A Day in the Life: Hong Hoang

A Green and Clean Future

For 20 years, Hong Hoang has mobilized youth leaders to push for environmental preservation. After becoming the first Vietnamese person ever to visit Antarctica, she dedicated herself to educating and organizing young leaders in the effort for a greener world. As an Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University, she’s building on that legacy through academic, skills-based, and hands-on learning.

“There’s no Planet B. Everything we do creates an impact, big or small. This is the only planet we have.”

Hong Hoang

Hong has devoted herself to tackling Vietnam’s most urgent issues, engaging communities to prevent climate change, pollution, and the illegal wildlife trade.

She founded CHANGE to further mobilize and organize local youth groups to speak up and take action to mitigate climate change.

After the one-year Scholars program, Hong will return to Vietnam and continue the work she’s started at Columbia University by implementing her own personalized action plan.

"We're engaging youth, moms, artists by hosting fun workshops and community events to create a movement that everyone wants to be a part of." —Hong Hoang