influences.

How can we talk about Asian cuisine without noodles? Unlike Italian pasta, Asian noodles are typically handmade from fresh dough which is stretched, extruded, rolled and cut into a long and thin shape. As a staple food originated in China, noodle is a symbolic cuisine of representing Chinese culture and traditions everywhere. In the animated movie series of Kung Fu Panda, Panda Po had a dream about noodles but finally becomes a Kung Fu warrior, and his father Mr. Ping is master of noodles having a secret ingredient to make noodles and run the shop…From movies to real life, making noodles is an art of perfection with passion and inspiration behind its long history and culture.

Fortune cookies are another staple of Chinese cuisine in Chinese restaurants within North America, they’re crispy and sugary wafers and folded around a small slop of paper written with a so-called lucky message. People love cracking it to open one of them at the end of a meal, be delighted or surprised to read the words: good things come in invisible packages, accept the next proposition you hear….whatever is wisdom quote, Confucius phrase or vague expression, it’s fun and entertaining by the end. Now this bite-sized dessert has become an iconic symbol in North American culture, inspiring many businesses and cross-cultural communication between the East and the West.

Cultural diversity in business

Over the last 2 centuries, immigrants have journeyed to North America from all parts of Asia, they bring in a rich cultural heritage of many languages, ethnicities and traditions. Now more than 200 million people of Asian decent are living on this land, mainly Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Indonesians and Mongolian etc. Like many diverse communities out there, Asian Pacific communities have a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit that continues to grow and strengthen local economy.

Natural diversity is essential for a healthy ecosystem, and cultural diversity is in the lifeblood of vibrant economy. By integrating into local communities, the emigrated Asian Pacific Islander people have made various achievements in every aspect of life including entrepreneurship and business. In the US alone, there are 1.5 million Asian American Pacific Islander – owned businesses, with more than 500 billion of sales and 2.8 million workers, they are certainly fueling job creation and strengthening local communities and American economy.

Cultural differences makes the world more complex and interesting, especially when it comes to some differences between Eastern and Western cultures. Eastern culture is deeply rooted in its long history of traditions and based on a wide variety of concepts and philosophies from Confucianism, Tai Chi to Yin and Yang. Extremely complicated and profound, it emphasizes the balance of Yin-Yang and highlights the harmony through the energy movements in tranquility of Tai Chi.

Western culture has its roots in Christianity and European civilization, it has developed many themes and traditions in arts, humanities, philosophies and scientific evolutions. Based on logical and rational concepts, it focuses on the values of legal system and innovative creation through technological revolutions and discoveries along the way. Physically and culturally, Asian descendants and immigrants are different and identified with oriental colors, Asian traditions and pacific culture, but we all represent the big image of multicultural heritage, belong to the culturally diverse and prosperous communities.

The East is East and the West is West, neither is better nor worse than the other. In global community and digital age, the cultural integration and diversity are more important than ever, a good understanding of both cultures is truly practical and valuable in doing business effectively. Diversity is colorful, beautiful and powerful with the strength to broaden our mind, create the opportunity and encourage people to reach their full potential and participate positively in all aspects of life from communities to business.

Culture connects us, it brings people together to celebrate our rich and cultural heritage and promote the harmony in our communities.

To the end, culture is a tool of communication by all measures, it’s a great way of learning from each other and understand the world. Identity, language, tradition and heritage…culture is everywhere, it enriches and enlightens people’s lives from hearts to souls. In the multicultural environment, cross-cultural communication is effective for people to collaborate and grow together since it’s a creative process to interact and share with different perspectives through an open and dynamic conversation. Culture inspires people, it reminds us that we always have the power to change ourselves and make the world a better place.