As a second generation Vietnamese-American, Jenny Le of Houston, Texas, had to strike a balance between growing up in America and assisting her parents in navigating a culture that was foreign to them, but not to her. Today as a Harvard University Government major, Le uses lessons from her childhood in her studies of comparative and international policy, and hopes to create more effective laws for future generations by eventually running for a congressional seat.
With those political ambitions in mind, Le registered for The White House Project’s Go Run in Dallas, hoping to gain skills in media etiquette and public speaking. When she found out the training was strictly geared toward women running for office, she found herself even more eager to attend.
“I’ve always hoped to engage more women on issues where they are underrepresented,” Le said. “Women tend to gravitate toward the same issues, and there is not a problem in doing so. We just need to broaden the scope and get more women on the forefront of issues like the economy and international security.”
Le envisions Go Run as a chance to grow her network as well as her skills and knowledge. She hopes to take part in another women’s campaign in the near future, and looks forward to meeting other politically ambitious women at Go Run.
In regards to her jump into politics, Le adheres to Franklin Roosevelt’s adage of the only thing to fear being fear itself. Courage and self-determination have dispelled any anxiety about going after her goals: “If you want something, don’t be scared, just go out and get it!”
