LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The southwest part of the Las Vegas valley is home to one of the most diverse regions in the entire state. Nearly half of the population in Nevada Assembly District 8 identifies as Asian American and Pacific Islander.
Jaewon Jung had a chance to sit down with the first Asian Assemblyman to represent this area.
UNIQUE DISTRICT
"I wanna make sure I welcome all the small business owners who open in my district... District 8 has a lot of uniqueness that is different from anywhere else in Nevada," says Assemblyman Duy Nguyen.
For more than 20 years, this freshman assemblyman has called Las Vegas home. For most of it, he's lived in southwest District 8, the community he now represents.
"Nevada Assembly District 8 is one of the most diverse districts in our state. That's because we have about close to 40% Asian American Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian here in District 8. There's also about 20% Latinos here, as well as about 13% African-American. We're actually considered a majority minority district," says Nguyen.
He says his unique background helped shape his journey to becoming a state lawmaker.
"So my upbringing as an immigrant brought me to the country with very limited knowledge of how the political process works. Back where Vietnam is, you really don't have a voice. Now, here in Nevada and then the United States, you know, our citizens have a voice," says Nguyen.
Raising the voice of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is one of his driving factors in state legislature. He took office last November, but has hit the ground running.
MAIN PRIORITIES
"The priorities that I have is ensuring that education, language access and economic development," says Nguyen.
Along with being a politician, Nguyen has a few other responsibilities.
"Full time dad. Full time husband full time nonprofit leader," says Nguyen.
HE says it can be overwhelming to juggle work with personal life. Right now during the state legislative session, Nguyen lives in Carson City, Monday through Friday.
"I think the passion is what drives me in the morning when you get up and you know that all of your roles that you are in currently have and will make impact to everyone," says Nguyen.
Father of two, husband, immigrant, nonprofit leader and now political newcomer, Nguyen hopes all his life experiences can help make a difference for Nevada.
"We have so much to do and we need more experience from all walks of life so that our state can truly have a well-rounded perspective," says Nguyen.
