When I aspired to travel 8,413 miles across the world to pursue higher education in the US, many criticized me for making this bold decision. They said, “It is a crazy idea for a single woman to travel overseas by herself,” “It is not safe to navigate a new country by yourself”, “Women don’t do that!”, “Why don’t you wait a couple of years until you get married and go with your spouse.” Some people hadn’t even traveled outside the country for pleasure, let alone higher education. Much to their dismay and against all odds, I am the first person in all of my extended family to travel independently to the US, earn a Master’s degree, and graduate with a full-time job at one of the biggest firms in corporate America. In my first job with a team of several white boomers/GenX male systems engineers, I was the only Indian (Asian), person of color, millennial female. Being the only intersectional individual, I had to work persuasively for my ideas to be heard and to feel belonged. This led me to be an aggressive advocate of inclusivity. Today, I know at least ten girls in my family and friend circle who have found their strength through my journey and moved to the US to pursue their American dream. To me, this is Breaking the Bias — because it only takes one person to blaze the trail and set an example for others. You can’t be what you can’t see!
