I’m Hoang Nguyen, Director of Government Affairs at AAPI Equity Alliance. And before I found my calling in public policy and government, I was actually a theater major at UCLA.
My journey as an advocate began in the summer after my first year of college – I spent two months backpacking Europe as a 19-year-old, and the trip changed the course of my life. I met new people, stayed in crowded hostels and carried only what was essential. The bubble of Little Saigon, Orange County in which I grew up, popped.
I saw the best of us, and the worst of us.
At the Dachau concentration camp in Germany, I realized just how awful humanity can be to one another. Dachau was one of Nazi Germany’s first facilities used to kill tens of thousands of people during World War II. The camp was finally closed in 1960 and became a memorial for visitors from all over the world.
Spending a day there made me realize that evil can only be defeated by people willing to step up and do something. And that even a few good people could make a lasting, positive impact on the world. So I wanted to be one of those good people. Struck with inspiration, I switched my major from theater to political science, and the rest is history!
Fast Forward to 2024: AAPI Equity Alliance’s Summer in Action
I, along with our Managing Director of Policy & Counsel, Candice Cho, presented at Netroots Nation, the largest conference for progressives in the country where we shared effective strategies on how to meet with elected officials. We believe it’s crucial to start that conversation with our leaders, at every level of government, to ensure Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) needs are heard and met.
In fact, at the polls this November, voters can use their voice to expand the number of Board of Supervisors from five to nine, giving our communities a shot at representation. AAPI Equity Alliance joined member organizations and community leaders in advocating for this reform.
Because, although AAPIs make up 16% of the population (that’s one in six Angeleno), we have yet to see an AAPI supervisor at the table. As we inform this process with the County, we continue to engage with our Black and brown community partners to ensure equity is front and center. To quote Vice President Kamala Harris: We exist in the context of all in which we live – and that includes each other!
Our Program Manager, Miso Jang, met with partners in San Francisco and saw their Chinatown celebrating its diverse community of, not just Asians but, Black and Middle Eastern folks with block parties and multicultural events.
As we advance our knowledge in healing Asian American communities from racial trauma, we are inspired by the diversity and intersectionality in our collective healing. In fact, a core part of our program is inspired by the Psychology of Radical Healing developed by a team of psychologists of color.
For the remainder of summer and into fall, our team is collaborating with AAPI Equity members and partners to prepare for the Presidential election. I, for one, am determined to activate our communities to go out there in full force and make their voices heard.
Because I believe that everyone can make a lasting, positive impact on the world.
