Utah supports refugees through housing, education and jobs. They do this through counties, State, Churches and other non profits all working together with shared common values. For Utah, caring for refugees does not mean you have to be affiliated with a certain party or vote a certain way. Instead, the people of Utah have been able to move beyond fear to a place of compassion and understanding for refugees. They have consistently welcomed refugees and continues to embrace refugees. This is the success of Utah.

Naja has worked in the arts and media world since 1997. She believes in film as a means to effect social change and is passionate about people, the stories they tell and the impact these stories have on our world. Naja is the founder and investor of RYSE Media, a media company dedicated to stories that inspires and compels social change and diversity and serves on the Advisory Board of the Utah Film Commission. Naja continues her lifelong commitment to diversity and serves on the Board of CAAM in San Francisco (Center for Asian American Media), helping filmmakers tell their stories and bring forth issues of the Asian experience in the US and around the world.

Naja is a tireless advocate for refugees in America and volunteers her time with her kids to help with ESL, mentorship and workforce services, which stems from her years with Phillips Brooks House at Harvard University to her current work in Utah. Naja is a graduate of Boston University (B.A.) and Harvard Business School (M.B.A). Prior to moving to Park City with her family, Naja served as Arts Commissioner for the City of San Francisco and was the first Vietnamese-American to be sworn into that position

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx