Moss Adams Voices

The Asian business resource group (BRG) has selected Visibility as the theme of this year’s commemoration of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month, and senior Yousef Alhani (he/him) believes pride is vital to that celebration. Since joining Moss Adams in 2021, Yousef has been a shepherd of connection. His ability to adapt to new environments while maintaining his signature flair has established Yousef’s reputation for authenticity across our Southern California offices and beyond—but his confidence is the result of perseverance. Yousef’s self-discovery while navigating social challenges is fundamental to his love of interculturalism, which he promotes across the firm by fearlessly sharing his Jordanian heritage.

How do you inspire interculturalism at Moss Adams?

I do what I can to integrate my culture into how I carry myself. There are sometimes cultural gaps between us, particularly in this industry, but many cultures pride themselves on how they celebrate each other or break bread with others. When we share aspects of our cultures, I believe we bridge gaps.

I share aspects of my culture by wearing traditional Jordanian scarves to office events and organizing team lunches at Middle Eastern restaurants. Sharing Jordanian culture with my colleagues is an invitation for others to understand me and my pride in where I come from. It’s my way of celebrating who I am.

Have you always carried that confidence in sharing your culture with others?

No. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Growing up, I felt like I had to be a chameleon to survive. It all started in elementary school. Our family moved often, so I ended up starting over in new schools, which meant trying to make new friends. Often, the kids at school hung out with others from the same cultural background. I didn’t see anyone like me. I tried to assimilate with the Latinx students because the kids in my neighborhood spoke Spanish, but I eventually realized there were underlying cultural understandings that would make it difficult to fit in truly. I complained to my parents because no one spoke Arabic like me. I didn’t know where I belonged.

As a teenager, my family visited Jordan to show me the beauty of our culture. This led to another identity crisis, as my local family would interpret me as the American child. They told me they could tell I was from the US because of the way I carried myself.

All of this, in addition to the bullying from kids at school, made me briefly ashamed of my cultural background. I was two years old during the September 11, 2001, attacks, so I didn’t understand why I was getting bullied for it in school. I hoped joining other groups would help protect me from attacks, but I didn’t fit in with them. I didn’t even fit in with my own.

How did you find pride in your identity?

I had to miss it. Because of the Great Recession, we didn’t go back to Jordan for a while. That’s when I finally let go of my self-resentment and learned to celebrate aspects of my culture that I missed the most.

As I grew wiser, I embraced both sides of me regardless of how people accepted me. I merged the best parts of being Jordanian and a US citizen. I finally started celebrating things I used to apologize for years ago, and I share those parts of me at work.

How has building community played a role in your experiences today?

In my opinion, we need to feel rooted before we branch out. When the offices opened after the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic, I went in to make connections. I tried to be a chameleon again, but this time, only to meet people I could be myself around. I reached out to people, especially those from underrepresented communities because I know what it feels like to assimilate. I’ve networked to find people at the firm with similar experiences or backgrounds, and together we’ve carved out a space where we can be comfortable and candid about the experiences we navigate. Emotional support is essential.

I believe investing in helping underrepresented professionals find community will play a big role in our firm’s focus on retention. Many of us have experienced similar issues in a different flavor, and we must build bridges instead of burning them. The problems in our world that affect us all, no matter our background, are primarily systemic. We all need to break down barriers and better connect without losing the message in our pain or someone else’s hate.

That’s why I advocate for interculturalism. When my colleagues tell me they’d like to have Jordanian food catered at our next event or want to visit Jordan because of what they’ve learned from knowing me, it makes me smile. I’m proud when my background has gone from something I was ashamed of to a beacon of light for me and others.

To me, that’s visibility. That’s how we come together. Integrating our many different strengths is what the United States is all about.

Go Beyond the Desk

At Moss Adams, we believe in the power of possible to empower our clients and people to pursue success however they define it. Explore stories about our professionals, including their personal achievements, at our Beyond the Desk page.