Empowering Communities & Connecting on Criya

For many of us, our professional journeys are more than just a day job- they're a culmination of our experiences, identity, worldview, and passions.?

Here at Criya, we're on a mission to empower individuals to build meaningful relationships, learn from each other's experiences, and offer a platform to be heard.?

Today we chatted with Sabah Qazi about how her immigrant journey and cultural identity have encouraged her to break unspoken barriers for South Asian minority women in tech, her approach to mentorship, dealing with imposter syndrome, and more.?

Identity, Communities, and Careers

As a South Asian immigrant and woman in tech, Sabah is aware that when she walks into a room, she's likely to be in the minority- a fact that she's fully embraced as a source of perspective.?

But it's been a long-winded self-guided path of trial and error to get where she is today- one that probably would've been less turbulence if someone had given her a little direction.?

Finding a mentor was a lot harder without platforms like Criya. It was a lot of cold calling, hoping someone would be willing to answer my questions.

Now, as a senior Product Manager at Yelp, she makes a conscious effort to fill that void, especially for women of color in tech and international students. She wants to uplift her community and make herself accessible to those who want to connect with someone who's been in their shoes.

"Am I Really Good Enough To Guide Someone Else Towards Success?"?

As we've been building the Criya Community, we've noticed a persistent pattern of self-doubt, even with established seniors with years of experience. They question if they have the expertise or wisdom necessary to guide someone else toward success- if they have the right answers.?

We asked Sabah, an experienced mentor, how she deals with imposter syndrome-

Mentorship is a two-way street.?

Sabah articulated that mentorship isn't about being "correct"- it's about empathy, belonging, and understanding. For her, being a mentor isn't about guidance; it's about ensuring her mentees know they aren't alone, that someone who's been in their shoes and made it to the other side is rooting for them.

In fact, sharing these feelings of self-doubt can actually deepen these connections. It can be a source of comfort to know that no matter where you are in your career or life, others feel the same way you do.?

Schedule a 1:1 with Sabah to discuss immigration, being a woman in tech, discuss recruitment, and more through her Criya site.