We were lucky to catch up with Dr. Joan Sung recently and have shared our conversation below.

Dr. Joan , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

I coach institutions (corporate and educational) about Asian American biases and cultural competency in order to better serve Asian American staff/employees and the Asian American communities they serve. The topics I discuss are frequently excluded in conversations around DEI but are so crucial to bringing equity to an underserved population that is commonly overlooked because of the Model Minority Myth. Topics I discuss include but are not limited to: The Model Minority Myth, mental health for a group identifying community, and unpacking what it means to have a culturally competent lens. Most recently, I coached a title XI officer about what the Model Minority Myth was and how it disproportionately impacts Asian American women in the workplace so she can better work with HR and better support employees who file for workplace discrimination.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My bio is as follows: A national Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) conference presenter and consultant, Dr. Joan Sung has a BA in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing, an MA in English, and a Doctorate in Education. Her articles regarding Asian American voices have been published in TinyBeans.com, Mochi Magazine, Memoir Magazine, and Writerly Magazine. She has received a United States Air Force Medal of Achievement.

I got into my industry when I noticed how I was being penalized in the workplace since I do not fit into the stereotype of the submissive Asian woman. I also noticed how my son was being disproportionately targeted at school for being a student of color. I dedicated my Doctoral dissertation on Critical Race Theory and advocacy. I also got a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. I started presenting on conferences on Asian American advocacy in 2022 and was recently made keynote speaker by the state of Washington for their Equity conference.

What I provide is professional development for HR, Title XI coordinators, or the general employee population. What this training supports is employees better supporting their colleagues and administrators better serving the people on their team.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy has been presenting at conferences. I always have attendees approach me afterwards and discuss how my presentation spoke to them. It was also tremendous for networking and getting my consulting business advertised through word-of-mouth. Since I provide training, the conferences were a natural starting point, then when people began talking to me, I would invite them to hire me or invite me into their institution to provide coaching or even the same presentation they were so inspired by. This chain reaction of events was crucial in keeping up the momentum in widely advertising my services.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

This one is kind of tricky, but I have always been known to be assertive and speak my truth. Because of the work that I do, I spend a lot of time explaining to people how the way I live my life actually highlights the very service I offer; that outspoken Asian American women are penalized in the workplace because they do not fit into the stereotype of the submissive Lotus Flower. Therefore, we are frequently passed over on upper level management promotions or coworkers ignore our ideas in meetings. My reputation has been of a strong woman who doesn’t hold back any punches. I tell it like it is and I am completely unapologetic in the spaces I show up in. But, at the same time, I can also listen and be receptive to feedback. I think I leave an impression on people and I am hard to forget.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.drjoansung.com
• Instagram: @drjoansung
• Facebook: @drjoansungfb
• Linkedin: @drjoansung
• Twitter: @drjoansung
• Other: www.linkedin.com/drjoansung

Image Credits
Dorothy Huynh