TRANG DANG TU, Founder and Principal
I live for and work toward a world where:
All people possess equal ability to reach their highest potential.
Public, private and non-profit sectors work to serve the common good.
Newcomers find welcome, inclusion and powerful ways to contribute.
People rectify and eradicate injustices when they surface.
When I was not quite three years old, my parents left Vietnam to resettle in the United States with me and my seven siblings. Growing up, I watched them make the most of opportunities only possible in this country. Only later did I understand the challenges they faced by being newcomers, or imperfect English speakers, or being seen as docile Asians.
I came to understand that other people, and sometimes entire communities, experienced similar challenges – and social injustices – for these and many other reasons. I graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning, gaining valuable tools and skills. Equally important was the time I spent volunteering in the community, inspired by the memories of my own and my family’s experiences.
These indelible marks form the motivation and inspiration for my life’s work – a passion for empowering those among the most disadvantaged - refugees and immigrants, women and girls, and underserved communities.
As a planner for a community non-profit in Seattle’s International District, I learned the importance of grassroots organizing and effective advocacy. At the City of Seattle Planning Office, I supported Rainier Valley residents as they expressed their aspirations for community development near future light rail stations. As Special Assistant to the Mayor of Seattle, I managed policies and projects in planning, neighborhood development, housing, land use, economic development and underserved communities.
From these experiences, I learned that it’s possible to bring community values into institutions and work for progressive social change from within. Successful community building and empowerment require contributions from many people at different vantage points.
It’s about making sure public policies, systems, institutions, and decision makers are rooted in community values; that businesses see how serving the common good also serves their own interests; that non-profits possess the skills and resources to serve community needs; and above all, that people, no matter who they are or where they come from, possess equal ability to reach their highest potential.
These are the beliefs on which I founded my consulting practice in 2004. They continue to inspire and inform every project I undertake.