Dear Friends,

I hope you and your loved ones are doing well in this pandemic.  COVID-19 has taken away so many lives in our city, state, country and the world.  It has damaged so many families as well as our economy.  But, it also forces us to reassess our priorities, determine what is most important in our lives, and what we can do to help contribute to our communities and families.

I have decided to run for District 5.

I have been involved in the politics of Silicon Valley for 35 years.  It is time to put my knowledge and relationships I have built with mayors, elected officials, public officers, community service leaders and business owners to work for District 5.  

District 5 is a community of families that love their neighborhoods and I admire the kindness that our District-5 families have for our communities.  But, we need City Hall support and strong leadership to strengthen our neighborhoods.  We simply have to drive around our District-5 to witness the neglect of past officials. 

I want to change the current course of District-5.

Three weeks before I decided to run for District-5, a Dharma friend of mine came to my office with a box of organic persimmons from her garden.  I automatically pulled out plastic bags and put some in each bag to share with my business neighbors.  While I was happily picking the fruits from the box I realized she was totally silent.  When I looked up, she was in tears.

First, I thought someone in her family died and she needed my help with the 49-day prayers for the deceased person.  It turned out that yesterday she went to her favorite supermarket here in District-5, on the way out a beggar came to her and asked for money.  She searched in her purse, found a five-dollar bill and offered it to him.  He was wearing a dark sweater with a hood that covered his face.  When he took the money from her hand, he looked up to say thank you, but then ran away leaving her behind. 

When she realized who she had given the money to, she burst into tears, It was her brother.  He left home for more than six months and her family had thought he just went to another city or state to find a new job.  Have we ever stopped and think who the homeless people or beggars are in our district or city.  Have we ever thought they are actually our brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues.  They are not strangers, they are actually our own people, community and family members.

You see, life presents us with challenges all the time, like what we have been facing during these past two years.  Not only has COVID-19 destroyed many lives, it also closed out many mom-and-pop businesses for good, leaving their stores completely empty.  Business center after business center are completely deserted.  Subsequently, homeless encampment and graffiti flourish everywhere like a ghost town.

But, if we have our families come together, extend to our neighborhoods, everyone is looking after someone, then no matter how many challenges presented in front of us, we shall prevail.  The same is true with our District-5, we can out beat any situations if we care for each other, know our neighbors and help them when they in need of help.  It’s all about getting to know each other and find ways to work together to solve our common social issues together, get all the services and resources available to work on our behalf.  

What is really sad is that there has been no true city council leadership in City Hall for our District-5 for the past 20 years to actually tackle:

  • public safety 
  • homelessness
  • clean streets 
  • creating a vibrant business environment
  • harmonious and prosperous neighborhoods

the quality of life that we all in District-5 deserve.

My Friends, with my 35 years of community and business experience I will be right there at locations that need to be taken care of.  I have done this successfully in other districts where I was hired to help make a difference.  I will have incentive programs and services to help our residents get involved, take control of our neighborhoods and enjoy the diversity of our cultures in our District-5. 

Together we can build:  

  • a better, safer, healthier District-5
  • a harmonious environment
  • prosperous business neighborhoods
  • unity in diversity
  • our programs will emphasize people, kindness and compassion
  • strong family and strong District-5

Together We Will Make the East Side San Jose, the Best Side San Jose

HG Nguyen for San Jose City Council D-5 2022