Who is Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen?
Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen is Mayor Pro Tem of Garden Grove, a laboratory cancer scientist, wife and mother of three active sons.
As a Council Member for the City of Garden Grove, she has worked closely to build coalitions with the Garden Grove Unified School District, nonprofits, labor, and first-responders to collaboratively promote education, public safety, and enhance business growth and career opportunities in the City of Garden Grove.
Diedre was first elected to serve on the Garden Grove City Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2018. During the pandemic, she has championed financial relief for renters who desperately need it, assistance to small businesses, and funding for non-profits providing direct help to local residents.
Diedre and her family know about sacrifice. Her Dad, a Marine Major, fought alongside U.S. troops in Vietnam. When Saigon fell in 1975, Vietnamese communists imprisoned him for eight years and treated as slave labor.
This has meant Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen knows what extremists who believe their view is the only view can do to a country and its people. That’s why she’ll work to protect our Democracy, work to bring people together, work across political ideologies to make sure we see and hear one another as neighbors, not enemies.
Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen received her Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biological Sciences, from the University of California, Irvine and Master of Sciences (MS) degree, in Clinical Genetics from California State University, Dominguez Hills. She holds two Clinical Laboratory Professional Licenses in California.
A lifelong community activist and voice for diverse communities, Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen has served as a board member for the Lunar New Year TET Parade/Festival, board member for the Vietnamese Young Marines, a Vice Chair for the 2013 Hurricane Haiyan, Philippines Fund Raising and has held a multitude of Vietnamese community appointments which promote community unity, diversity, collaboration and engagement.
Council Member Nguyen is a second degree Hapkido Blackbelt. She and her husband are raising three children in public schools. Her hobbies include promoting youth leadership skills and mentoring various youth organizations, supporting her sons’ Taekwondo competition team, and enjoying motorcycling with her husband.
Diedre's Vision
I’m running because too many hard-working people find it harder and harder to achieve or maintain the upward mobility and Middle Class prosperity California has offered for so long. Healthcare costs, college tuition, a lack of retirement savings, care for the elderly are all putting pressures on families who feel squeezed more than ever.
I’m not a politician. I’m a Laboratory Cancer Scientist, Garden Grove City Council member, wife and mother of three active sons. I share the values of our community, especially the idea that if you work hard and do what’s right you should get ahead. That will be my focus.
I look forward to talking with you as the campaign progresses and hope to hear your ideas and aspirations for bringing positive change to our community.
Diedre's Pro-Democracy,
Pro-Human Rights Record
- Vietnamese Young Marines (Founder/President) 2003-Now
- Coordinating Committee of Vietnamese American Youth Organizations (BAN LIÊN LẠC CÁC HỘI ĐOÀN GIỚI TRẺ VIỆT NAM) (Coordinator) 2012-Now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Annual Black April event (Commemorate April 30, 1975) from 1990s-Now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Annual South Vietnamese Armed force Day 1990s-Now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Commemorate King Hung’s day 1990s-Now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Little Saigon Tet Parade 1990s-Now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Children Festival 2016-now
- Organize and volunteer annually for Human Right Night 1990s-Now
- Volunteer annually for Disable Veteran and Widow Concert since 2008-Now
- Organized and volunteered Walk for Refugee 2015
- Organized many candlelight vigils advocate for Human Right and Democracy for Vietnam. In addition, for Hong Kong (Yellow Umbrella 2014) and Democracy for Hong Kong 2019
- Organized and volunteered for many relief effort fundraising events many years including: Marching for Refugees in 1990s, Katrina 2005, hurricane Sandy 2012, Haiyan 2013.
