Biography of Councilmember Vang

Councilmember Mai Vang is the daughter of Hmong refugees from Laos, a proud Sacramento native, and the eldest of 16 children. Before her election to represent Sacramento’s Eighth City Council District, Vang served as the Executive Director of the Buck Scholars Association, an organization that provides mentorship and scholarships to talented high school students who lack the resources and support to achieve their educational goals. She also teaches in the Department of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Sacramento and in the Department of Asian American Studies at the University of California, Davis.

Councilmember Mai Vang open_in_full

Mai co-founded Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) whose mission is to strengthen the power of disenfranchised communities through innovative civic engagement and strategic grassroots mobilization. Vang has worked on education, labor and racial/ethnic health disparities with local and national policy and government organizations. Prior to being elected to the Sacramento City School Board in 2016, Vang worked tirelessly as a community organizer to improve health and educational outcomes for children and families in south Sacramento. From 2014-2018 Vang worked at City Hall as the Community Affairs Director for Councilmember Larry Carr.

Today, Mai lives in the Meadowview neighborhood of South Sacramento. Vang holds Bachelors’ Degrees in Biology and Sociology from the University of San Francisco and dual Master's Degrees in Public Health and Asian American Studies from UCLA. During her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Coffee and spending time with her siblings.

Councilmember Vang serves on several Boards, Commissions, Committees, and Authorities.

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