Remembering Tuyet Le: A Trailblazing Asian American Advocate and Activist
A Life of Service and Advocacy
Few have done more to amplify the voices of the city’s Asian American community than Tuyet Le. As executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago from 1999 to 2018, she headed up poll-watching operations to ensure access for Asian American voters and coordinated with the city’s election board to resolve issues.
A Champion for Asian American Representation
Her group sent out candidate questionnaires and shared information – in several languages – with other Asian groups that are part of the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition. She helped organize the first-ever Asian American Caucus of state legislators, whose districts had a significant number of Asian voters. At first, the legislators in the group were mostly white.
"And now, 10 years later, we have an Asian American Caucus that’s actually majority Asian American," said Van Huynh, who previously worked with Ms. Le and now heads up the Vietnamese Association of Illinois.
A Fighter for Social Justice
When Mayor Richard M. Daley tried to remove Asian American contractors from affirmative action programs, Ms. Le successfully rallied the community to challenge the move. She championed a bill that ensured state agencies have a language access plan to help non-English speakers access state benefits. Gov. JB Pritzker signed the bill last year.
Ms. Le helped organize the first mayoral forum on issues affecting Asian Americans, which drew about 1,000 people to St. Augustine College on the North Side in 2011. To the dismay of organizers, mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel did not attend the event. His absence was represented by an empty chair on stage.
A Passionate Advocate for Immigrant Rights
When Gov. Bruce Rauner was going to cut funding to immigrant services, Ms. Le and other leaders met with him. The funding was later restored. She also helped strengthen Chicago’s sanctuary city protections for undocumented immigrants and helped pass the state’s TRUST Act, which blocks local law enforcement from assisting federal immigration agents.
A Lasting Legacy
Ms. Le’s work has left a lasting impact on the Asian American community. Her legacy is carried on by the many young activists she mentored and supported.
"I grew up working-class among women who worked in sewing factories and warehouses, and there was a lot of emphasis growing up on getting a job and making good money, and she was the first person I saw where that wasn’t her emphasis. It was incredibly powerful," said Huynh.
"She was a role model for me," said Nebula Li, an attorney and community organizer who worked with Ms. Le. "She was an outspoken Asian American with strong progressive ideals and ideas on how to change society."
In Memoriam
Ms. Le passed away on February 8th from lung cancer. She was 53.
FAQs
Q: What was Tuyet Le’s role at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago?
A: She was the executive director from 1999 to 2018.
Q: What was Ms. Le’s role in the Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment Coalition?
A: She sent out candidate questionnaires and shared information with other Asian groups.
Q: What was Ms. Le’s role in the Asian American Caucus of state legislators?
A: She helped organize the first-ever Asian American Caucus of state legislators, whose districts had a significant number of Asian voters.
Q: What was Ms. Le’s legacy?
A: She was a trailblazing advocate for the Asian American community, and her work has left a lasting impact on the community.
