May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, and this year it was more important than ever for us to reflect on and celebrate the many contributions made by people from these vibrant and diverse geographic regions. Against the disturbing backdrop of a rise in discriminatory and violent acts against Asian and Pacific Islander members of our community, Marqetans sought to show their support for each other and stand together against anti-Asian hate crimes.
Throughout the month, Marqeta’s RepresentAsian Employee Resource Group (ERG) set up various events and activities to share their culture and heritage with their colleagues, including a Boba tea making session, Asian recipe sharing, and an origami crane video tutorial.
A OneMarqeta Challenge encouraged Marqetans to express their appreciation of Asian culture through various fun contests such as asking employees which Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) celebrity/activist/artist/person that they admire most and how they’ve impacted their life.
Our CEO, Jason Gardner, invited CreditKarma’s CEO Ken Lin to a fireside chat. Ken described his experience as an Asian American leading a company and offered his perspective on anti-AAPI acts of violence in the Bay Area and beyond. We learned about his background and upbringing, and we are so grateful for the time he spent with us.
At Marqeta, the idea that everyone belongs is one of the core values that guides us as we work together to build the infrastructure underpinning modern payment solutions. We find inspiration in our diversity and look to find ways to celebrate and share the wide range of experiences and cultural backgrounds represented by Marqetans and our customers around the world.
