Tram Nguyen
Tram Nguyen is the co-executive director of New Virginia Majority. Tram immigrated to the United States when she was six months old and grew up in Henrico, VA. Over the last several decades, Tram experienced firsthand the demographic and political changes throughout the Commonwealth. She became politically active while a student at Barnard College in New York City, where in addition to student activism, she mentored Dominican youth in Harlem and developed a deeper understanding of racial and socioeconomic inequity.
In 2008, Nguyen joined New Virginia Majority as its first full time employee. Serving as the organization’s co-executive director, Nguyen is responsible for New Virginia Majority’s strategic vision and growth and developing civic engagement, organizing and advocacy strategies. Her organizing and advocacy on democracy, immigrants’ rights, criminal justice, climate change, health care access, and economic opportunity explore the intersections of social, racial, environmental and economic justice.
Following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, she helped fight for federal funding for a health treatment program to address the unmet physical and mental needs of rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero. In 2005, Tram traveled to the Gulf Coast to organize the 30,000+ Vietnamese immigrants whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. For over 2 years, she directed a recovery program that assisted over 3,000 families by providing cultural and language-appropriate services, and she advocated for the sustainable redevelopment of immigrant communities and businesses in New Orleans, LA; Biloxi, MS; and Bayou La Batre, AL. Tram is an alumna of Barnard College, Columbia University and was a 2010 Lead the Way Fellow at the NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
A year-round community civic engagement approach has led to significant victories for some of Virginia’s most vulnerable populations – including expanded access to quality and affordable health care, increased transparency in community policing initiatives, and in-state college tuition for immigrant youth. More recently, Tram was instrumental in leading a multi-year effort that led to Governor Terry McAuliffe’s historic executive order that led to restoration of civil rights to approximately 200,000 formerly incarcerated Virginians.
She currently lives in Richmond, VA .[1]
McClellan connection
Jennifer McClellan, Tram Nguyen Delegate Marcia Price, and worked closely to get a Voting Rights Act passed in 2021.[2]
PeopleTakePower2
Liberation Road · September 3 2020·
It's crystal clear: the 2020 election will be a battle to defend the vote against Trumpism. Join us on September 9th, 5 pm Pacific / 8 pm Eastern, as we co-host a discussion on the struggle for democratic rights with our friends at the Left Inside/Outside Project. Featuring Kaji Reyes-Gertes from Durham For All, Rukia Lumumba from People's Advocacy Institute, and writer Marcy Rein.
Also Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority.
Catch the livestream right here or register for the webinar at bit.ly/PeopleTakePower2
Open Letter to the Biden Campaign on “Unprepared”
Open Letter to the Biden Campaign on “Unprepared” was released May 12 2020.
":Our demands: The country’s greatest priority at this moment is to beat the COVID-19 crisis, and this requires embracing principles of antiracist solidarity and international cooperation. The Biden campaign can and should beat Trump and the GOP with a message centered on our real public health needs and the progressive values that are required to meet those needs. The “Unprepared” ad must be taken down, and all campaign messaging that fuels anti-Asian racism and China-bashing must end. We refuse to allow the Biden campaign to sacrifice our dignity in the name of political expediency."
Signatories included Tram Nguyen , New Virginia Majority.
Rising Power
Richmond for All May 3 2019·
Congratulations to Tram Nguyen, Marcia Price, Alexsis Rodgers, Cianti Stewart-Reid, and Shehn Datta for the launch of Rising Power, a PAC designed to strengthen the political power of women of color! It's the first of its kind in Virginia, and we can't wait to see how this project affects our political landscape. The Rising Power Launch Party kicks off Saturday May 18th.
New Virginia Majority
Tram joined New Virginia Majority in 2008. Following the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, she helped fight for federal funding for a health treatment program to address the unmet physical and mental needs of rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero. In 2005, Tram traveled to the Gulf Coast to organize the 30,000+ Vietnamese immigrants whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. For over 2 years, she directed a recovery program that assisted over 3,000 families by providing cultural and language-appropriate services, and she advocated for the sustainable redevelopment of immigrant communities and businesses in New Orleans, LA; Biloxi, MS; and Bayou La Batre, AL. Tram is an alumna of Barnard College, Columbia University and was a 2010 Lead the Way Fellow at the NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.[3]
Education
Studied at Barnard College.
Kamala connection
Aimee Allison August 3, 2018 ·
With DeJuana Thompson, Kamala Harris, Crystal Zermeno, Tram Nguyen and Sayu Bhojwani.
Kaine connection
McAuliffe connection
Left to right: Equality Virginia Advocates Director James Parrish, Senator-elect Jeremy McPike, Governor Terry McAuliffe, and New Virginia Majority Executive Director Tram Nguyen, 2015.
Ralph Northam Bipartisan Transition Committee
Tram Nguyen Co-Executive Director, New Virginia Majority, Washington, D.C. was named to the Ralph Northam Bipartisan Transition Committee, November 15, 2017.[4]
Radical friends
Ralph Northam July 27, 2015.
With David Broder, Tram Nguyen and Yasmine Taeb.
Virginia Progressive Leadership Project
David Broder July 27, 2015:
Spent an amazing weekend with the inaugural cohort of The Virginia Progressive Leadership Project. Such an impressive, passionate and diverse set of leaders from across the Commonwealth. The future of the progressive movement is very bright! — with Anna Scholl, Fatima Yousofi, Richard Cabellos, Natalie Nguyen Woodruff, Julie Emery, Morgan Jameson, Jervone Raymond, Kimberly M. B. Adams, Tram Nguyen, Margie Del Castillo, Yasmine Taeb, Hala Ayala, Cydny A. Neville, Geneva Perry and Jeff Charity.
VNM and Team Virginia
Tram Nguyen June 7, 2018 ·
Some of Team New Virginia Majority and Team VA - BLOC with Governor of Virginia (Ralph Northam), and Lt Gov Justin Fairfax #MedicaidExpansionVA #VAGov #HealthyVA — with Alex Bratton, Jasmine Marie Leeward, Tyrone S. Williams II and Justin Fairfax in Richmond, Virginia.
McCauliffe connection
"Tie a bow on this"
Tram Nguyen May 30 near Richmond, VA.
A big day for Virginia! With two of my favorite delegates - Marcia Price and Jennifer Barton Boysko, waiting for the Senate to send over their bills so we can tie a bow on this. #MedicaidExpansionVA — with Marcia Price.
Maxine Waters connection
Northam appointments
Tram Nguyen December 28, 2017.
- Probably my favorite appointments announcement so far. Yay Kelly Thomasson Mercer, Traci J. DeShazor, Keyanna Conner!! #girlpower
Sandler Phillips Center Advisory Board
Sandler Phillips Center Advisory Board, as of May 25 2018;
Stacey Abrams connection
Tram Nguyen May 18, 2018
Get out the vote, Georgia! #makehistory #TeamAbrams
She the People 2018 Summit
She the People's three-year initiative kicked off with its inaugural She the People Summit on September 20, 2018 at the Julia Morgan Ballroom in San Francisco. The sold-out, first-ever national summit of women of color in politics drew nearly 600 attendees, mostly women of color, from 36 states.
Speakers included Tram Nguyen.
2019 She the People
Tram Nguyen of New Virginia Majority, introduced a panel on “A New Civil Rights Movement” (including panelists Margie Del Castillo of the Virginia Latina Advocacy Network; Austin Higgs of VCU; Maya Castillo Morrison of New Virginia Majority; Ibby Han of the Virginia Student Power Network; Yanet Limon-Amado of the Virginia Intercollegiate Immigrant Alliance).[6]
