NAMES: Grace Choi, Tammy Cho
AGES: 26, 23
HOMETOWNS: San Jose, CA; Cypress, CA
FACEBOOK: BetterBrave / TWITTER: @betterbrave, @imgracechoi, @tammywcho / INSTAGRAM: @wearebetterbrave, @imgracechoi, @tammycho
How do you introduce yourselves?
Hi there! We’re the founders of BetterBrave, a nonprofit dedicated to combating sexual harassment in the workplace. We are the first place you can safely turn to when you experience or witness any form of workplace harassment, discrimination, or retaliation. We create resources to educate you about your rights and equip you with tools to take action as a victim, witness, or ally.
What inspires you?
Over the past year, we’ve heard from hundreds of people who experienced sexual harassment and discrimination and the challenges they faced when trying to speak up. They put everything on the line to come forward about their experiences and they’re the reason why we created BetterBrave. They inspire us to keep going and fight for what’s right.
What challenges you?
We’re tackling a major problem that affects millions of individuals across the globe, so it can be overwhelming at times. How do we make sure that we truly make a dent in this issue? How do we ensure that we’re doing right by the victims of workplace injustices? How do we empower each other to speak up?
But, we’re optimistic about the change we can create. We feel energized knowing that there is an army of individuals and organizations forming to change this landscape. And we’ll continue to push forward until all employees feel safe at work from harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
Tell us about the biggest risk you ever took.
Over the past year, we’ve invested our own money and time to make BetterBrave a reality. We’re so passionate about combating workplace injustices that we quit our full-time jobs to create this nonprofit.
It’s a risk that we are so excited to take. We are determined to impact and empower as many individuals as we can.
What are you reading/watching/listening to these days?
Reading:
- "In a Day’s Work" by Bernice Yeung
- "Be Fierce" by Gretchen Carlson
- "Reset" by Ellen Pao
- "Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley" by Emily Chang
- "How Will You Measure Your Life?" by Clayton M. Christensen
- "When Breath Becomes Air" by Paul Kalanithi
Watching: "Billions," "Fixer Upper," "Queer Eye," "Silicon Valley," "Westworld" … the list goes on.
Listening:
- Podcasts: How I Built This with Guy Raz, 99% Invisible with Roman Mars, Call Your Girlfriend by Animatou Sow and Ann Friedman
- Music: Honne, James Bay, Kanye West, The xx, Cardi B okurrrr
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing now, what career would you want to pursue?
Related
Grace: I would be the next Joanna Gaines — serial entrepreneur, interior design goddess, and queen of shiplap.
Tammy: When I retire, I will open up a dog cafe near the beach where people can drink coffee, work, and adopt doggies.
What’s your motto?
Grace: “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that dots will somehow connect in your future.” This quote by Steve Jobs has helped me in moments of uncertainty. I know to believe in the process and enjoy the journey.
Tammy: “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. The journey to achieving justice is filled with setbacks, but we have to keep pressing forward. We owe it to each other to do the right thing.
We celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month because…
We want to celebrate our roots and culture. We face unique challenges due to our identity and our ability to overcome those challenges are what make us a force to be reckoned with. We’re honored and proud to be part of the AAPI community.
NBC Asian America Presents: A to Z aims to celebrate the emerging voices and breakout stars of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. These individuals aren’t just reading the dictionary of what it means to be Asian American and Pacific Islander in America; they’re writing new definitions every day.
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