Lan-Phuong was born in South Democratic Vietnam during the Vietnam Civil War. She spent 15 years under the Communist regime before resettling in the US in 1990. International and domestic politics have profoundly and tragically affected her life and her family: she has experienced death, political persecution, separation, and destitution. Thanks to the US government and the people who fought hard for her family to emigrate from Vietnam, she is proud to call the US home.  She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in macroeconomics from American University in Washington DC, and she is currently studying politics and international relations at Sacramento State. Lan-Phuong is a life-long devoted community and political activist.