5 Questions with Prosekians in Honor of AAPI Month 2025

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we heard from two of our colleagues who spoke about their upbringing, shared reflections on their cultural experiences, and offered guidance on how everyone can support the #AAPI community year-round.

Grace Jung, Account Supervisor, PR – New York

1. Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up? And what would you like to share about your culture, heritage, etc.?

I was born and raised in NY by first generation Korean Americans who immigrated to the States in the 90’s! Growing up in Scarsdale, though not totally inexistent, there wasn’t a very large AAPI community around me, but my parents and I were determined to never lose sight of our heritage and background. Thankfully, we found a community of fellow first/second-generation Korean Americans who were experiencing the same cultural balancing act. With them, I grew up around kids my age navigating the expectations of traditional Korean values at home while trying to fit in at American schools, where our peers didn’t always understand our background or perspectives.

Growing up, my parents always had Korean TV shows and music playing in the background, which naturally helped me learn the language. Western food was rare – our meals were distinctly Korean, centered around a shared table filled with plentiful side dishes (“banchan” – my family and I are called “banchan killers” for a reason).

I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to communicate fluently with my grandparents and family in Korea and carry my heritage close enough where I might be able to pass on my knowledge to the next generation.

2. What brought you to Prosek?

Coming from a smaller agency, I was initially drawn to Prosek because of the opportunity to broaden my experience within the financial services space. But what truly reaffirmed my decision to join was the firm’s culture. Prosek has given me so many opportunities to grow both professionally and personally, and I’ve been fortunate to build meaningful relationships with mentors and colleagues that I know will last a lifetime. At Prosek, our team is truly a team.

3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?

Amongst my friends and family, I’m known to be reachable at all times. Through rain and storms, I am always there!

4. What’s a “fun fact” about you?

A random fun (but not so fun) fact about me is that I had appendicitis when I was 3 years old – apparently I was on the “brink of death” because my appendix ruptured, and my doctor was concerned because I wasn’t showing any signs of immense pain like other appendicitis patients, which also delayed the diagnosis. Since then, I haven’t been admitted into a hospital, haven’t broken a single bone in my body (another “fun” fact), and hope to stay out!

5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e. one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of AAPI Heritage Month?

I recommend watching When Life Gives You Tangerines on Netflix (but only when you know for sure you aren’t doing anything the next day because you will cry your heart out every episode). The drama series follows three generations of women – grandmother, mother, and daughter – and explores the complexities of love, identity, societal expectations, familial bonds, and more.

I also recommend reading Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner – a self-written memoir that delves into Michelle’s experiences growing up as a Korean American in Oregon. It also follows her complicated relationship with her mother, the profound grief she faced after her mother’s death, and how she healed through reconnecting with her cultural roots by cooking the traditional meals her mother used to cook for her.

+++

Tracy Wang, Assistant Account Executive, PR – New York

1. Tell us about your background. Where did you grow up? And what would you like to share about your culture, heritage, etc.?

Proud to be a Chinese American and New Yorker! I was born and raised in Manhasset, a charming town on the North Shore of Long Island. Spring and summer meant hours spent offshore fishing for snappers and striped bass with my dad, lemon-flavored Italian ices melting in hand. Fall brought bursts of colorful maple leaves crunching underfoot, followed by winter weekends warmed by freshly brewed coffee from the local deli in town.

Manhasset was my landing pad, the place that greeted every return with a sigh of relief after crawling through traffic on the LIE. While some might call it “that town 30 minutes outside the city” you pass on the LIRR heading out east for the Fourth of July, to me, it was simply home.

But it’s not my only home.

6,874 miles away is Tianjin, China, the city where my parents grew up, fell in love, got married, and courageously left to pursue their American dream. Tianjin was also where I spent summer breaks visiting grandparents with my sister, soaking up generations of stories and tradition. It was a place filled with the warmth of family gathered around the table and the scent of zhu rou baozi (pork-filled buns) and zha jiang mian (fried sauce noodles) floating through the air.

Every trip to Tianjin always came with its own kind of learning curve – new slang, unspoken customs, and everyday habits that were different from life in Manhasset. Spending time in both places helped me understand the nuances of my personal identity, my culture, and the lived experiences of my family. Bridging two cultures, I developed a natural sensitivity to different perspectives and an appreciation for complexity.

2. What brought you to Prosek?

Contrary to what my immigrant parents might’ve had in mind, think medicine or law, the creative route always felt more like home. History, writing, and media pulled me in early on, which led me to studying communication and journalism at USC’s Annenberg School.

After graduation, I landed at ABC News as a journalist and started thinking less about reporting the headlines and more about the people and institutions shaping them – the ones driving the narratives, influencing markets, policy, and how decisions at the top trickle down to everyday life.

That curiosity, along with the guidance of a few wise mentors and alums, eventually led me to Prosek – the perfect blend of business, storytelling, and real-world impact. And yes, a quiet win for the first-gen kids who took the road less traveled.

3. What are you best known for amongst friends and family, and what do you want to be known for at Prosek?

Amongst friends and family, I’m known for being attentive and dependable, someone who’s always there to offer support with honesty and care. At Prosek, I hope to be known as someone eager to learn, grow, and contribute meaningfully, not just as a professional, but as a thoughtful, respectful teammate who shows up with intention.

4. What’s a “fun fact” about you?

I competed for Team USA as a synchronized figure skater. Picture the Rockettes, just ever so slightly colder and more slippery….

5. What’s one thing you wish people would know, and/or one thing you recommend Prosekians engage with (i.e. one movie, one newsletter, one podcast, etc.), in observance of AAPI Heritage Month?

Few people know this, but I’m fluent in Mandarin. I spent first grade staying with my grandmother and going to school in Tianjin to study Chinese. Now, I stay connected to the language through music, from old-school classics to new pop, and I never pass up a karaoke night, especially if Jay Chou or JJ Lin’s on the playlist. It is one of the many ways I stay rooted in my culture and enjoy sharing it with others.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of powerful stories told by AAPI voices today. But sometimes, the most meaningful way to engage is by starting a conversation. Ask a friend (or me) about their culture. You might be surprised by what you learn!