Kuong Chhang Ly

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“I discovered my passion for social justice and inequality issues at a young age and was determined to make positive sustainable change in my community and the world around me. Passion, combined with determination and constant support from family, friends, and mentors allowed me to follow my heart and do what I saw as right and just.”

  • Program: 2009 Graduate Scholarship Recipient
  • Resides: Woburn, MA
  • Hometown: Woburn, Massachusetts
  • Age: 25

Biography

PROFILE: Kuong Chhang Ly was born near Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in a refugee camp and raised by parents who escaped the genocide in neighboring Cambodia. The family came to America when Kuong was a toddler, and settled in historic Woburn, just north of Boston. Kuong, a graduate of Boston College (BC) with a Philosophy degree, is also a Truman Scholar and a Marshall Scholar, and received several other honors during his undergraduate days at BC. The fact that the young man witnessed so much heartache at such an early age became the impetus for his future life’s work. From stories his parents told him as a child, Kuong developed a personal fascination and interest in human rights issues, particularly the health needs of refugees and displaced people. “Mine was a childhood entrenched in humble beginnings that give me a global perspective of power and privilege.”

INSPIRATION: Kuong said it would not be fair to try to name one teacher or mentor who influenced his life and future course. “Throughout my educational journey, I have had the privilege of having many teachers, mentors, and friends who have taken me under their wings and opened up doors of opportunities that may not have been presented to me given the context of my life. To them, I am and will always be, grateful for their investment in my being.” Kuong also said his family is the driving force behind his will to succeed and his passion to help others.

ASPIRATION: The young man from north of Boston is passionate about many things, but protection of human rights for the world’s most vulnerable populations is Kuong’s passion. It is his life’s mission to advocate a right to health for those displaced by war and conflict. His niche may be the merger of refugee rights and health rights, something that has been overlooked, he said, by many human rights advocates. 

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Since graduation from BC in 2008, Kuong has worked as a Consumer Health Quality Organizer at Health Care For All in Boston, an organization that seeks  to create a consumer-centered health care system that provides quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable.

ACCOLADES: In addition to receiving the Truman and Marshall Scholarships, Kuong also was awarded a Harvard Galbraith Inequality and Social Policy Fellowship as well as the Edward H. Finnegan, SJ, Memorial Award at Boston College. He was named to USA Today’s All-Academic First Team, which recognizes 20 outstanding undergraduate students nationwide.

INTERESTING FACT: Kuong traveled to four different continents, ten different countries (none in Europe), two Native American reservations, and Tibet while he was a student at Boston College.

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