Episode #204: Remote Year CEO Tue Le on Nomading in Africa, Amplifying Marginalized Voices, and The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Episode Summary

Remote Year’s CEO, Tue Le, joins Matt in Cape Town on the opening month of Remote Year’s first all-Africa itinerary.  She begins by talking about her parents background—leaving Vietnam, coming to U.S. as refugees, and settling in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Tue talks about growing up in a culturally diverse neighborhood, getting into hip hop, and developing her political consciousness as well as her interest in international travel, and explains how she made enough money to take her first international trip to Madrid at age 17.  Tue then talks about the evolution of her Vietnamese-American identity, her close connection with the Black community, and her love for HBCU homecoming parties.  She also talks about her college experience at Yale, the further development of her politics and identity, and shares some reflections on her studies of genocide.  Tue talks about spending over 5 years on the continent of Africa, reflects on her first trips to Rwanda and Sudan, and explains how Remote Year selected the countries for their first all-Africa itinerary.  She then tells the story of going back to Vietnam for the first time, going to her dad’s village for the first time, and why she prioritizes connecting with the Vietnamese diaspora around the world.  Tue then talks about her transition into the digital nomad lifestyle and discusses the importance of amplifying marginalized and underrepresented stories while traveling.  She then talks about joining the Remote Year staff and spearheading their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) journey over the last 6 years.  Tue then explains how Remote Year introduces participants to marginalized communities without participating in poverty tourism, how Remote Year selects positive-impact initiatives without falling into the pitfalls of “voluntourism”, and how Remote Year intends to scale its business without contributing to nomad-gentrification of local communities. She also talks about Remote Year’s partnership with Venture Noire to launch a global accelerator program for Black entrepreneurs.  And, finally, Tue shares her vision for the future of Remote Year and offers Maverick Show listeners a credit towards their first Remote Year program by using the link in the Show Notes.  FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT: www.TheMaverickShow.com

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What You'll Learn
  • How to engage with marginalized communities but avoid “poverty-tourism”
  • How to make a positive impact while avoiding the pitfalls of “voluntourism”
  • How and why to amplify underrepresented stories while traveling
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 TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

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Time Stamped Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

[3:45] Remote Year’s First All-Africa Itinerary

[5:55] Matt and Tue talk about Cape Town, South Africa

[9:54] Tue’s Parents’ Journey from Vietnam to the U.S.

[12:25] Cultural Diversity in The San Francisco Bay Area

[13:28] Tue’s Connection with Hip Hop

[16:42] The Development of Tue’s Political Consciousness

[19:07] Developing Her Passion for International Culture, History and Politics

[21:24] Tue’s First International Trip

[22:57] Tue’s Vietnamese-American Identity

[25:00] Road-Trip to HBCU Homecomings

[27:46] Developing Her Social and Political Views in College

[29:40] Reflections on Her Genocide Studies

[34:04] Tue’s First Trip to Rwanda

[37:50] Tue’s Experience in Sudan

[39:46] Spending 6 Years Collectively in Africa

[41:12] Selecting Remote Year’s First All-Africa Itinerary

[43:44] Tue’s First Time Traveling Back to Vietnam

[46:42]: Tue’s First Time Traveling Back to Her Dad’s Village

[51:13] Connecting with the Vietnamese Diaspora

[52:45] Transitioning into the Digital Nomad Lifestyle

[54:21] Amplifying Marginalized and Underrepresented Stories while Traveling

[57:08] Spearheading Remote Year’s Diversity, Equity (“DEI”) and Inclusion Journey

[1:02:52] Remote Year’s Specific Steps Towards “DEI”

[1:07:19] Avoiding Voyeuristic Poverty Tourism

[1:10:40] Making a Positive Impact While Avoiding the Pitfalls of “Voluntourism”

[1:14:01] Preventing The Nomad-Gentrification of Local Communities

[1:18:11] Remote Year’s Partnership with Venture Noire

[1:20:14] Tue’s Vision for the Future of Remote Year

[1:21:02] How to Learn More and Get a Credit Towards Your First Remote Year Program

[1:22:53] The Lightning Round

[1:32:36] Follow and Connect with Tue

lady with a warm smile

Tue Le

Tue Le is the CEO of Remote Year. Over the past 6 years, Tue has helped build Remote Year into the leading and most trusted community-based platform for remote working and learning globally. Today, Remote Year enables location-independent professionals to live and work in different cities around the world as part of an immersive cultural and community experience. Participants get to work and live like a local for 1, 4, or 12 months in some of the world’s most vibrant cities with a group of other professionals from different backgrounds and industries.  For a monthly fee, Remote Year plans all the logistics including flights, accommodations, workspace access with 24/7 wifi, as well as connecting you with locals and planning activities on the ground in each city.  Remote Year also offers social impact programs as well as week-long retreats.  At the time of this recording, over 3,000 participants have gone through the Remote Year program. Prior to Remote Year, Tue held leadership positions at the largest consumer products company in the world, Procter & Gamble. She led brand-building and growth for iconic billion dollar brands, won numerous awards, and also served as an executive consultant for other Fortune 50 companies.  Tue is also heavily involved in non-profit causes focused on closing social inequities around the world, and is always thinking of how to make the world a better place each day.  She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Political Science from Yale University. She has been a full time digital nomad with no base for over 8 years, travels the world with carry-on luggage only, and has been to over 140 countries.

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