In celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are shining a spotlight on some of our AAPI employees. We sat down with Jenny Nguyen, a campaign operations manager in our Redwood City office, to discuss her favorite cultural traditions and what AAPI Heritage Month means to her.

First, can you tell us about your background and your role at Check Point?

I’ve been working at Check Point for 17 years, initially starting my career here as a web developer. Check Point has offered me a supportive environment throughout the joys and challenges of motherhood and gave me many growth opportunities. It’s become my extended family.

Two years ago, I transitioned into a new role as Campaign Operations Manager. It’s been fulfilling to see the impact that I make in streamlining and monitoring process, measurement, and execution of campaigns, including restructuring, scheduling, acquiring better tools and platforms, and enabling our marketing teams to collaborate, share, and execute on integrated brand messaging.

What are some ways you honor your heritage?

My family and I fled Vietnam in search of freedom, risking our lives on a small fishing boat and with little more than the clothes on our back. Life wasn’t easy as a first-generation immigrant in America, but we studied and worked hard.

To honor our heritage, we celebrate Lunar New Year (Tet) each year. I wear a Vietnamese dress called “ao dai” on Tet and visit the temple to wish for safety, health, good luck, prosperity and happiness for my family in the new year.

Food also plays a central role in Vietnamese culture, uniting and connecting people. Many foods eaten during Tet each symbolize something for the year to come – noodles for longevity, rice cakes for growth, etc. It’s a time to gather with family to exchange wishes for a prosperous new year by handing out red envelopes with money. As a child, I received red envelopes whenever I visited relatives during Tet. I continue that tradition with my children today and they are as excited each Lunar New Year as I was.

We are taught to respect our ancestors, our elders, and people who welcome us into their home. Vietnamese cuisine requires much effort and time to cook and is packed with flavors and fresh ingredients. From our fragrant pho to savory grilled meats, each dish speaks to a rich culinary heritage that I love sharing with my family.

The North, South, and Central areas all have their own unique cuisines and dialects. Vietnam has its own folklores, mythical gods, traditional music and dance, opera, royal bloodlines, and intricate craftmanship with astounding details in their temples, pagodas, and imperial palaces. Vietnam is highly influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, adopting a peaceful and calm way of life and state of mind, which I carry on to this day.

What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?

It’s important to celebrate my heritage and reflect on where I come from and how far I have come in my life. Reflection brings on real appreciation and gratefulness for what I have, what I have learned, and what I plan to do.

My parents worked hard to provide my siblings and me a better, brighter future by embarking on a voyage to America. We travelled for three days at sea before finding refuge in Malaysia and lived there for one year until we were sponsored to immigrate to the U.S. I am truly grateful for what is given to me.

What makes you proud of your culture?

Vietnam is rich in food, culture, and tradition. Respect for elders, family values, and a resilient spirit to survive and thrive – these are all things that I try to instill in my children.

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