Vu Le Challenges the Status Quo in the Non-Profit Sector

"The Day With Trae" recently featured an insightful interview with author Vu Le, where he discussed his upcoming book and the vital work he has done to shed light on the nonprofit sector. Host Trae Holiday welcomed Le to the show, emphasizing the importance of the topic, especially for those involved in community-based organizational work and community organizing.

Le, who holds a master's degree in social work and has spent two decades running nonprofits and serving as an executive director, shared his motivation for writing the book. He observed that much of the existing literature on nonprofits is overly academic, stating, "There's a lot of joy and humor in the nonprofit sector and there's also a bunch of stuff that we think about but we don't say," expressing his deep affection for the sector and his desire to enhance its effectiveness.

The book, officially titled "Reimagining Nonprofits and Philanthropy: Unlocking the Full Potential of a Vital and Complex Sector," aims to highlight the often-underappreciated role of nonprofits in society. "The work that nonprofits do is like air, which people just don't think about until they really need it,” Le said. He also delved into the complex relationship between philanthropy and nonprofit work, pointing out that while nonprofits rely heavily on grants and donations, the origins of much wealth are rooted in inequitable means. He pointedly noted, "We become a system to launder the conscience for a lot of inequity."

The conversation also tackled the nonprofit industrial complex and the neverending competition for funding. Le questioned the fundamental existence of nonprofits, suggesting they often arise from the failure in government or unchecked capitalism. He urged the sector to envision a future where many nonprofits might not be needed, stating, "How do we create a future where many nonprofits are just not there?”

A key theme in his work is the loss of imagination within the sector, which Le identified as one of the "nine horsemen of nonprofit and philanthropic ineffectiveness." He encouraged a return to the lofty vision statements of many nonprofits, asserting, "We need to start reclaiming our vision and reclaiming our imagination, not just for our sector, but for all of society." He imagined a world with universal basic income, healthcare, free education, and housing as a basic human right, drawing parallels to the utopian vision of "Star Trek" where capitalism is no longer a destructive force. 

Le’s upcoming book is set to be released on October 14th. Readers can find more information about his work on nonprofitaf.com and on his Instagram at @nonprofitaf.