On this episode, I welcome nonprofit sector leader Vu Le, for a conversation that is grounding, inspiring, fun… and like a nice warm bath or hug.
I’ve appreciated Vu and his writing and leadership for well over a decade now — but after this conversation, I am appreciating Vu as a dear-hearted human more than ever.
I’m also more excited than ever about his book coming out next month!
Vu writes the blog NonprofitAF.com. He is the founder and former executive director of RVC, a nonprofit in Seattle that promotes social justice by supporting leaders of color, strengthening organizations led by communities of color, and fostering collaboration between diverse communities.
He is a founding board member of the Community-Centric Fundraising movement — which aims to ground fundraising practices in equity and justice.
He was born in Vietnam, and he and his family came to the U.S. when he was eight. He spent several years living in Seattle, attending elementary and middle school, before moving to Memphis, Tennessee, for high school — and then to St. Louis, Missouri for college and graduate school.
He holds a BA in Psychology and a Master’s in Social Work. He is a vegan, a father of two kids (ages twelve and nine), and a staunch defender of the Oxford Comma.
Episode Overview
00:00 | Introduction to the Podcast and Guest
03:03 | Welcome Vu Le: A Conversation Begins
05:01 | Personal Stories of Dehumanization and Humanization
11:24 | Community-Centric Fundraising Explained
18:52 | The Joy of Authentic Fundraising
28:40 | Vu's New Book: Why Now?
35:06 | Challenging Traditional Norms
35:52 | Embracing Eldership
37:28 | The Courage to Speak Out
44:33 | Supporting Palestine and Facing Backlash
48:50 | The Importance of Self-Preservation and Solidarity
50:52 | A Lighthearted Q&A with Vu
01:02:53 | Closing Thoughts and a Pep Talk for Y’all
Links for Vu
Follow Nonprofit AF on Instagram!
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As Mentioned On the Show
Find out more at the link above about how you can participate in a Giving Project, too! I participated in the Giving Project at Headwaters Foundation for Justice, here in Minneapolis. There are Giving Projects running in Seattle; Minneapolis; Chicago; Detroit; Philadelphia; New York; Portland, Maine; Denver; and Hawaii.
My guess is that even more will start to pop up, as people learn about these amazing opportunities… and want to have a chance to experience it themselves.
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