For our June LIAA NYC newsletter, we are spotlighting one of our incredible LIAA leaders – Davidson Hang. Aside from leading the LIAA team, Davidson is an account executive in LinkedIn Learning Solutions, runs his own sales podcast, and just started the LinkedIn Asian in Sales group!

We sat down with Davidson to discuss his LinkedIn journey, what inspired him to take a LIAA leadership role, and advice he’d give to our members on how to be an active leader and an ally.

LIAA: What brought you to LinkedIn?

Davidson: I was always a huge LinkedIn nerd – years before working here. In fact, I used LinkedIn to get into LinkedIn. I reached out to Garrett Rafols (Global co-chair of LIAA and Head of Global Onboarding in LinkedIn Learning) to learn about LinkedIn’s culture and to talk about the lack of Asian representation in sales. He actually referred me to the current LinkedIn Learning role I’m in now.

LIAA: That’s incredible – it sounds like Asian representation was always an important part of the dialogue. What inspired you to take it a step further and take a leadership role within LIAA?

Davidson: I had a great relationship with Miguel (LIAA NYC) who introduced me to LIAA. From there, I knew this was a great opportunity to have dialogue and inspire action on how Asians can break the glass ceiling. On a macro level, I believe we need more Asian representation as a whole(whether in leadership, Hollywood, politics etc.) On a personal level, I want to empower others to have the courage to move up in whatever their passion is, even if there aren’t a lot of Asians currently in that field. I want them to know that they can change that.

LIAA: You’ve led the LIAA NYC team for a few months now – what has that been like?

Davidson: I’ve learned that a huge part of leadership is recognizing my team’s strengths and empowering them. I’m here to help my teammates lean into their passions and run with it! When I see somebody is excited about something, I want to empower them so they’re confident enough to take it to the next level.

LIAA: Going back to what said about representation in industries like Hollywood and politics – what does Asian representation look like for you? Why is it important?

Davidson: While there are some incredible Asian role models out there (Ichiro Suzuki, Michele Kwan, etc), there’s always been a lack of Asian representation. When you don’t see others that look like you – it’s easy to believe “well, that’s not possible for me”. I want to inspire people to know they can go after things even if it’s not considered a traditional route. They can be the first!

LIAA: I know you recently created the “Asians in Sales” group – what inspired that?

Davidson:  I used to write sales content in Reddit – which actually went viral. I realized a lot of the people reading it were Asians who were interested in starting a sales career. At the same time, I was putting out sales podcasts covering similar topics, and saw that it resonated with a lot of people as well. I noticed there wasn’t a space where Asians in sales were having open dialogue and created the “Asian in Sales” group to encourage conversation, create an opportunity to network, and to give everyone an easy way to learn from each other. I also want to create a space where it’s easy for people to find mentors.

LIAA: Speaking of learning from each other – if you could give one piece of advice to our LIAA members to help them find success?

Davidson: Don’t be afraid to reach out and network! I think it’s easy for young professionals to get intimidated to ask for time, but there’s so much value in learning from others. It’s also important to embrace being uncomfortable and ask for help.

LIAA: That’s great advice, definitely something I see value in as well. I want to pivot a bit – given the terrible things happening in the world and the Black Lives Matter movement, it’s crucial for us to stand up as allies. What advice would you give to our members on how to become a better ally to our black colleagues?​​​​​​​

Davidson: For me personally, it’s important to acknowledge where I haven’t been as proactive as I should (in the past) and learning how I can be more vocal now. I’m listening, and I’m learning about actions I can take as an ally. It’s much better to stand up for what you believe in, than do nothing at all in fear of what people might say.