Hello Reader,

At one of my recent talks, I shared what it’s like to be the only woman of color in the room and to pivot onto a path my culture didn’t teach me to choose.

And how, as an Asian woman, I was taught, directly and indirectly to stay quiet, stay humble, don’t take up too much space.

Afterwards, a South Asian woman came up to me with tears in her eyes.

She told me she felt seen.
That she’s making choices her family doesn’t understand — walking away from a “good career” to follow something that actually feels true.

And then someone else shared something similar related to being the only one with a certain identity in the room.

Different story. Same feeling.

That quiet awareness that what makes you you also makes you stand out.
And somewhere along the way, you learned it might not be safe to fully show that.

So you adapt.
You soften.
You fit in.

Because it felt like the only way to belong.

And then life asks something different of you.

To speak.
To be visible.
To share the very parts of you that once felt easier to hide.

And suddenly, it feels… uncomfortable.

Like you’re being “too much.”
Or like you don’t quite belong in the version of yourself you’re stepping into.

Like an imposter in your own expansion.

I felt that in real time at another talk.

Where I was bring forward my story and my idea in a way that felt too exposed… and the most true.

That’s the edge.

Where what makes you different or once felt unsafe, stops being something to manage and becomes the very thing you’re here to offer.

I captured that moment, what I call taking your brilliance out of the shadow, and shared a video about it on LinkedIn and Instagram.

That edge where you know you’re meant to show up… and every part of you wants to hold back.

If it resonates, I’d love to hear what it stirred for you.

Because if you’ve felt that tension between belonging and being fully yourself, you’re not alone in it.

Need a Speaker for AAPI month or a Keynote for a Conference?

If this spoke to you and you want your people to stop shrinking and start showing up fully — I’d love to support that. My talks Imposter to Empowered and Be Brave: Leadership Beyond the Ladder explore exactly that.

My talks unpack how culture, identity, and belonging shape how we show up — and what it takes to stop holding back and lead with your brilliance.

Planning an event for your ERG, team, or conference? Let’s connect. Please reach out and/or book a call with me here.​

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