Celebrating the diverse Asian culture at Paysafe

Jacinda Tayler, Social Media Manager

Name one favourite thing about your Asian heritage.

Growing up, some of my favourite memories revolved around enjoying delicious buffets at family gatherings. My Filipino family were always so hospitable – you would never go hungry on their watch! I think enjoying meals together also tied into a sense of community and belonging. My family tree is large and complicated – everyone is your ‘cousin’, and it was something that would always make us laugh because we knew we weren’t all first cousins as such, but it didn’t matter to know how exactly we were related. While it might sound odd to some, to me, it felt comforting to have so many people I could call family.

Are there any Asian personalities that inspire you? In what way do you think they set an example for you /inspire you?

My mum is an inspiration to me. As a young adult, she immigrated to New Zealand from the Philippines and built a great life there. She’s resilient, adaptable, courageous, and always reminds me to count my blessings. Plus, she’s the life of the party and can strike up a conversation with anyone. I love that about her.  

What do you think makes the Asian culture unique?

I think ‘unique’ is a cliché term. We all like to think of ourselves and our cultures as unique, but if we’re all unique, then none of us is. The thing that all cultures share is a sense of belonging somewhere. If I meet a new person and I find out they’re Filipino, I automatically feel like I know them a little better because of the commonality of potentially shared cultural experiences. But this doesn’t just apply to culture – the same could be said about anything you have in common with someone – their favourite film, their political ideology, their favourite holiday destination etc.

 

Saloni Sundarji, Payments and Pricing Specialist

Name one favourite thing about your Asian heritage.

Without a doubt, our food. Asian food is known to be rich, balanced and made with love. From a traditional Gujarati thali to pav bhaji from Mumbai to masala dosas in South India, Indian food has been a staple ingredient of my Asian heritage and one that I love to share. At Asian@Paysafe, we have a focus on food at many of our events, for example, our hugely successful Global Dumpling Day.  

In what ways do you feel companies could better support their Asian employees?

One way to support employees is to have committees that individuals can relate to and be a part of with other like-minded members. Asian@Paysafe has been a great way to meet new colleagues, work together in different teams and contribute positively to the Paysafe brand. Asian@Paysafe is a great addition to the D&I networks and an initiative other companies could easily adopt to support their employees.

What do you think makes the Asian culture unique?

Asian values. They centre around community, a strong work ethic and working towards a common goal. Aside from that, we also have unique customs and practices. Whether that’s greeting people by bringing your hands together in a prayer position, eating with your hands or chopsticks and removing your shoes before entering a house or a temple – there’s a variety of customs in Asian culture that come from hundreds of years of tradition.

 

Joshua Corregidor, Group Operational Risk Analyst

Name one favourite thing about your Asian heritage.

Family and community are my favourite things about my Asian heritage.  As someone living in a foreign country, they both have been and will always be a safe space for me where I am fully understood. We are taught how to truly embrace the family around us from a very young age, and we learn to appreciate its value.

In what ways do you feel companies could better support their Asian employees?

Paysafe is definitely one of the most accepting and diverse companies I've come across, and having a D&I network is especially empowering.  Seeing allies and other Asians within the company shows the exceptional diversity I had described.

What do you expect from the year of the Rabbit?

I expect and wish a lot of prosperity and peace to all my colleagues, family, and friends!

 

Simon Chen, Group Operational Risk Director

Name one favourite thing about your Asian heritage.

The food.  The diversity and complexity of ingredients and flavours of Asian food across the region are truly a joy to experience, explore and savour.

What can people managers do to better support and promote their Asian team members?

Encouraging Asian team members to hear their views, perspectives and insights is important. In many Asian cultures, it is taught to respect their seniors and to listen and obey. As a result, some Asians don’t always air their thoughts, opinions and insights; however, by providing support and developing that outlet, managers could unlock this energy and connectivity.

In what ways do you feel companies could better support their Asian employees?

Engage with them to explore their motivations, aspirations and challenges, and then educate and collaborate on how they can achieve their goals.

Are there any Asian personalities that inspire you? In what way do you think they set an example for you /inspire you?

Michelle Yeoh inspires me. Her ability over the decades to take on leading roles in high-profile western productions and to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving social environment is such an inspiration.

What do you think makes the Asian culture unique?

The truly diverse and rich cultural history of the various Asian civilisations that span 1,000s years and is still celebrated makes Asian culture so fascinating and unique.

What do you expect from the year of the Rabbit?

The Rabbit symbolises longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese culture, and 2023 will be a year of hope.  So, I hope that the world economies recover swiftly from the current cost of living crisis and that peace will emerge from the current conflict in Ukraine.