South Asian Heritage Month - Our Stories
This South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) we asked three friends – all of them Data Scientists and Engineers at Openreach - what advice they’d give others who might struggle with their cultural identity in the workplace.
Birmingham-based Rahima and Shahana, and Iman, from Leeds, all joined us via the Code First Girls programme, but it’s not been a simple journey…
Expect challenges
Rahima was born and raised in Pakistan before moving to Hong Kong and ultimately England. ”When I moved, I was surrounded by people who looked nothing like me, so growing up I’d always struggle to find someone who I could relate to."
For Shahana, Bangladeshi traditions presented a challenge. “In traditional families, women tend to focus on family over their careers, which can differ from the usual expectations or norms.'
Iman (pictured above) faced issues at a previous employer, which challenged her Pakistani identity. “I experienced blatant racism for the first time and it was a hard lesson in life. At the time, I think the main problem was that some people didn't have enough experience of interacting with ethnic minorities and had no idea how to treat me like a normal human being.”
Discover role-models
A career in law, medicine or finance might’ve been more conventional but all three women got hooked on coding. One of the keys to pursuing that less-trodden path was finding role models. People who inspired and encouraged them to challenge cultural stereotypes.
For Shahana, her lecturer “was the first woman I’d come across who had this career, I always viewed as unachievable for me. She explained how quickly her career progressed and she even had her own consultancy. It was totally different from what I expected.”
Rahima (pictured second from left at a friend's wedding) discovered a famous English mathematician. “I was always more interested in STEM-related subjects but it was very difficult to find women, especially from my background. The person who caught my eye was Ada Lovelace. She challenged the stereotype of data science being for white men only. I like to think of her at times when it might seem like there isn't a place for me, or if I don't see people like me in my field.”
And for Iman, her inspiration came closer to home. “I'm so cheesy, but my role model’s my dad. He always taught me to push for a better life and work smarter, not harder. I've always taken what I can from my dad and worked in the knowledge that I can achieve any goal as long as I work for it. That's helped me to get to where I am.”
Build a support network
Right from the outset of the Code First Girls programme, Iman (pictured second from left with colleagues in our Leeds office) has valued Shahana and Rahima’s friendship. “It's great to have started at the same time as them and I feel I always have them to turn to if things get tough. Every so often we have a chat together. Even if we’ve not spoken for weeks, we just pick up where we left off. It's good to have that kind of friendship at work and I’d encourage people to build their own support networks for that reason.”
She also feels that an inclusive place to work is vital. “I feel a lot more relaxed at Openreach. I guess because I feel comfortable expressing my ethnicity, especially where I am in my office. Everyone's really lovely and they ask questions about my culture because they're genuinely interested.”
Celebrate cultural differences
On Wednesday 2nd August, Openreach’s first SAHM colleague event will take place at its Birmingham office, and Rahima’s excited.
“I wasn’t ashamed before, but I didn't participate that much in celebrating my culture. Having this kind of event is great as it will help us all build relationships and celebrate respective cultures with people from diverse backgrounds – particularly those we may not have interacted with before. South Asians should not shy away from their culture. Be open. People are much more accepting than you would think at first.”
Shahana’s looking forward to hearing other people's stories. “Don't be embarrassed about your cultural identity and see it as a weakness. It’s a strength. Don't be put off by seeing lack of representation, be that representation that you want to see. I feel like I benefited from people who have gone through struggles and they've helped pave the way for me to move up in life. I’m looking forward to hearing stories like that this month from my colleagues.”
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South Asian Heritage Month 2023 is all about championing the cultures, histories, and communities of eight countries which make up South Asia. At Openreach we’re determined to instil and promote a culture of inclusion and to be proactive in improving the diversity of our workforce. We want to represent all our colleagues - no matter what their background.
