While Boston is a city teeming with many diverse working professionals, it can sometimes be difficult to network and form business connections with each other. This was not the case for those attending the connectAmerica-Asia President’s Nations Mixer on Saturday evening in Boston’s Liquid Art House.
Carsten Schwerm, CEO and founder of connectAmerica-Asia, has lived in Asia twice and said he always enjoyed connecting with people from around the world in a one-on-one setting. He recently created this event-based networking organization after the election of Donald Trump in November 2016. The organization hopes to turn much of the negativity generated by the election into an opportunity to promote diversity and business relationships, while connecting professionals in America and Asia.
“When the election results came out, I thought to myself, ‘Okay, I have to do something. I’ll take this small idea, and make it bigger and actually build bridges,’” Schwerm said.“Because I wanted to send a clear signal, though on a professional networking side, to counteract what was happening in Washington. That encouraged me to go public with the idea.”
The President’s Nations Mixer was intentionally scheduled to take place the night after Trump was inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States.
“I actually called this event the ‘President’s Nation Mixer’ because I feel certain that he might not necessarily approve that we mix nations,” Schwerm said.
The free event took place at Liquid Art House, an interactive art gallery-style restaurant and bar that contributed to the President’s Nations Mixer’s relaxed yet professional vibe. Attendees gathered around with drinks and discussed a wide range of topics, from universities, work, career aspirations to possible business opportunities in Asia.
“It’s a really different place, especially if you’re an artist,” said Adrianna Scalzo, a hostess at the Liquid Art House. “You get to be so involved in the art. There’s a new vibe that I don’t really see anywhere else in Boston.”
As a photographer, Scalzo said she feels a personal connection with many of the artistic customers she meets. Many attendees at the President’s Nation Mixer said they were excited to meet with others who shared similar experiences as well.
Songyi Wang, 23, of Waltham, received a notification about this event on LinkedIn. She expressed the importance of networking events, and enthused about the possibility of meeting others through connectAmerica-Asia.
“I grew up in Beijing myself and I came here for college, and now I’m working here,” Wang said. “It’s great to meet people who have similar backgrounds who have grown up in one culture and now live in another.”
Toma Cubrilo, 26, of Waltham, works in economic consulting and heard about the President’s Nations Mixer through Wang. He attended the mixer with the hopes of meeting new potential contacts from Asia that he otherwise might never have met.
“I was happy to come here, mainly because I’ve been to China a couple of times, and I’m actually looking for job opportunities in China, so it’s a great event to be at,” Cubrilo said.
Other guests acknowledged the importance of attending an event celebrating business and diversity the day after the inauguration of Trump.
Deepa Jaishankar, 37, of Cambridge, is a director at PwC in Boston who attended the President’s Nation Mixer. She said she felt events like this were particularly important during such a controversial time in the United States.
“Having a network based on diversity on a weekend where anyone who’s not American is bound to feel a little depressed at how things are shaping up, so I really like the idea of meeting fellow non-Americans,” Jaishankar said.
After an evening of relaxed conversation, guests pulled out their phones and exchanged phone numbers and emails, building personal and international connections.
“I’ve been a foreigner in many, many countries,” Schwerm said, on the importance of diversity and networking events such as the President’s Nation Mixer. “I’ve had the great pleasure to meet many people from various countries, but also in times of need. Often times foreigners help me, so I’d like to give back.”
