Minh-Châu Lê
Minh-Châu Lê has been part of the beloved Plum Village community since 1996 and joined the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation Board in 2016. She has made significant contributions to Thay's biography and to this course.
She is currently pursuing a PhD in history at Columbia University with a focus on twentieth century Vietnamese and US history, decolonization, and global migration. Her dissertation will be on the South Vietnamese Buddhist movement during the Vietnam War. Before starting her doctoral studies, Minh-Châu worked for four years as a digital campaigner and nonprofit strategy consultant in New York City -- collaborating with a range of organizations focused on refugee resettlement, women's rights, gun reform, creative technology, and civic participation.
Minh-Châu enjoys being near bodies of water, taking care of plants, playing guitar, reading, singing, and writing. She is inspired by people who are fiercely compassionate and grounded in love. She was ordained in the Order of Interbeing with the name Chân Biểu Thiện (True Manifestation of Goodness).
A quote by Thích Nhất Hạnh that inspires her is: "Love and understanding are not only concepts and words. They must be real things, realized in oneself and society."
