Who would you call?

I never imagined a 21-year-old American rapper's song would unravel my deepest grief, leaving me in tears on a Saturday morning.

The song is “Call” by Lil Mosey, written in mourning for his mother's recent passing. On paper, there's nothing that connects a young American rapper and a middle-aged Chinese immigrant in tech, yet his words spoke directly to that little, vulnerable part of me that's been silent since my mother's funeral.

I left home at 16, each step taking me further and further from my roots. Along the way, I lost pieces of myself - my mother tongue, the warmth of familiar ocean waters & fish, and all the sensories (smell, taste, sound) that could instantly transport me back to moments of joy and memory when I grew up. It was that Saturday call with mom, every Saturday, rain or shine, kept that little insecure, shy and sensitive girl going and growing to who I am today.

Then Lil Mosey asks the question that pierces straight through my carefully constructed walls: “Who would you call? When you feel small, that's sad and all, But if you had that one wish, who would you call? “

Why I am sharing this?This unexpected connection - between a young American rapper's grief and my own immigrant journey of loss - reminds me why diversity in our workforce and society matters so deeply.

It's not just about different backgrounds or demographics on a spreadsheet. It's about the universal human experiences that bridge seemingly impossible gaps, creating moments of profound understanding across cultures, generations, and lifestyles. When we bring our whole selves to work or into any space, including our vulnerabilities and personal stories, we discover these surprising threads of connection. A song, a shared loss, a simple question can reveal how our apparently different life paths lead us to the same human truths. This is the real power of diversity - not just representation, but the magic that happens when different lives intersect and illuminate each other's humanity. hashtag#DEI hashtag#HumanConnection hashtag#Care