OneAmerica Votes endorses My-Linh Thai for State Representative in the 41st Legislative District, Position 2. Ms. Thai currently serves on the Bellevue School Board, where she made racial and social equity her focus. She was inspired to the run for Representative in part to allow her to do more to advocate for her constituents, including immigrant and refugee communities. A refugee herself, she came to the United States from Vietnam, and learned first-hand the challenges of building a home with her family in the United States, and how immigrant students especially those who do not speak English are often treated in our school systems. Thai was recently profiled in the NW Asian Weekly, and the Seattle Times and Stranger both announced their endorsement for Thai.
My-Linh Thai is Bellevue School Board President, a health care professional, and an award-winning PTSA parent who has been committed to improving education, providing opportunities, and ensuring quality of life for Eastside families.
On the Bellevue School Board, as a Director, and now as Board President, My-Linh has put to work her ability to listen, build consensus, and achieve common goals to ensure that the district allows all children to develop to their full potential. Her focus has been on enhancing parent and community engagement, establishing high student expectations through a diverse and challenging curricula, closing the Opportunity Gap, and improving district accommodation of students with special needs.
My-Linh also serves as Vice President of the Washington State School Board Directors Association (WSSDA). As a member of the WSSDA Legislative and Equity Committees, she advocates for investments in education statewide and for important reforms so that each and every student has equitable access to educational opportunity. Prior to serving on the School Board, My-Linh and her husband, Don, built a successful pediatric neurology practice from the ground up in Casper, Wyoming. She later worked as a practicing pharmacist in Billings, Montana. In addition, she has volunteered as a medical interpreter and co-taught in Vietnam’s first nursing graduate program.