Nancy Nguyen

Nancy Nguyen is a firm believer that education has the power to transform individuals and uplift communities. Growing up a child of undocumented and refugee parents, she and her family have become targets for America’s unjust social, educational, and economic system. She understands that social, economic, ethnic, and gender inequalities are not mutually exclusive. This understanding has promoted her to pursue a degree in Sociology and Public Administration at San Diego State University. As the first person in her family lineage to attend a four-year university, she has come to question and critique the dominant ideology of meritocracy and the education system as the “great equalizer.”
Nancy’s involvement on campus and in her community is centered around on uplifting traditionally marginalized groups. She has participated in grassroots efforts with the Employee Rights Center, Center for Policy Initiatives, and the Labor Council. In collaboration with these organizations, she also helped plan a SDSU campus forum on labor rights and voter registration and helped develop a high school curriculum on labor rights. Nancy is also heavily involved with tackling educational disparities. She conducts educational research on classroom/school tactics in addressing students’ emotional and social needs and is active in enhancing the quality of education for nontraditional college students. Nancy plans on dedicating her life to uplifting historically disadvantaged groups through grassroots efforts, professorship, and policy. Through Students for Economic Justice (SEJ), Nancy hopes to cultivate a deeper understanding for the intersectionality between social issues and gain organizing skills vital in progressing towards justice in San Diego and beyond.