Khamla Erskine

Meet Khamla Erskine, one of the most determined, creative, community-minded people we know.

Here is her Alembika Women spotlight for #womenshistorymonth

Who was your top role model growing up?

My mom. She was amazing. To escape war in China, she was sent out of China at 10 years old to live with relatives in Laos.  She and my dad built a comfortable life for our family. Then they had to leave Laos because of the civil war and rebuild our lives in the US. This is a woman who didn’t have any formal education. Her circumstances could have defeated her or made her cynical and mean. Instead, she had so much love for people. Her resiliency and determination to care for our family and other people who she came in contact with is how I try to live my life.

What is something you never thought you’d learn to do but can now?

Accounting. The first time I took an accounting class at NYU, I failed it. I had to re-take the class and got an “A”.  My nature by default is to synthesize a lot of data and make sense of the “big picture”. I’m really good at figuring things out on the fly and being creative.

Accounting requires memorizing, being precise, being detail oriented, and following rules which are things that didn’t come naturally to me. Accounting has taught me to be disciplined and precise, which are useful qualities to have.

What achievement(s) would you want your younger self to know about her future self’s accomplishments?

I want her to know that we are living our dream. I remember being 17 years old and taking the subway from Queens to Manhattan for my daily early morning commute to high school. I remember thinking about how worn out and tired my fellow commuters looked and promising myself that I would live a different life. A life where I would have options to do what I want and to be able to enjoy life. 

I want her to know to keep being brave, ethical, to be kind and to keep saying “yes” to adventures. And it’s true that 90% of your happiness or misery comes from the person you choose to be your life partner.

Throughout your studies, career or even hobbies, what are ways you feel you have made the greatest (large or meaningful) impact on the future for women/girls?

I worked in financial services for 34 years. In that time, I have mentored countless people, especially women. As a technologist working in complex products, I was oftentimes one of the few senior women in the room. Even though I have left financial services, I still keep in touch with the women who worked with me and act as a sounding board for them and support them in their journey.

Who is your #1 cheerleader and what 3 words would they use to describe you?

Who should play you in your BioPic?

Thank you, Khamla, for the way you make Women’s History!

Khamla is wearing Iconic Stretch Jeans Desires Petrol with a top from our Urban Collection (left), an outfit from our Tekbika Collection (center) and our best-selling Essentials Cocoon Dress in Lime and available in many colors (right).

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