How the Asians at Amazon affinity group inspires growth and belonging

Employee resource groups, known as affinity groups at Amazon Web Services (AWS), celebrate what connects us and makes us unique. The groups also work to actively dismantle biases and ensure equitable opportunities for all employees.

Asians at Amazon is one of 13 official affinity groups across Amazon that promote belonging and cultural understanding, and empower members and allies to grow their career potential.

We chatted with three AWS employees from the Asians at Amazon leadership team to learn more about the affinity group’s journey to help Asian employees thrive, break barriers, and pave the way for a more equitable future. Ming Huang is a strategic program manager at AWS and co-president of the global Asians at Amazon board; John Kim is a partner development specialist for end user computing and the strategy director for the Asians at Amazon second headquarters (HQ2) chapter in Arlington, Virginia; and Andrea Peng is a technical program manager at AWS and the Asians at Amazon HQ2 chief of communications.

What motivated you to join Asians at Amazon?

Ming: I have a lot of different reasons, but a big one was to advocate and amplify the Asian community and our voices. I want to help innovate and design new experiences for our community and help drive the programming and messaging. Amazon affinity groups are here to create a community of belonging. Our group isn’t just for Asians—it’s for anyone with an interest in the Asian culture. Affinity groups also present many career growth opportunities we might not get in our day jobs.

John: Affinity groups are a unique construct available at Amazon that focus on providing a better, more inclusive employee experience. The investment and engagement from our senior leadership team proves these groups are more than lip service. I wanted to be a part of that to provide employees a better working environment that focused on the Asian experience. I also wanted to use Amazon’s considerable employee experience and resources to help Asian-focused nonprofits and groups in my community.

Andrea: Growing up predominantly in the United States, I felt a bit disconnected from my heritage and culture as I got older. I really appreciated the events that Asians at Amazon held and the information they shared regarding cultural events. I wanted to be a part of that and give back in my own way.

What are some of the new experiences and partnerships you’re excited about delivering for Asians at Amazon?

Ming: We're really focusing on diversifying the thought-leaders we bring in for panel discussions and events, to bring in external opinions and experiences outside of Amazon. That increases the insights we have into different stories and helps us figure out, along with other internal Amazon organizations, how we can be involved with these external communities and really lift up what Amazon is doing in terms of products, services, advocacy, and allyship.

I’m also really proud that Amazon recently donated $10 million to The Asian American Foundation (TAAF), and our New York chapter is managing that relationship to stay actively engaged in driving how that money is used to deliver for the Asian American community.

John: Our events are large and exciting on purpose. We want to bring as many non-Asian allies as well as provide safe spaces for our membership. To that end, we’ve hosted Diwali celebrations, Lunar New Year education and events, and roundtable discussions to ensure our members were feeling supported and seen when Asian hate crimes increased during the pandemic. Finally, my chapter conducted one of the largest fundraising drives for racial equity month, raising over $10,000 from our membership.

What are some of the DEI-related challenges facing the Asian community in the tech industry?

Ming: Asians aren’t really considered underrepresented in the tech industry, but I think what people don’t realize is that once you get to the leadership level—especially for Asian women—representation falls off dramatically. We need more awareness into the challenges we still face in the workplace in terms of climbing the workplace ladder into more senior and leadership roles.

Andrea: The biggest thing we face is that while we have a large presence in the tech industry, we’re still a cultural minority in many spaces. We face discrimination and microaggressions, and we’re the least likely to break into leadership positions.

Are there any challenges that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face at work that are top of mind for the affinity group?

John: In addition to making sure we challenge biases, the other is to build an advocacy network of allies for the Asian community. Through small things like “Stop Asian Hate” badges on our internal directory, virtual safe space discussions, and attendance at events, it is tremendously empowering for our membership to see people who do not look like them participating in Asian causes.

Andrea: I’m going to point to the model minority myth that stereotypes all Asian Americans as intelligent, hard-working, and diligent and therefore more academically, socially, and economically successful than other minorities. At Asians at Amazon, we’re always thinking about how to “break the stereotype” and show the diverse history and experiences of our community. Also, we’re hyperaware that a majority of people think that Asian is simply East Asian when that’s not true at all. We do our best to represent and reflect the diversity of Asian cultures.

Ming: I think a lot of affinity groups share similar sentiments about making sure we see people like ourselves in leadership positions. In some Asian cultures, we’re accustomed to staying relatively quiet in work conversations so as not to "stir the pot.” This can be limiting when it comes to career advancement opportunities, and it can also limit the Asian voices that we want heard.  

Can you share any specific Asians at Amazon affinity group wins, such as an initiative or program that led to a positive change in the company?

Ming: Asians at Amazon drove the change on the Amazon employee badges photos from being black and white to color. This is because a black and white photo of an individual is used for the deceased in many Asian cultures during the period of mourning. At the height of anti-Asian hate in America, Asians at Amazon drove the Stop Asian Hate campaign on the Amazon home page to create awareness. We also influenced Amazon’s donation of $10M to The Asian American (TAAF), who was founded in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and violence.

John: We formalized an Asians at Amazon chapter in HQ2 in Arlington, Virginia shortly after it was announced. Since then, we've realized positive membership growth. We’ve also measured increases in employee retention across our membership and while we recognize we’re not the sole reason for retention, we believe we’re contributory. We also developed formal channels to support Amazon in the Community with established relationships with Affordable Housing Community (ACH) of Arlington and other nonprofits. These relationships have allowed us to establish formal community engagement opportunities for our members.

Andrea: I’m proud of the Health and Wellness initiative we started recently, which encourages members and allies to learn about and practice self-care. We also started a Collective Care Circle program, a safe space for members to build community, offer mutual support, and engage in a mini-series of thematic dialogues to explore the Asian American experience. It really breaks down the barriers and impression that everyone in the Asian community has the same experience. Sharing and hearing different stories really puts things into perspective. I fully believe in fostering a community and this program supports that.

What were the biggest surprises for you when you joined AWS? What do you think job candidates should know about our work culture?

Ming: AWS has an enormous global infrastructure. We continue to have tremendous year-over-year growth by the depth and breadth of products and services we offer. I am amazed at the rate of our innovation and excited to be part of the customer obsession that permeates every aspect of the organization.

Andrea: The biggest surprise for me was how agile we are at AWS. We’re constantly innovating, thinking about the next big thing, and adjusting our workflows to produce the best product available. It’s ambitious, fast, and refreshing.

John: There’s a stereotype in the tech industry that there’s a bunch of overworking, sniping, politicking, bullying, etc. But what I’ve found at AWS is that not only are people genuinely interested in your success, but also in your culture. As an Asian American, I’ve been extremely fortunate to have mentors and allies of all backgrounds directly involved in my success and comfort. Whether it’s reaching out after an Asian hate crime, ensuring I’m getting proper exposure for advancement, or just friendship, AWS has been a revelation in employee culture. Plus, it’s just been a really good time.

What else would you like current and future employees at AWS to know about working here?

Ming: AWS has a great culture of support, making it easy to develop a network of mentors. My mentors have provided guidance and support in helping navigate challenges and opportunities, which has incredibly helpful towards my learning and growth. I have been leading Asians at Amazon for four and a half years—this role has enabled me to utilize all the leadership principles, provided valuable experiences, and exposed me to different aspects of the company. I am grateful to have such an encouraging and supportive organization in my second AWS role as an diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) leader.

John: At AWS, I have purpose, support, lots of fun, and world-changing opportunities. AWS’s excellence in cloud is absolutely correlated with its focus on its employees.

What’s something else about Asians at Amazon that’s important to note?

Ming: First, Asians at Amazon is comprised of a multitude of Asian cultures. To say that someone is “Asian” is an oversimplification. We could be Hawaiian, Burmese, Iranian, Hmong, Japanese, or one or more of the many ethnicities in Asia. Second, our affinity group is for everyone and anyone with an interest in the Asian culture. Anyone can join any of Amazon’s thirteen official affinity groups. It is a great way to learn about different communities, actively engage, and become an ally simultaneously. As a DEI ambassador myself, I am always enlightened by and in awe of our affinity groups’ work.

John: Lots of companies have resource groups and diversity initiatives, but they usually fall short due to lack of funding, leadership support, or uninterested workers. Asians at Amazon is successful because we have been supported by company leadership and other Amazonians. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy tweets about #StopAsianHate, Doug Herrington is our very available executive sponsor, managers support our dedication to volunteering, and Amazonians of all races have supported our initiatives. That’s the only way it works.