As an Asian American woman pursuing hospitality and event management, I am driven by a passion for creating inclusive spaces that shatter stereotypes and elevate diverse voices. Through intentional leadership, I aim to use this field as a catalyst for positive social impact. From a young age, I've had to navigate circumstances that could easily discourage one from leadership roles. As a female of Asian descent, I'm all too familiar with being the minority in academic and professional settings. I've dealt with preconceived notions about my capabilities based on my race and gender. However, these experiences have instilled in me a heightened determination to demolish limitations and defy expectations. My first formative leadership experience came through planning cultural celebrations for the Asian Student Union in high school. In this role, I honed skills like project management, vendor coordination, marketing, and delivering dynamic programming that educated our audiences. Despite the initial self-doubt I felt, I quickly gained confidence in my ability to bring people together through meaningful events that celebrated our rich heritage. This drove me to pursue hospitality at the university level, where I could apply my planning abilities on a larger scale. As the event logistics coordinator for our Hospitality Student Association, I've had the incredible opportunity to put mastery over things like contract negotiation, venue preparation, guest experience, and risk mitigation. Each event I've planned has been a practice in attention to detail, creative problem-solving under pressure, and facilitation of unforgettable experiences for attendees. Looking ahead, I'm passionate about becoming an event production leader that prioritizes representation and inclusivity as core design pillars. I envision strategizing cutting-edge event concepts and hospitality activations that don't just accommodate diversity, but uplift it as a source of inspiration. From curation of vendor partnerships to thoughtful attendee touchpoints, I'll ensure the hospitality experience embodies values of belonging for all backgrounds. My goal is to become a role model for other young Asian women interested in hospitality leadership roles. By turning the art of event planning into a celebration of multiculturalism, I can create spaces that honor the voices and perspectives so often marginalized in our society and industry. I'll prioritize training programs and professional development pipelines that empower underrepresented minorities to ascend into decision-making positions. My leadership will be defined by advocacy, audacious innovation, and providing a platform for diverse stories to take the spotlight. As I continue to sharpen my event expertise, I'm motivated by the immense opportunity hospitality offers to unite people across all walks of life. I'll leverage this platform to shatter biases, blaze trails for other Asian American women, and orchestrate experiences that spark meaningful human connections through an inclusive lens. My passion is creating spaces of belonging for all.

Hospitality, at its core, is about creating environments where people feel welcomed, valued, and able to be their most authentic selves. It's a field centered on human connection, cultivating experiences that bring joy, comfort, and a sense of belonging. With this as my driving force, I envision utilizing my passion for hospitality as a powerful catalyst for positive change in communities around the world. One of the most rewarding aspects I foresee is the ability to be an ambassador of cross-cultural understanding and integration. The hospitality industry serves as a intersection point for people of all backgrounds. Through intentional service and programming, hotels and hospitality spaces can create microcosms that celebrate diversity while fostering mutual respect. I aspire to design immersive experiences that allow guests to gain appreciation for other customs and perspectives. Imagine curated food tours that double as insightful cultural excursions or partnerships with local artisans to provide authentic arts experiences. These types of initiatives facilitated through hospitality nurture greater cultural literacy and connection. Moreover, I hope to leverage the industry's global scale to be a force for environmental sustainability and ethical business practices. My vision involves implementing comprehensive "green" policies - from energy/water conservation and waste reduction to sustainable sourcing of amenities and partnership with eco-friendly vendors. I'm inspired by innovative hoteliers striving for LEED certification and harnessing things like solar power, recycled materials, and zero-plastic initiatives. The choices made across hotel operations undoubtedly impact our planet's future. With a commitment to hospitality rooted in environmental ethics, I could play a role in preserving our world's resources for generations to come while encouraging more sustainable norms. Additionally, I'm driven by hospitality's potential to support marginalized communities through economic empowerment and addressing social issues. My aim would be to hire from underrepresented populations, create workforce training programs, and develop partnerships with NGOs and nonprofits doing outreach in areas like hunger relief, youth development, women's advocacy, and more. Hospitality facilities could also regularly allocate resources like meal donations or allocate room fees to critical causes. Exercising this level of social responsibility allows the industry's influence to extend far beyond guest services. Ultimately, my passion for hospitality stems from a desire to connect with others and have a positive impact through service. By thoughtfully developing people-centric experiences and policies, I could leverage the field's global presence to uplift communities, ignite greater empathy and cultural respect, protect our environment's future, and empower those on the margins of society. For me, hospitality is a calling to be an agent of empowerment, inclusion and care for our world and humanity. At NYU, I want to fuse this mentality into my Hospitality Management studies and future career. Courses like Hotel Operations Management will provide foundations for delivering excellent service. I hope to get involved with sustainable hospitality initiatives on campus, brainstorming feasible changes like eliminating plastic waste. My goal is to help properties implement cost-effective enhancements that reduce environmental impact by supporting innovative solutions that catalyze positive change.

As a Christian, the principle of loving your neighbor as yourself resonates deeply. It is a calling that extends far beyond merely being polite - it challenges us to actively care for others with true compassion and hospitality. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus instructs "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39), exemplifying this through His own life of service. To me, being a good neighbor means embodying this spirit of selfless care and hospitality towards others in both big and small ways. True hospitality involves making people feel truly welcome, valued, and at home - whether a stranger, friend, or member of the community. It requires going beyond surface-level kindness to nurturing meaningful connections. The Bible reminds us that we should "not neglect to show hospitality to strangers" (Hebrews 13:2), as we may be unknowingly welcoming angels. Every individual deserves to feel this sense of belonging. Over the past four years, I've strived to be a good neighbor through my volunteer work with the hospitality ministry at my church. Each Sunday, I greet attendees with a warm smile and help them find seats, ensuring they feel welcome from the moment they arrive. For our community outreach events, I assist in organizing housing, meals, and care packages for those in need. Seeing the relief and gratitude on their faces has been incredibly humbling and motivates me to continue growing in hospitality. This heart for service has inspired me to pursue hospitality management as my major. The industry is centered around providing exceptional experiences for guests and making them feel cared for. However, I don't want to just learn the technical skills - I am driven by a deeper desire to truly exemplify Christian hospitality. From managing hotel operations to creating atmospheres of comfort and community, I will constantly focus on how to be a good neighbor and inspire my team to have this mindset. In the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus redefines what it means to "love your neighbor." The Samaritan showed compassion to the man who had been beaten and robbed, bandaging his wounds and ensuring he was cared for at the inn (Luke 10:25-37). This teaches that our neighbor is anyone in need, regardless of distance or relation to us. We are called to go out of our way to look after others and tend to their needs, both physical and emotional. Loving our neighbors requires us to be other-centered, putting the needs of those around us above our own. It is a daily practice of exercising care, patience, kindness and empathy in every interaction. By God's grace, I hope to spend my life demonstrating this type of good neighborly love through a career channeling hospitality as a means of service.