Cindy Nguyen

Cindy is a first-generation Vietnamese American, born and raised in Houston, Texas. She graduated from Rice University with a B.A. in Studio Art and Psychology. Her passion for the environment began with an impulse to draw her favorite animals. She is an aspiring environmental educator and artist-activist.

While at Rice, Cindy was deeply involved with the Rice Vietnamese Student Association. She developed a passion for community through coordinating VSA's College Leadership Workshop and organizing performances for the annual Lunar New Year Show on campus. As a studio art major, Cindy specialized in drawing, painting, and mixed media collages, often incorporating visual patterns, thread, and fabric in her work. For her Senior Thesis Exhibition, Cindy created works which reflected on the constant destruction and reconstruction of the natural environment and its living creatures. Cindy also participated on environmental advocacy service trips through the Alternative Spring Break program and eventually co-led a trip to Sacramento to explore human rights to water. It was after this project that she decided to pursue work in the environmental field. Because she was one of few Asian Americans working in places like an art gallery or a conservation wildlife center, it became increasingly important for Cindy to advocate for diversity and inclusivity. She then became involved with OCA: Asian Pacific American Advocates as a community volunteer, intern, and student board member. 

As a RAY Fellow, Cindy worked in corporate partnership communications and wrote stories for Ocean Conservancy's blog. She collaborated with Ki'Amber Thompson (2018) in conducting a diversity assessment of the blog and a storytelling project on climate justice in the Gulf of Mexico. She also participated in field research in Nam Định, Vietnam with the Trash Free Seas Program where they conducted a baseline assessment of marine debris in Xuân Thủy National Park.

In her down time, she enjoys art exhibitions and concerts, starting new art projects, podcasting about tv shows, and catching up on books.