The Only Challenger: How Her Life as a Refugee Inspired Her Political Journey

Running for office is no small feat. It takes confidence and savviness that few of us naturally possess. Several women tell us that they simply “fake it til they make it.” In this session, we talked about courage: how to notice it in ourselves, how to develop it, and how to courageously take our place in seats of power across the country. We are delighted to have our guest speaker Madison Nguyen to share her story and guide us through this conversation.

Madison Nguyen served as Vice Mayor on the San Jose City Council from 2011 to 2014. When she was four years old, Madison and her family escaped Vietnam on an overcrowded fishing boat. Her time as a refugee, the sacrifices her family made, and growing up as a Vietnamese American shaped who Madison became as a public leader.