AAPI Heritage Month: Founder and CEO “The Culture Tree” Anu Sehgal Shares Passion for Preserving Cultural Heritage and Raising Global Citizens
“After having my own kids, I realized that there was a critical need for real, authentic and accurate depiction of South Asian culture and practices in children’s programming and education.” Today’s woman dreamer, Anu Sehgal is the founder and CEO of The Culture Tree, a platform aiming to provide South Asian children with the opportunity to learn about and be proud of their South Asian Culture. Based in New York, Anu holds an MBA from Yale, and is an entrepreneur, marketer, and a children’s book author. A multi-faceted woman, Anu’s client list includes The Met, Asia Society, Hudson Yards, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Waterline Park, and more. In this inspiring interview with Women Who Win, Anu shares how she founded Culture Tree, her new initiative, Food as Culture, and her vision for preserving cultural heritage and raising global citizens! Enjoy!
1. You are the Founder and CEO at The Culture Tree. What inspired you to create this platform. What was the need you saw?
The Culture Tree was found in 2016. After having my own kids, I realized that there was a critical need for real, authentic and accurate depiction of South Asian culture and practices in children’s programming and education. There was also a big gap in teaching South Asian–American kids their native languages in a more relevant, fun and consistent basis.
We have dual goals:
1) Raise bilingual and bicultural children of South Asian heritage who are knowledgeable and proud of their culture.
2) Educate the rest of the children and their families about South Asia, to remove any prejudices and stereotypes that exist about South Asians.
2. You have a deep passion for raising a generation of responsible global citizens and increasing awareness of South Asian cultures and languages. What inspired your passion for this?
Children are highly impressionable and open-minded, so it is critical to expose them to new languages and cultures early on in their lives. I believe that when children learn about another culture, they are more knowledgeable, well-rounded, and empathetic—thereby true global citizens. Seeing children and their families accept and celebrate each other’s cultures and differences really inspires me to further The Culture Tree’s mission.
3. The Culture Tree introduced Food As Culture initiative. Tell us more about this initiative, and the vision here?
Who doesn’t like food and experiencing other cuisines?
Food As Culture, is a new platform we introduced this year, which includes cooking classes, demos, tastings, through which we celebrate and learn more about different cultures. We have had tremendous success with this platform. Children, parents, caregivers…everyone has really enjoyed these sessions. We also further mindful eating through these sessions. We have been collaborating with renowned chefs and culinary experts to create ideas and recipes that represent diverse foods from South Asia. Our vision is that through the foods of South Asia, we can strike a conversation about these cuisines, remove stereotypes and celebrate these cultures even more.
4. You are a true leader in bringing communities together, such as with your most recent holi event. Tell us more about that. Why is it so important to bring diverse communities together?
I feel people around me can learn so much about the beauty and diversity of South Asian countries. We also have so much talent around us, we just need to find the right forums for them to share their knowledge. Our events have been very successful and attended by thousands of people. We try to make our events, not just entertaining, but also educational and meaningful. Media, cultural institutions, and political leaders are all noticing and supporting our cultural programs.
5. You are certainly a busy woman. How do you relax and unwind?
I always start my day with a workout, it is either of the three: a long run in Central Park or yoga by the Hudson river or a swim. I love to spend time with my two sons (age 14 and 11), we love to go for walks, play chess, ping pong or cook together.
I also love to cook and when I am in a creative mood, come up with new recipes using spices from different countries.
Thank you Anu for sharing your inspiring story with us. We are excited to have you in our global women’s network!
Bio: Anu Sehgal is the Founder of The Culture Tree. She is a marketer by profession. She holds an MBA from Yale University and has worked in the corporate sector for almost 15 years. She is also a children’s book author and loves to write stories that feature Indian culture and languages. Her company The Culture Tree promotes cultural literacy about South Asia through language and educational & cultural programs. Their goal is to create empathy, respect and understanding towards all different cultures and further inclusivity, while still helping address questions about identity with heritage cultures. The company has been awarded by the mayor’s office 4 times and June 20, 2021 was declared The Culture Tree day in NYC by Mayor Bill de Blasio. On March 10, 2023, Anu received an award from The Society of Foreign Consuls in New York for her outstanding achievements and contribution to community empowerment. She was one of the 15 women awarded from all over the world. In 2017, Anu led the conceptualization and development of an exhibit on India at the Children's Museum of Manhattan. The Namaste Express, is an exhibit on the beauty and diversity of India’s different cultures, history and technological advancements. Anu is the key South Asian children’s educator at the New York Public Library. Her goal is to represent more South Asian children’s authors/books at one of the world’s biggest libraries. Additionally, her educational programs are geared towards representing different cultures, languages, and festivals of India. Anu is a trained docent at the Rubin museum and hosts several programs on a monthly basis. Currently, Anu is leading a series of programs at Asia Society that reflect different religions of India. Her clients include The Met, NYPL, Asia Society, Hudson Yards, the Seaport, Children’s Museum of Manhattan, Waterline Park, Riverside Park, Brooklyn Children’s Museum, the Rubin Museum, Queens Library and Department Of Education and many schools in the tristate area. She lives in New York with her husband and her two sons. Anu is a health enthusiast; she leads an active and healthy lifestyle. She loves to run and swim. When she has time, she loves to find new bridges to run on, play ping pong with friends or create recipes using spices from different countries.