My first memories of grappling with social issues and the importance of group dynamics go back to almost as far as I can remember. I am US-born, and my dad's side of the family has been in the states for several generations, and my mom's family lived in Thailand when I was born, with exception of my mom.
My first language was Thai, and I later picked up the Lao or Issan dialect my family in Thailand spoke when I visited there. I had to navigate not only the experience of being the "only" (only American in my family/friend group in Thailand, and with friends in the states, the only one who felt home was also halfway around the world and that some US social norms seemed weird.) Simultaneously I picked up on the drastic differences of access to wealth and opportunity I had in the states compared to my family and friends in the village in Thailand, and how these differences could make or break one's life.
I saw shadows of this type of inequality in the community I grew up in the states as well, in Prince George's County, an incredibly diverse county adjoining Washington, DC. I was one of only a few kids from my neighborhood that ended up going to school, thanks to a wide network of support I had.
Fast forward many years, and these core experiences still drive my curiosity and passion for working with people. I believe my growing up with multiple cultures helps me to see organizational systems and cultures more clearly, and invite people to experiment new ways of being that may get them the results they desire.