When Salil Patel volunteered for his company’s storytelling program, the Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals was curious how he would possibly condense a decades-long journey from Uganda to the United States into eight minutes.
His coach Cheryl Hamilton, who launched the series at the International Institute of New England before founding and leading the program at Stellar Story Company, explained how he needed to focus on one central theme. Salil chose anti-immigrant bias. Eventually, he shared his story during a live virtual event for colleagues from Alnylam’s offices worldwide.
“Our storytelling program has become especially popular,” says Sara Nochur, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Alynylam. “In addition to advancing their public speaking skills, participants report a greater sense of belonging in the company. Importantly, their colleagues are impressed to hear about people’s journeys and deepen their appreciation for the diversity among our teams. These outcomes contribute to our overall DEI goals.”
Salil wanted to tell his story so his peers appreciate immigrants’ unique experiences. In one scene, he recalled scrubbing graffiti off his garage in England, where neighbors had painted offensive slurs. Today, Salil feels far less like an outsider in the U.S.
However, Salil didn’t expect the program to impact his family. In his words, “I ended up discussing elements of my story with my sister and brother for the first time, which led to meaningful conversations that we had never had previously.”
“With a global workforce, we continually seek unique and meaningful opportunities for our staff to connect.”
— Sara Nochur, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer
*Boston Globe, December 2021
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