Jie Huang is Sales Director at Oracle as well as the lead for Oracle Professional Asian Leadership (OPAL) at Oracle HQ. She is a proud first-generation Chinese immigrant, an advocate for diversity and inclusion, and an activist for the Asian community.
Coming to America
My family immigrated to Texas from China when I was eight years old. At the time, I’d only been on an airplane once and little did I know that my entire life was about to change. I will always remember eating a hot dog for my first meal after we arrived in the LAX airport, not because I was craving a hot dog, but because I was only able to order in numbers…combo #1, #2.
Having to adapt to a new environment—including culture and language—was extremely challenging. Kids at school weren’t exactly friendly because I was different. In addition, because of my parent’s language barriers, I started helping out my parents with their business at the age of 10. I matured quickly and it wasn’t by choice. Like most Asian immigrants, I was taught to excel in school, play instruments, and work hard. It was the least that I could do because my parents had sacrificed everything for us to be here.
Finding my identity
For the longest time, I was lost because I couldn’t find my “why” and often times, I was conflicted between the Western and Chinese culture.
I did not find my own identity and purpose until I started participating in various leadership programs at school. I was one of the first Asian students to run and elect for Student Council. From there, I quickly learned the power of representation and the importance of speaking up. It hit me when one day, another Asian student told me that from watching me organize events and activities, she felt inspired and proud. That was the moment that I realized the impact we can all create together. It was a reminder that I was not alone.
Giving back to the Asian community
I started my career at Oracle in July 2015. One of the biggest things that drew me to Oracle was not only the technology but Oracle’s investment in diversity and inclusion. Oracle has an Employee Resource Group for people from all walks of life. In addition, I saw Oracle’s commitment to the community through corporate citizenship initiatives including Oracle Volunteering and Oracle Giving.
In addition to leading OPAL at Oracle HQ, I also serve as the Co-President of the Ascend Austin chapter—the largest Pan-Asian organization for business professionals in North America. When COVID emerged last March, overnight, my Ascend team and I put together a campaign called “Feed Your Hospital.” Oracle was the first company to collaborate with Ascend Austin in employee donation matching, matching over $5,000. In total, the Austin chapter raised over $30,000 and delivered 5,000+ meals to nine major COVID hospitals while supporting Asian restaurants
Celebrating AAPI
May is Asian Heritage Month and this year feels even more special because of the pandemic, social challenges, and the rise in Asian hate crimes. As I reflect on this month, I can’t help but be thankful for my parents, grandparents, and ancestors that had the courage to emigrate to a new country, not knowing the people or the language. Their resilience, work ethic, tenacity, and selflessness are qualities that I hope to pass on to generations to come.
As I celebrate my own heritage, I’ve realized that being American is not about the color of your skin, the way you talk, your political views and/or the birthplace of your ancestors. Being American is about empowering each other, uniting as one, learning from each other, and celebrating everyone’s differences.
Do you want to join a company that’s committed to elevating the Pan-Asian community at work and beyond? Explore our opportunities and create the future with us.
