May is Asian American and Pacific Islander’s (AAPI) Heritage Month here in the United States. This leads many organizations to briefly focus on the struggles of AAPI individuals and communities and celebrate their accomplishments and triumphs. Every time there’s a history or heritage day, week, or month, I reflect on one of the passions that drove me to choose coaching as a career in the first place. The struggle people have against bias and discrimination doesn’t end when the day/week/month does, so neither should my support and advocacy.

When I think of Bill Moyer’s four roles of social activism, I don’t envision myself as a Reformer, Rebel, or Change Agent. I see myself in the Citizen role:

• Promotes positive national values, principles, symbols, eg democracy, freedom, justice, nonviolence
• Normal citizen
• Grounded in center of society
• Promotes active citizen-based society to ensure the common good
• The active citizen is the source of legitimate political power
• Acts on “confirmatory basis” concept

With that framing, I wanted to find a way to continuously put my coaching skills to use to benefit those who are typically underserved. In my experience, this can come in at least two valuable forms: coaching those who are themselves underserved, and coaching those in positions of power who have the ability to make wider-scale change.

Coaches can offer support to underserved individuals and groups by helping them:

• Identify and align personal and cultural values with life and career choices
• Build self-awareness and identify strengths and unique qualities to increase self-confidence and self-worth, combatting imposter syndrome
• Navigate difficult situations, such as microaggressions or discrimination in the workplace
• Develop leadership skills to rise to positions of greater influence

And for those in power who are not from an underserved demographic, we can help:

• Provide an avenue for candid feedback to leaders from those who would otherwise feel uncomfortable expressing it
• Build self-awareness of both personal and systemic bias that impacts those around them
• Improve emotional intelligence and communication skills to navigate complex social dynamics
• Improve understanding and compassion for other’s lived experiences to help address their needs and concerns

If you’re a member of the AAPI (or other underserved) community, I’m interested in what you think coaches could be doing to provide support and advocacy.