Love Leads the Way for Gamechanging Alumna
Vien Truong ’06 loves her community, and it seems the feeling is mutual. In 2017, Assemblyman Rob Bonta of Oakland told San Francisco Magazine, 鈥淚n Oakland, it鈥檚 essentially unanimous. She鈥檚 a legend.鈥
Among Truong鈥檚 most celebrated accomplishments in the fight against poverty and pollution, the passage and implementation of California鈥檚 landmark Senate Bill 535 (de Leon, 2012) led to the biggest fund in history ($1.2 billion to date) for green initiatives in the poorest and most polluted communities in California. In the Bay Area, and Oakland neighborhoods in particular, these efforts have resulted in affordable housing, free public transportation, and thousands of trees planted.
鈥淔or me, law has always been this amazing tool where it鈥檚 not through a hammer, it鈥檚 not through a war, but it鈥檚 really through the elegance of language where we can shape the reality of people鈥檚 lives,鈥 Truong says, 鈥渋ncluding in communities that really don鈥檛 have access to law and politics and power in the traditional way.鈥
Despite the numerous local, state, and federal policies she鈥檚 helped pass in her tireless drive toward building an equitable and inclusive green economy, Truong does not consider herself a legend. But she does draw inspiration from one legend in particular: Bob Marley, who in 1976, played a free concert two days after suffering a gunshot wound. When asked why he didn鈥檛 cancel his performance, Marley said, 鈥淭he people who are making the world worse aren鈥檛 taking the day off. Why should I?鈥
鈥淔or me, law has always been this amazing tool … where we can shape the reality of people鈥檚 lives.鈥
鈥淭he way I heard that,鈥 Truong says, 鈥渨as as a deep well of love for the people in his audience.鈥
A similar love and dedication drives the work Truong does for Oakland and other communities like it.
鈥淲hen I step back and look at the policies and laws that I鈥檝e passed, it all came from one original goal,鈥 she says. 鈥淲ithin my abilities, how can I help the city of Oakland 鈥 and communities like it – be the best possible so that young people growing up in my hometown can have better opportunities than I had when I was growing up?鈥
This year, in addition to continuing her high-level policy work, Truong is also working at the ground level by creating a tech hub in Oakland. The hub will be a place for young people to get STE(A)M training, access opportunities in tech, and build leadership skills. With partners like Apple, which that they鈥檇 be working with Vien to create opportunities for Oakland youth, this project is well on its way.
鈥淭he future is no longer just written in law, it is also written in code. Just as the law shapes how we live, tech is fundamentally changing lives,鈥 says Truong. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to help bridge the gap between tech and equity in the community I love.鈥
About Gamechanger
GAMECHANGER is the way our students鈥損ast and present鈥搒ee the world. It鈥檚 the impact our alumni have on local, national and global policy and law. The ideas and events that come from the minds of UC Law SF students and faculty help transform the world. UC Law SF plans to celebrate its GAMECHANGERS on Thursday, May 9.