Falls Church hires a Vietnamese outreach specialist

*A Vietnamese New Year festival at the Eden Center.*

The City of Falls Church has hired a Vietnamese outreach specialist to advance the city’s relationship with the Vietnamese community.

Le Nguyen (Nguyễn Ngọc Lễ), a former journalist, most recently with Voice of America, is using his Vietnamese heritage and bilingual fluency to engage with the community.

The outreach position, launched as a six-month pilot, was identified as a need during discussions on revising the East End Small Area Plan, which includes the Eden Center. The plan was adopted in 2023.

The Viet Place Collective, which advocated for the position, collaborated with city officials to recruit candidates. “We see this role as a tool to proactively fight displacement,” the organization states.

Nguyen’s responsibilities include maintaining relationships with Vietnamese small businesses, grocery stores, restaurants, language schools, business groups, faith institutions, and residential communities to promote services and resources.

He is also charged with connecting Vietnamese-speaking residents to housing, health, emergency, and other services.