Phong Nguyen on justice and abolition in Southeast Asian American communities

Phong Nguyen is a fourth year Stanford student majoring in Asian American Studies and minoring in Human Rights. Last year, Phong served as the Asian American Studies program liaison at CCSRE and will continue his role into this new academic year. This past summer, Phong was an intern with the Southeast Asian American Resource Action Center (SEARAC). Our Associate Director of Asian American Studies, Dr. Thaomi Michelle Dinh, interviewed Phong about his internship experience and below he shares his reflections and insights.

Can you tell us a bit about SEARAC and your fellowship position this summer?

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Southeast Asian American Resource Center (SEARAC), a national civil rights organization committed to advaPncing equity and justice for the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, and Hmong communities. I secured this host internship through OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates. My main role involved communications work, which included creating social media content and working on web development and design using tools like WordPress, Squarespace, and Canva. Through SEARAC, I deepened my understanding of the issues connected to my research and personal passions, particularly regarding the Southeast Asian American community. I participated in emergency meetings about Southeast Asian American deportation cases and advocated for the release of criminalized Southeast Asian Americans in California. This experience immersed me in a space focused on understanding and advancing the Southeast Asian American experience. I also had the chance to co-facilitate a workshop on the “Story of Self, Us, and Now,” where I helped advocates shape their personal narratives for policy advocacy at the capitol.

What was a standout moment during your time in DC?

A standout moment during my time in DC was organizing with my OCA cohort for our advocacy day at the capitol. As students from campuses where conversations around divestment and boycott are especially relevant, we used this opportunity to bring these important issues into discussions with U.S. senators and representatives. Being in community with young people who shared such passion for advocacy and put so much care and love into the work was by far the most memorable part of my experience.

Were you able to build upon or draw from the knowledge you’ve gained from your AAS/CSRE classes?

Absolutely! During my internship experience(s), I constantly grappled with the complexities of the nonprofit industrial complex, often feeling uncomfortable and conflicted. However, I kept reminding myself of the values I developed in Asian American Studies, especially those around transformative justice and abolition. When given the opportunity to present my final capstone at SEARAC, I chose to discuss the need for a shift toward a transformative justice framework.

Additionally, in the OCA space, students were also asked to give a presentation on a topic of their choice–Sama Sama Fridays. I volunteered to present first, discussing what abolition looks like in Asian America. I felt it was important to reflect on how organizations like OCA and SEARAC came to exist and their role in the broader movement for abolition, and, in particular, a free Palestine. Many of these principles were taught to me in courses like “Sexual Violence in Asian America,” “Introduction to Asian American History,” and “Institutions and Inequities.” While I had the academic knowledge, my goal was to share it in community spaces in an accessible way. These classes equipped me with the language to bring these perspectives into the nonprofit space.

On the other hand, what’s something you got from your fellowship that you might’ve not been able to gain through AAS/CSRE?

One valuable experience was visiting the offices of elected officials. Lobbying for the issues we care about brought the work we do in the classroom to life. While writing research papers and having discussions is important, organizing in person and actively seeing the change we pushed to create was one of the most rewarding parts of my summer.

Finally, can you give us a reading recommendation?

Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown <3

Congratulations, Phong, on completing your internship and all the amazing work you do for your community and beyond! We thank you for your contributions to our Asian American Studies program at CCSRE!