Local Heroes: Stacy Yung and Virginia Nguyen, Empowering Educators to Make Transformative Change

Nominee Name(s): Stacy Yung and Virginia Nguyen
Title: Co-founders, Educate to Empower

About Stacy Yung and Virginia Nguyen

With over 30 years of combined experience in education, Stacy Yung and Virginia Nguyen have dedicated their careers to empowering teachers and cultivating inclusive learning environments.

As co-founders of Educate to Empower, they have trained thousands of educators across Southern California, creating a movement to bring equity, belonging, and student-centered transformation to schools and communities. Virginia and Stacy’s work centers on amplifying voices and building collaborative spaces where students and educators from all backgrounds feel seen, heard, and valued. Through the resources and professional development they create, they foster meaningful dialogues around allyship, social justice, and community-building that extend beyond the classroom.

As founding committee members of the Teaching for Justice conference at UCI, Virginia, and Stacy have demonstrated visionary leadership in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in education. Their commitment to standing in solidarity with marginalized communities has not only uplifted individual narratives but has also contributed to inclusive, empowering spaces for all. Educate to Empower continues to impact education, bridging communities and equipping teachers with the tools and support needed to foster change.

Virginia and Stacy’s unwavering dedication to justice-centered and joy-filled educational environments reflects their belief that education is not just a career but a pathway to social transformation and collective liberation.