The Honorable Rich Tran, Mayor of Milpitas, CA

Mayor Rich Tran grew up in Milpitas, CA, the city where he now serves as the mayor.  

Not only is he the youngest mayor in Silicon Valley, he is also the city's first Vietnamese American mayor.  As a newcomer to politics, he faced tough odds during his mayoral race - he was outspent two-to-one by one candidate and was up against another candidate who had been involved in local politics for decades.

Mayor Tran obtained his undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Sociology at University of California, Los Angeles.  He went on to earn his Master of Social Work at San Jose University and his Master of Public Administration at New York University Wagner School of Public Service in.

On how it feels be to be home...
It feels great to be home after a few years in New York City. The Bay Area and Silicon Valley have the most opportunities in the world and I couldn't be more fortunate to be the youngest mayor in Silicon Valley. It's really a complete deal I have, considering this is my hometown.  It's especially nice knowing that I am a 10 minute drive to see my mother and not a six hour flight.

On whether his age or ethnicity affected the race he ran or the work he's doing now...
Quite frankly, I think my age and race had a positive effect during my candidacy. Folks in Milpitas wanted someone with less experience in politics to mix it up and bring a new set of eyes to city hall.
Milpitas is home to approximately 10,000 Vietnamese-American residents that make up 15% of all voters. The thing I'm most proud of is the fact that I was able to garner 38.5% of all votes, demonstrating that well over half of my support comes from people from all corners of the world.
I would admit that my age is not close to the average age of other elected officials. I usually stand out in the room due to my age, but it's been fun - the other elected officials like to have fun with my age and I enjoy it too. When it comes to the actual work, I've come to find people will respect you for your knowledge, which I work hard to ensure.

On being a mayor in a culturally diverse city...
I set out to be a mayor that represents all people, with equal consideration. At the same time, I am sensitive to different cultures and their unique needs. There is certainly a balancing act that is required when representing a city as diverse as Milpitas is. It's all about understanding people, and I don't think there's anybody in my city that can understand people like I do.

On who inspires him...
If I had to list one person for this feature, I would have to go with our 44th President, Barack Obama. I graduated from UCLA in 2007 and actually worked in real estate construction finance leading up to the Great Recession. By 2008, I was out of a job and going broke when I become more interested in politics. I remember working as a restaurant waiter to pay my rent and I would always watch the television and see this presidential candidate named Barack Obama. He inspired me at my worst times and the rest is history.

On the best advice he received...
The best advice I received when I won was "If you do good in office, then you'll be around for a long time." Admittedly, there are many temptations when holding so much power. Everyone wants to be your best friend and treat you like it's your birthday everyday. 

On what he wants to tell other Vietnamese Americans who want to run for office...
I would advise other Vietnamese Americans to totally run for office - win or lose, it's a great life lesson. I lost my first city council race! Everyone has their own motivation to run for office, but as long as you follow your heart, you'll be fine.

Fun facts...

• I used to be an aspiring rapper in college, performing at VSAs across the country, from Boise State all the way to the University of Illinois.
• I studied theater acting in West Village while living in New York City in my 20's. I was a background extra in various television shows like Law and Order.
• I worked at Sequoia Capital as a Human Capital Associate for over 100+ tech startups before leaving venture capital for local politics.