# Amanda Nguyen

> Amanda Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American civil rights activist, author, and commercial astronaut who founded the nonprofit Rise after surviving sexual assault as a Harvard senior. She drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, which passed Congress unanimously in 2016, and has helped pass dozens of laws protecting survivors. Nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize and named a 2022 Time Woman of the Year, she became the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman in space aboard Blue Origin's NS-31 flight on April 14, 2025, fulfilling an astronaut dream she set aside for a decade to fight for survivors.

- **Role:** CEO and Founder at Rise
- **Organizations:** Rise, Rise Justice Labs, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, U.S. Department of State (former), NASA (intern), Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (former)
- **From:** California, United States
- **Nationality:** American (Vietnamese-American)
- **Education:** Diploma, Centennial High School, Corona, California, Bachelor of Arts, Harvard University, Scientist-astronaut candidate, International Institute for Astronautical Sciences
- **Known for:** Drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, passed unanimously by the U.S. Congress and signed into law in 2016, Founded Rise, which has helped pass dozens of survivor-rights laws across the United States, Nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize

## Career timeline

- **2011** — Interned at NASA and researched exoplanets at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
- **2013** — Graduated Harvard University; survived sexual assault during her final semester
- **2014** — Served as Deputy White House Liaison at the U.S. Department of State; founded Rise in November
- **2016** — Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act passed Congress unanimously and was signed into law by President Obama
- **2019** — Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize; hosted first Survivor Town Hall at the United Nations; received Heinz Award
- **2021** — Viral video sparked national coverage of anti-Asian violence; became a scientist-astronaut candidate
- **2022** — Named a Time Woman of the Year; UN resolution passed recognizing access to justice for survivors
- **2025** — Published memoir Saving Five (NYT bestseller); flew aboard Blue Origin NS-31 on April 14

## Achievements

- Drafted the Sexual Assault Survivors' Rights Act, passed unanimously by the U.S. Congress and signed into law in 2016
- Founded Rise, which has helped pass dozens of survivor-rights laws across the United States
- Nominated for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize
- Named a 2022 Time Woman of the Year
- First Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman in space (Blue Origin NS-31, April 14, 2025)
- Published Saving Five (2025), a New York Times bestselling memoir
- Received the 2019 Heinz Award for Public Policy
- Helped pass a 2022 UN resolution on access to justice for survivors of sexual violence
- Forbes 30 Under 30; Foreign Policy Top 100 Global Thinkers; BBC 100 Women

## Latest updates

- **2025-03** — Published her memoir Saving Five, which debuted on the New York Times Best Seller list.
- **2025-04** — Flew aboard Blue Origin NS-31, becoming the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman in space.
- **2025-11** — Became the first Vietnamese woman to appear on a solo Vogue Singapore cover.

## Links

- Website: https://amanda.website/
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-nguyen-7359a021
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/nguyen_amanda
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amandangocnguyen/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amandangocnguyen/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/amanda-nguyen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-25