Seattle, Washington, United States
A Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who worked in Community Economic Development specializing in project design and management with multiple undergraduate and graduate awards, combined with years of developing soft skills from retail and restaurant service demonstrates the variety and breadth of work that I am capable of. With nonprofit, formalized government, and mutual aid experience, I am able to navigate between all of the moving parts of the technical assistance world working with populations who are looking for help. The aforementioned work experience, combined with a Master's in Public Administration and double degrees in Political Science and Social Justice, allows for a candidate versed in both theory and praxis. The experiences I have working multilaterally between governments, NGO's, and community associations allows for a versatile approach to crafting policy that supports the sustainable growth of grassroots organizations while building capacity for previously disenfranchised populations. All of this, in combination with years of nonprofit board leadership, mutual aid organization, professional fluency in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, as well as leadership in the field of higher education allows me to engage with communities and get to the root of their issues, becoming a trusted messenger and connecting them with the resources and agencies that can improve their quality of life and build capacity and relationships along the way.
At Friends of Little Saigon, I work to equitably engage community members, which are categorized into three groups. I work closely with small businesses, providing technical assistance and keeping them updated on laws, policies, and grant opportunities that could assist them recovering from COVID, as the Little Saigon neighborhood has been greatly impacted by the compounding effects of anti-Asian hate and COVID-19 economic shortcomings. Second, I work to engage the residents of Little Saigon, a growing population considering the zoning and previous lack of housing infrastructure in the neighborhood. Finally, I work to engage with volunteers and empower them to continue making a difference in the neighborhood, providing them with opportunities to utilize their enthusiasm and love for Little Saigon with community clean-up days and the potential to make a difference through continued neighborhood capacity building.