Amanda Nguyen is a civil rights activist, social entrepreneur, and space enthusiast whose bold advocacy has sparked global change. A proud Vietnamese American, Nguyen is the founder and CEO of Rise, a nonprofit that fights for the rights of sexual assault survivors.
Her activism began with her own experience navigating the broken U.S. justice system. She authored and successfully advocated for the federal Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights, which passed unanimously in Congress in 2016. Her model legislation has inspired similar laws in more than 30 states and in countries around the world.
In recognition of her efforts to empower marginalized communities, Nguyen was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 and named one of TIME’s Woman of the Year in 2022.
Amanda Nguyen is also breaking barriers beyond Earth. In 2024, she became the first Vietnamese woman to travel to space, fulfilling a lifelong dream. Her journey reflects the limitless potential of Asian Pacific Islander communities and the power of refusing to be defined by others’ expectations.
