I AM: AAPI Heritage Month

Meet Ashley Abadilla from our North Bergen, NJ location. As an Administrative Assistant, Ashley keeps our North Bergen office and Jersey City headquarters running smoothly by handling clerical and organizational tasks, providing support to everyone across our locations. Read more about what Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage means to her, as well as her professional experiences below:

1.????? How long have you been in the distribution industry? I have been in this industry for two and a half years.

2.????? What is your favorite part of your field of work? My favorite thing about my job is interacting with various teams and team members. This keeps things interesting and has shown me that I can always learn something new from them.

3.????? What are you passionate about? I love cooking and baking because I enjoy trying out new recipes and best of all making something that tastes good. I grew up in Hawaii, which is known to have a melting pot of flavors. Sharing some of my favorite dishes and local snacks with friends and colleagues is the best way to introduce them to my culture and what I grew up eating.

4.????? What career development has led to your current position? Hands-on and firsthand work experiences have led me to where I am today. I have learned a lot from my team, and they are great mentors. In my free time, I also like to volunteer and take part in community service. This is a great opportunity to learn a new skill and gain other experiences.

5.????? What does Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage month mean to you? To me, AAPI Heritage month means having the opportunity to share our culture with others. This can be done through sharing food, music, and history.

6.????? How has your heritage contributed to who you are today? Learning about the Filipino history and heritage allowed me to embrace who I am and to be proud of my Ilocano roots.

7.????? What are some traditions in your family that are important to you? In my family, we usually set aside a specific day for a certain celebration, such as birthday parties, holiday events, and reunions. Of course, every gathering is dedicated to keeping up with each other while enjoying a ton of food.

8.????? What is something you wish others knew about your culture? The Ilocano people of northern Luzon were some of the first Filipinos to immigrate to the U.S., bringing their language and culture with them to Hawaii, California, and other parts of the Western U.S. In fact, most of the immigrants in the first wave of immigration from the Philippines to the U.S. spoke Ilocano.