In celebration of National STEM/STEAM Day (November 8), which aims to inspire and educate young minds about science, technology, engineering, art, and math, we want to highlight a group of remarkable Asian American women leading the charge in the tech world. Often, app creators are stereotypically envisioned as white or Asian men, which underscores a significant issue in representation. It’s crucial for children of all backgrounds to see diverse role models in STEAM fields, as it broadens their understanding of possibilities and helps underrepresented minorities envision their futures.
To honor the trailblazers making strides for women in technology, here are three inspiring figures: a resilient mother and two enterprising sisters.
Meet Mia Chen
Mia Chen, a daughter of Chinese immigrants, developed the app HmongTalk (which teaches simple Hmong phrases) and Yumaholic (a collection of Hmong recipes showcased on her YouTube channel). Mia shared with Parenting Today that as a child, she confided in a female computer teacher about her aspirations to create software. Instead of encouragement, her teacher dismissed her, saying “You’re not a boy — you won’t succeed.” This experience was disheartening for Mia.
However, after facing numerous challenges, she is now an app developer for an insurance firm and a successful independent app creator and YouTuber. “I’ve had to fight for my place in this field. Even now, I feel like I’m constantly advocating for myself,” she explained. Driven by her desire to support her son, Mia took the initiative to build her company’s first enterprise application in just two and a half weeks, proving her capabilities.
Mia originally launched HmongTalk to help preserve the Hmong language, which is primarily oral and difficult to learn solely through books. Through continuous learning, networking, and support from Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp, she enhanced HmongTalk with new features, realizing the app’s potential impact on the community. “At first, I thought my audience was small, but now I see my app is making a real difference,” she said.
Introducing Tara Singh
Tara Singh, a 21-year-old Indian American, is the founder of LinkUp, a digital platform she conceived during the pandemic to foster supportive communities among college students and alumni. Her goal was to create a space where students could connect with mentors who are further along in their careers.
Tara struggled with coding initially, but her perspective changed after attending a hackathon in ninth grade. Working with an all-girls team to build a website in just 24 hours ignited her passion for technology. Since then, she has participated in over 45 hackathons, gaining experience in creating iOS apps, websites, and VR projects. “While I built numerous products, I realized my true desire was to see their impact,” she said.
After attending Apple’s 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Tara felt inspired to launch her app. Witnessing fellow entrepreneurs successfully launch their projects motivated her to address the struggles faced by her peers during the pandemic. Thus, LinkUp was born, evolving from a simple mentorship matching service to a comprehensive platform aiding the next generation in their career growth.
Highlighting Anika Singh
Anika Singh, Tara’s 16-year-old sister, is also making her mark in the app development world. Recognized as one of the Swift Student Challenge winners, Anika showcased her app, GastroEase, at the 2021 WWDC. Watching her sister fueled Anika’s interest in coding, and she was inspired to create a solution after her own experience with limited access to medical resources for a pelvic floor disorder.
“I realized the lack of access to treatment wasn’t just due to the pandemic; it stemmed from various issues like insurance and geographical limitations,” Anika shared. To address this, she developed GastroEase as an accessible resource hub for individuals with gastroenterological diseases to find guidance from home.
Anika’s passion grew when she recognized how technology could intersect with healthcare to improve lives. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, organizations like WWDC and women in STEM initiatives have empowered her to pursue her goals.
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