Ly Nguyen (she/her) is a Vietnamese immigrant and high school student! She sat down to answer some of our questions — keep reading on to learn more about her.

LET’S BEGIN WITH THE MOST POPULAR QUESTION. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FOOD?

My favorite food is seafood. Especially snails, shellfish, shrimp, and crab because I lived in the coastal area of Vietnam since I was a child. I am very familiar with these dishes. I also love spaghetti.

WHAT SPARKS JOY WITHIN YOU?

I like to go jogging with my friends. Sometimes if my mother has a day off, I go with her. We go for a run and talk about everything.

I also love going out to eat and going hiking. I also often play tennis after stressful school days.

All in all, for me, just going out and having fun with people to get some fresh air is great.

WHAT IS CAPTURING YOUR INTEREST THESE DAYS?

Vibrant places with a positive environment often attract me. I'm also attracted to challenging things.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

I am doing charity work in the Vietnamese community. I often go to the temple whenever I have free time to teach Vietnamese and teach Buddhism to children who were born here and want to learn about Vietnamese culture. On special occasions, I also come to practice and perform traditional dances with Ao Dai for community events.

NAME A ROLE MODEL AND/OR NAME A WOMAN IN YOUR LIFE WHO YOU LOOK UP TO AND TELL US WHY.

Of course my role model is my mom — she's amazing. Since childhood, I did not live near my father, so my mother was by my side to raise and take care of me.

My mother always taught me to give my fullest in life. My mother is very straightforward, cheerful, and loved by those around her.

I also want to become a strong woman in the future so that my mother doesn't have to strain herself anymore.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING AN AAPI GIRL?

AGI is a great opportunity for me to gain experience and make new friends. In the future, if there are special cultural occasions like the Lunar New Year, my new friends and I can participate in the event together. Really looking forward to it!

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO CELEBRATE OR CARE FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS?

I like to take care of myself by giving myself time to relax or have fun after a stressful period of study and work. I celebrate and care for others through small surprises at every special event. I want them to be surprised and happy to know that everyone remembers and cares about them.

WHAT DOES AGI MEAN TO YOU?

I know that I will have more companions and can learn a lot of interesting things in the future when I join AGI.

WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO ASK OR KNOW ABOUT OTHER AAPI GIRLS?

I would like to ask other AAPIs about what they love about being AAPI and how being AAPI affects their daily life.

Asian Girls Ignite’s “Student Spotlight Series,” in collaboration with Colorado Equity Compass, shines a light on student members. Students answer a series of questions using any format or platform they desire. The intention is to showcase how diverse AAPI girls’ stories truly are.

Team Spotlight: Ly Nguyen