Trang Tu

Cedar River Group Affiliate

Global Citizen, Community Builder, Disadvantaged Peoples’ Champion

Trang Tu goes the distance — and more. Whether running a marathon, or assisting Vietnamese communities with recovery after Hurricane Katrina, or writing a successful $1 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to redevelop public housing, Trang puts everything she has into the effort. And what she has is impressive.

After earning a Bachelor’s in Economics from Harvard College and a Master’s in Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Trang was a community planner at INTER*IM Community Development Association, where she completed a strategic plan for Chinatown/International District in Seattle. As a planner in the City of Seattle Planning Office, Trang worked with residents to complete four light rail station area plans. She then served as Special Assistant to the Mayor (of Seattle) for Housing and Community Development, where she advised on policy and projects in urban planning and design, community and neighborhood development, housing, land use, economic development, and refugee communities.
 
In 2004, Trang launched Trang D. Tu Consulting. Her practice focuses on underserved communities and community-based and organizational development. Examples of projects include: a needs assessment and grants development for philanthropic investment in Hurricane Katrina recovery; community economic development strategies and culturally-relevant business technical assistance in Seattle’s International District and Little Saigon; an analysis of barriers to fair housing; culturally-appropriate organizational development trainings for community nonprofits; market/feasibility research for expansion of a community-based health clinic; and trainings for public service fellows in community organizing and development, cultural competency, and conflict management.

Cedar River Group has been pleased to bring Trang in as a partner on many projects. These have ranged from identifying potential roles for the philanthropic community in disaster preparedness in Washington state, to researching migrant farmworker housing needs, to writing federal grant applications for affordable housing and public health agencies.

Trang’s passion for empowering those among the most disadvantaged — refugees, immigrants, women and girls — shows also in her community activities. You can find her researching global human trafficking, leading girls wilderness education courses, and serving on the boards of such community nonprofits as the International District Emergency Center, and the Asian Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center. In any other spare time, Trang pursues her passions for rock climbing, running, backpacking around the world, or tending her home in South Seattle. Catch up with her if you can!