As part of Women’s History Month, OpenSesame is celebrating our women colleagues and putting the spotlight on their stories. Hear from Shubhi Tangri, Marketing Specialist, about her experience as the daughter of Indian immigrants and breaking barriers to pursue the American dream.
I sit comfortably in my room on my MacBook Pro, proceeding to write what it means to me to be a woman of color in Marketing for a West-Coast based Tech company. As I reflect on the opportunities given to me, I can only think of my parents. They sacrificed an insurmountable amount for me to live this American dream.
My dad spent 16 hours a day studying, without the help of Apple laptops and reliable electricity. This was all so he could earn acceptance into the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee to become an electrical engineer—an institution known to have a more fiercely competitive acceptance rate than that of MIT. It was one choice in a narrow pool of options (e.g. medicine) in India that allowed anyone to dream of settling in America.
Due to various constraints associated with the fact that she was a young woman in India, my mother did not have the opportunity to fulfill her dream to become a doctor. So instead, she spent countless hours tutoring me and instilling the value of hardwork and excellence within. All in hopes that when I grew up, I could limitlessly follow my passions, dreams, and the pursuit of financial independence.
My parents left their entire families behind and came to a country they knew nothing about to actualize a legacy for their children. After years of my dad’s hard work, my family was finally granted a pathway to American citizenship. Through it all, they ensured that I was given the exposure and education to be anything I wanted to be. But above all else, they encouraged me to follow my passions and guided me accordingly, regardless of my gender.
Today, both my parents have become successful business people through their perseverance and through their pursuit of the American dream. This has given me a strong blueprint as I’ve ventured out into the business world myself. My path hasn’t been linear and I’ve often found myself lost when it comes to career goals, passions, and ambitions. Yet, through some alchemy and through my parents’ survivor spirit within me, I ultimately landed in the field of my dreams – marketing.
I’m grateful for my first manager, who took a chance on me with no marketing experience. He simply recognized and appreciated raw talent. I’m furthermore grateful to OpenSesame for the continued recognition and the space to feel celebrated and to develop my craft. Today, I work not only as an artist for myself, but also to venerate my parents and their struggles. Now, I represent Indian women in the marketing and tech worlds. Here’s to breaking barriers against all odds.