Hien (pronounced “hee-in”) is an East Bay native who has dedicated nearly a decade to organizing freedom campaigns alongside incarcerated and formerly incarcerated immigrants and their families. Her advocacy focuses on reuniting families and ending the double punishment of immigrant families. She began facilitating Ethnic Studies programs in prisons like San Quentin, the Central California Women’s Facility, and the California Institute for Women. As a response to seeing people being turned over to ICE voluntarily by CDCR, she began organizing anti-deportation campaigns and led statewide coalitions and campaigns to dismantle prison-ICE collaborations. At the heart of all her efforts – are the families of impacted people. Their boundless, growing love is the foundation of her belief that justice must be transformative, inclusive, and rooted in a community built on care. Hien’s advocacy is ultimately grounded in a deep practice of racial and gender equity.

Outside of work, Hien has an extensive side-quest list. Feel free to ask her about all her unfinished projects, if she’s improved her snowboarding skills, or how her trapeze classes are going.