Belonging: Jeff Le on Growing Up Vietnamese-American, His Work in Politics & Tech, and Solutions for AAPI Racism at Work

03/02/22 • 63 min

Jeff Le has had a career at the highest levels of public policy and politics at the state, federal and international levels. A recognized thought leader in political advocacy and representation, his analysis and opinions have been featured on MSNBC, broadcast television in 40 states, as well as in print at POLITICO Magazine, The New York Times, USA Today , The Washington Post, FOX News, The Hill, Washingtonian, Roll Call, Bustle, Forbes, local and regional newspapers in 35 states. During the height of the #StopAsianHate movement, Jeff penned an opinion piece that received national attention in POLITICO Magazine called I Thought I Knew How to Succeed as an Asian in U.S. Politics. Boy, Was I Wrong. that highlighted his experiences in workplace discrimination in politics and racism throughout his life.

Jeff is now an executive leader in technology where he is Vice President of Public Policy and External Affairs for Rhino, a fintech startup working to give renters everywhere greater financial freedom through affordable insurance options. Prior to joining Rhino, Jeff was U.S. State and Local Public Policy Lead for VMware, a digital technology and infrastructure company, and managed the company’s gubernatorial, state, county, and local relationships across all 50 states and Canada. Jeff focused on emerging technology policy, including privacy, 5G, broadband, cyber, sustainability, workforce development, diversity and inclusion, education, and IT modernization.

He also sits on the Homeland Security Advisory Committee for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services where he provides recommendations to the Governor's Homeland Security Advisor on response and policy pertaining to cyber, disasters, terrorism, drug interdiction, intelligence, and other emerging threats.

Jeff previously served as Deputy Cabinet Secretary for California Governor Jerry Brown where he oversaw homeland security and natural disaster response, immigration, economic development, government operations and civil service reform, emerging technology, artificial intelligence, blockchain, future of work, privacy and cybersecurity, food and agriculture, military, veterans and tribal affairs, and led state negotiations for disaster relief from three historic fires and a megadrought.

As Governor Brown’s Deputy Director for External and International Affairs, Jeff interfaced with domestic stakeholders and convened foreign dignitaries on behalf of the state. He has also worked at the State Department, U.S. House of Representatives, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, United Nations, Carter Center, and the National Democratic Institute.

Jeff graduated from the University of California, San Diego and received his graduate degree as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar at Central European University. He is a Millennium Leadership Fellow with the Atlantic Council, Term Member on the Council on Foreign Relations, a Truman National Security Project Partner, and has been selected for bilateral leadership programs to Japan, Germany, the UK, Spain, and Italy.

Jeff has completed four 100-mile running races, qualified for the Boston Marathon, has been to every Major League Baseball ballpark, all 50 states, and 85 countries.

Here's two links that Jeff mentioned in our convo:

PBS: https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Training: https://advancingjustice-aajc.org/events

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Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. Find Us Online: @aworldof.difference on Instagram and A World of Difference on Facebook, on Twitter at @loriadbr & on Clubhouse @loriadbr.https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference or loriadamsbrown.com

Lori is speaking at the Evolutions Podcast Movement Conference in LA on March 23-26. Tickets for virtual or in person can be purchased here with $25 off. Lori is speaking on Inclusion for Social Impact: How Podcasting Can Lead to Societal Change.

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Jeff has completed four 100-mile running races, qualified for the Boston Marathon, has been to every Major League Baseball ballpark, all 50 states, and 85 countries.

Here's two links that Jeff mentioned in our convo:

PBS: https://www.pbs.org/show/asian-americans/

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Training: https://advancingjustice-aajc.org/events

The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.

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Belonging: Catherine McNeil on Fearing Bravely: Risking Love for Our Neighbors, Strangers, and Enemies

Catherine McNiel writes about the creative and redemptive work of God in our real, ordinary lives. Her upcoming book, Fearing Bravely: Risking Love for Our Neighbors, Strangers, and Enemies, just released from NavPress in February 2022. Catherine studies theology while caring for three kids, two jobs, and one enormous garden.

If Jesus commands Christians to love their neighbors, why are so many North American Christians taught to fear their neighbors? The US church is known as a people who are afraid, who have been nurtured through fear into hatred, and who have moved from hatred to violence—or at least to neglect. This fear, too often lived out boldly in the name of Jesus, is a false religion.

If God instructs Christians to welcome strangers, why are so many US Christians ignoring the scriptural commands that say not to withhold hospitality or help from anyone in need? So why do we fear strangers, especially those needing hospitality, afraid that their presence may threaten what we have?

If Jesus taught all of His followers to love their enemies, why aren't more North American Christians regularly praying and hearing sermons about how to pray for those who actively harm them? Instead, many church-goers in this polarized context, create enemies in their minds, seeing anyone who thinks, believes, looks, or lives differently from North American Christians as dangerous, a threat to their way of living.

The Christian community exists to declare and demonstrate God’s love and to follow Jesus in practicing love over fear, even in unsafe times and places. It’s time to call all people of faith to reclaim our brave fear of God and risk transformative love for the sake of our neighbors, the strangers among us, and our enemies.

Christians are to be people of God's Kingdom, which is a place of flourishing and belonging where all nations, races, tribes and languages are welcome. Fearing Bravely teaches us that we have nothing to fear. Instead, we can respond to our fear problem with a brave love that emerges from choosing to let our fear and awe of God overcome our fear of everything else.

Catherine McNiel writes with conviction, wisely guiding us to recognize our fear and, with God's help, not let it limit us to love courageously all who are among us.

The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.

Stay In Touch: Connect on Facebook and Instagram with thoughts, questions, and feedback. Rate, review and share this podcast with anyone that would love to listen. Find Us Online: @aworldof.difference on Instagram and A World of Difference on Facebook, on Twitter at @loriadbr & on Clubhouse @loriadbr.https://linktr.ee/aworldofdifference or loriadamsbrown.com

Interested in one-on-one or group coaching on how to live a life that makes a difference? Check out: https://www.loriadamsbrown.com/coaching

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Belonging: Dr. Mimi Haddad for International Women's Day on Christians for Biblical Equality (replay episode)

Mimi Haddad serves as president and CEO of CBE International and as an adjunct associate professor of historical theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. She is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Summa Cum Laude). She holds a PhD in historical theology from the University of Durham, England. Haddad received an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University 2013. She is serves in leadership with Evangelicals for Justice and is a founding member of the Evangelicals and Women Study Group at the Evangelical Theological Society.

Mimi is an award-winning author and has written more than one hundred academic, popular, and blog articles. She has also contributed to over fifteen books, most recently: “Helping the Church Understand Biblical Gender Equality,” “History Matters: Evangelicals and Women,” and “Human Flourishing: Global Perspectives,” in Discovering Biblical Equality: Complementarity Without Hierarchy (IVP, third edition forthcoming); “Ideas Have Consequences,” in Created to Thrive (CBE International, 2021); “Examples of Women’s Leadership in the Old Testament and Church History” in Women in Pentecostal and Charismatic Ministry, part of the Global Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies Series 21 (Brill NV, 2016); Is Women's Equality a Biblical Ideal? with Sean Callaghan (second edition coming in 2021). Haddad has been also published in journals, magazines and blogs, including Ashland Theological Journal, The Campbellsville Review, Catalyst, Christian Ethics Today, Christianity Today, Evangelical Fellowship of India, Evangelical Fellowship of India Commission on Relief, Sojourners, William Carey Development Journal , Missio Alliance, Her.meneutics, Mutuality, and Priscilla Papers.

Mimi has taught for colleges and seminaries around the world. She has served as a gender and theology consultant with World Relief, World Vision International, and SASA! Faith Beyond Borders. Haddad served as convener of the Issue Group 24 for the 2004 Lausanne III Committee for World Evangelization. Mimi writes, teaches, and speaks on matters related to development, justice, faith and gender. Mimi and her husband, Dale, live in the Twin Cities (Minnesota) and are involved in local ministries.

Mimi is co-host of CBE International’s Mutuality Matters podcast segment, “Global Impact: Egalitarian Activism and Human Flourishing.”

Upcoming Speaking Engagements Request Mimi to Speak/Endorse CBE-Published Resources by Mimi Haddad Non CBE Resources by Mimi Haddad

The A World of Difference Podcast is brought to you in partnership with Missio Alliance.