Thao Ha understands that social justice holds different meanings for people. For some folks, it means helping improve the lives of people who’ve been marginalized or otherwise shut out from opportunities. For others, “it’s a threat to a way of life that they think should be preserved.”
“For me, the challenge is to navigate and negotiate the diversity of perspectives and positions. My goal is to always try bringing people together and finding common ground in order to advance the work I want to do,” she says. “There will always be people who will be unhappy with you. I don’t fret over those who disagree with me even after we’ve had conversations. What matters to me is that I am at the table and have an impact on making incremental changes for the communities I serve.”
It’s that kind of commitment to serving others that led to her nomination and selection as a 2024 recipient of the Nancy Jamison Fund for Social Justice award. Jamison was president and CEO of Catalyst of San Diego and Imperial Counties (formerly known as San Diego Grantmakers), a collective of organizations, businesses, and individuals connected with groups and programs focused on social change; she died in 2021. Ha, along with fellow recipient Jamie Arangure, founder of Proyecto Trans Latina, will each receive an unrestricted $50,000 grant to advance their work.
Ha, 50, lives in Oceanside and is a sociology professor at MiraCosta College and coordinator of the school’s Transitions Scholars Program, which provides for students who were previously incarcerated through meetings, workshops, field trips, help with applications, selecting classes, applying for scholarships, and other activities. She took some time to talk about her plans for the award money, her parents’ influence on her social justice work, and learning about the value of relationships.
Q: You have bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in sociology. Your profile on MiraCosta College’s website talks about a personal experience that influenced your decision to study sociology. Can you talk about what led you to focus on this subject and pursue a career in this field?
A: In high school, I was living a double life. I made good grades, but had gotten involved with gangs. When I started college, I wanted to be a writer and major in English. My parents discouraged the idea because they didn’t see how that could be a “real job” that would “make good money.” When I entered the University of Houston, I declared biology with plans to go into the medical field. As a first-generation college student, I had trouble navigating college, and the biological sciences were not my ion. After years of changing majors and poor grades, I was frustrated and felt that college probably wasn’t for me. I got a job at a computer shop in hopes of finding a career path in that field, but my life changed dramatically in 1997. During a gang shooting outside a pool hall, I was shot in the arm. Around the same time, my boyfriend was convicted of aggravated assault and sentenced to 60 years in prison. I then decided to turn my life around. I returned to college and majored in sociology with plans to become a lawyer, but a professor convinced me to become a sociology professor instead.
Q: What was your goal early in your career, with regard to the kind of work you wanted to do and what you wanted to accomplish? And how has that evolved in the years since?
A: When I started studying sociology, I wanted to become a lawyer so that I could help my friends and family who were navigating the criminal justice system. Due to the model minority myth, the myth that all Asians do well in life, we have overlooked that Southeast Asian refugees have been caught up in the criminal justice system and have had few resources to them. But as a sociology professor, I feel that I can inspire others to move in the collective force of providing resources to help whatever community we are interested in. For the area of criminal justice, my roles as a sociologist, a community leader, and philanthropist have all allowed me to justice-involved individuals on a much broader level than just my own friends and family.
What I love about Oceanside…
I love Oceanside because when I first moved here, what people described as the gritty side of it appealed to me. Even today, as it has developed (and in many pockets, has gentrified), I find it still pleasant, diverse, and friendly. I hope that as it continues to grow and develop, that our city leaders find the courage to strategically its tourist destination status while also addressing housing costs, homelessness, jobs, and infrastructure so that anyone living or working in Oceanside can reach their full potential. Everyone who visits me loves Oceanside. Oceanside is my home, and I have no plans to leave any time soon.
Q: Congratulations on receiving a 2024 Nancy Jamison Fund for Social Justice award. What does it mean to you to be recognized for your work in this way? And, what are your plans for the $50,000?
A: I’m still in shock. I’m not really good with recognition as I prefer to be working in the background and just getting work done. Of course, it feels great to be recognized, but it’s more important to me that the work gets done to serve people in need. So, I guess what it means to me to be recognized is that people are ing the work, and that the recognition is focused on how important it is to the justice-involved community.
I’m starting a nonprofit to serve the justice-involved population in North County. It is a service area that is not abundant, and we often have to send our students and others in the community to San Diego for such services.
Q: Where did your interest in, and commitment to, this kind of work begin? What first created that spark in you to pursue making the world more equitable and just?
A: As a refugee, growing up I was influenced by the generosity, hospitality, and charity that I saw my parents provide to others. We didn’t have much, but they always gave whatever they could to help. They lent or gave money, they let people stay in our home for extended periods of time, they drove them to places, they co-signed loans for cars and even homes, they provided meals all the time. I observed how appreciative people were and how they were able to make their lives better or improve their situation after my parents helped them. So, it’s been instilled in me to live a life like them. They’re my inspiration.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: I’m not sure what the “best” advice is, but perhaps the most impactful advice I’ve learned is to be a good listener. Be present and in the moment and really focus on the person or people you’re with because this leads to good relationships. And, one valuable lesson in life, and in sociology, is that relationships are everything.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A: That I would describe myself as an introvert. People see me out there in the world, in the public eye, and I’m on nonprofit boards, giving public speeches, networking and mingling at big events. And, I’m chatty! But I can only manage that for a short period of time. I have to go home, find solitude, rest, and meditation. It’s the way I recharge so I can go back out into the world and connect with everyone.
Q: Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A: If I don’t have an organizational or social event, my ideal San Diego weekend is cleaning (I love a clean and decluttered home), reading a book, a beachside walk, dining out with a friend or small group of friends, and extra play time with my dog.
