May is Asian American & Pacific Island Heritage Month – a time to recognize the contributions and achievements of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in the United States. It’s a great opportunity to pay tribute to the generations who have enriched our country’s history and are instrumental in its future success. And it’s also important to celebrate the diversity and cultural aspects that help make this country unique.
Here at America’s Car-Mart, we’re proud to honor the influence the Asian and Pacific Islander culture has had on our company and the communities we serve. We asked two of our team members to share what their heritage means to them and how they honor the month.
A native of Guam, Jae Minor, General Manager, Car-Mart of Milledgeville, Ga., moved to the U.S. in 2012. She and her family lived in Washington, California, and Texas. Jae started her Car-Mart journey as a Future Manager in Nacogdoches, Texas. She then gained valuable business experience in Tyler, Palestine, Eldorado, and Texarkana, Texas. In September 2022, Jae and her fiancée, Lilian; daughter, Genesis, 9; and their dog Ka’pua; moved to Georgia for Jae’s current position.
Rhona Lower, Accounts Payable Clerk, Corporate Office, Rogers, Ark., is originally from the Philippines. Her family moved to Hawaii when she was two years old and to California when she was five. In 2015, she and her husband, Don, moved to Arkansas. After a short time back in California, they now call Arkansas home. They have a son, Mason, 11, and a daughter, Keira, 9.
Read on to learn about Jae and Rhona and about Asian cultures and traditions.
What does Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month mean to you?
Jae – It’s very important to remember where you come from. I love this month and its focus on our culture. We’re proud of who we are. It’s a time where you can go and enjoy the food you grew up with.
Rhona – Everyone in the whole world will learn about our heritage and recognize the great diversity of our country. And that’s important! I am happy to celebrate Asian American heritage.
Who is an inspirational Asian American or Pacific Islander historical figure who inspires you and why?
Jae – Kepuha, the first Catholic Chief of Guam. He takes me back to my childhood. There’s a big statue of Kepuha in Hagatna the capital of Guam. I saw this growing up, and it reminds me of strength. Everything he did demonstrated strength. As a child, my family would go to the Wednesday night market we called Chamorro Village, where the statue is located. It’s a great memory. And I even named my dog after Kepuha.
Rhona – Corazon Aquino. She’s the first female president of the Philippines. We need female presidents. It would make a difference, and Corazon is a great role model.
Does your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?
Jae – When we gather together as a family, we like to do our traditional fire dance. We light up the fire stick and spin it to Island music and drumbeats! It’s something we enjoy!
Rhona – We make it a point to always be around each other during the holidays, and we always have food. Food is important. If friends come to visit, we have to have food.
What’s your favorite Asian cuisine?
Jae – Anything Pacific Islander. Rice and barbeque. We also eat a lot of seafood. Growing up, we went fishing in the morning, put it on the grill and ate it for lunch.
Rhona – Egg rolls – lumpia. They’re my husband’s favorite, too!
How does your heritage shape the person you are today? What’s something you love about your heritage?
Jae – Our culture revolves around respect, especially for elders and authority figures. When we approach our elders for the first time each day, we take their hands and put them towards our foreheads. This is called omen. When you’re on the island, we believe our ancestors and their spirits are still roaming around, so it’s important to pay tribute to them.
Rhona – It has shaped me tremendously. It has brought me here [Northwest Arkansas]. Arkansas is a great place to work with lots of opportunities. As Filipinos, we’re always happy-go- lucky. I see that in my mom, grandma, and uncle. We’re very easygoing.
We’re also very humble people. We have a lot of integrity. We have to work a little bit harder. Asian families are very tightknit. We always have each other’s backs, and there’s always someone to help you when needed. We have a lot of respect for each other.
Plus, we leave our shoes at the door. That’s normal for Asian cultures.
What makes you most proud to be Asian American or Pacific Islander?
Jae – The richness of our culture. I want to do my part to keep it alive. I’ve been looking for some books to speak my language. I can understand it, but I can’t speak it fluently.
Also, anytime you get with a Pacific Islander, you’re going to be fed and entertained. We come from big families. The island of Guam is small, but your aunts and uncles are down the street. I always grew up around family gathering for meals. Dinners were a full-blown fiesta plate and BBQ’s. Neighbors and family from around the village would come. It’s a good feeling. I miss this today.
Rhona – Just learning from my family and knowing how to care for one another and respect each other. My mom taught me respect. She always told me, ‘When you get older, you’ll know better.’ That stuck with me, and it’s something I teach my kids.
What’s your career advice to others?
Jae – Always remember why you start, remember your goals. And through your journey, during obstacles, give 100 percent every day. Success is no accident. It takes hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, discipline, sacrifice, and most importantly, love what you are doing. Remember, the only time success comes before work is in the dictionary.
Rhona — Work with integrity. Integrity is number one!
What can we do to celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Month? How will you celebrate?
Jae – Have a luau. Wear an Islander shirt. Have a cookout. And I’m hoping to travel to Texas to surprise my mom soon.
Rhona – Take care of one another. Be happy with one another. Treat others with respect. I celebrate with my kids every weekend. I teach them about my grandma, and how I lived growing up. I love to tell them stories about my grandparents, who were rice farmers. They worked hard to get food on their plates every day. I tell them to work hard like their grandma.
Thanks to Jae and Rhona for sharing your voices about Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We appreciate your words of wisdom, and we’re thrilled you’re a part of America’s Car-Mart family.
