Alumni Reflect on Purpose, Power, and Public Health at 7th Annual Coretta Scott King Luncheon

Finding the Language for Justice

Neither alumna initially envisioned her current path.

Boulin arrived at Emmanuel intending to become a pediatrician. But a service-learning trip to Eswatini during her undergraduate years shifted her understanding of health. Visiting clinics and witnessing how housing, food access, and environment shaped health outcomes introduced her to concepts she did not yet have language for—social determinants of health, public health infrastructure, structural inequities.

“I didn’t have the language for it at the time,” she said. “But I knew there was more.”

That realization led her to pursue international studies alongside biology and ultimately to earn a Master of Public Health. Today, she grounds her work in what she calls her “divine mission”: creating spaces where people can be authentic, access their power, and have their needs met in unity.

For Truong, volunteering with the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence as a high school student proved formative. There, she began to understand how intimate partner violence intersects with immigration status, language access, and broader social systems.

“It was the first time I found language that helped describe not only others’ experiences, but my own,” she said.

At Emmanuel, leadership opportunities and community engagement deepened her commitment to social work—a field she describes as both challenging and deeply rewarding.

Staying Grounded in a Challenging Climate

In a time marked by political division and shifting policies affecting health, education, and social services, both panelists spoke honestly about sustaining motivation.

Boulin pointed to a tattoo on her ribcage that reads: “Know yourself.”

For her, daily grounding practices are essential. She begins each morning with gratitude, recites personal affirmations, practices yoga and energy healing, and avoids checking her phone for the first half hour of the day.

“If I forget who I am, it’s easy to get destabilized,” she said. “So I regulate myself before I enter the world.”

Truong emphasized self-regulation as well, particularly in an era of constant news and digital overload. “It’s not normal for us to know everything happening everywhere, 24/7,” she noted. Setting boundaries, building community, and focusing on tangible impact help sustain her work.

Both encouraged students not to let current events undermine their sense of calling.

“This profession was here before any administration,” Truong said of social work. “It will be here afterward.”

Advice to Students: Practice Using Your Voice

When asked what advice they would offer Emmanuel students seeking to make an impact, Truong urged them to start now.

“Practice using your voice,” she said. “Call things out for what they are. Learn how to articulate your concerns in a powerful way.”

Speaking truth to power can be uncomfortable, she acknowledged, but it is essential for systemic change.

Boulin added that dreaming beyond what one has seen is equally important. As the first in her family to pursue higher education and advanced degrees, she had to imagine possibilities that were not visible in her immediate environment.

“I didn’t see anyone doing what I’m doing,” she said. “So I had to imagine it was possible.”

She encouraged students to embrace what she described as “delusional belief” in their own potential—a bold vision of abundance that can break cycles of generational trauma and open new pathways.

Creating Safe Spaces to Learn and Grow

In response to questions from staff and students, both alumnae highlighted the importance of psychological safety on campus.

Mistakes, Boulin noted, are opportunities for growth rather than sources of shame. Environments that allow students to take responsibility, learn, and evolve prepare them for professional life.

Truong added that naming what is happening in the broader world—and allowing space for frustration or fear—is equally critical. “Let students say, ‘I’m upset about this,’” she said. “Let’s talk about how it affects you.”

Both women emphasized that small gestures—listening deeply, affirming potential, offering mentorship—can have lasting impact.

“This Is What I’m Supposed to Be Doing”

Asked whether they have ever experienced a moment of clarity—an unmistakable sense that they were in the right field—both smiled.

For Truong, it is often found in subtle shifts: a client who leaves a meeting with renewed hope, or someone who feels seen and heard.

“For me, it’s the relationships,” she said. “Seeing that twinkle of hope in someone’s eye.”

For Boulin, clarity comes in mentoring students—especially Emmanuel students—through paid internships and experiential opportunities she wished she had as an undergraduate. It also comes in her work as a professor, where she intentionally fosters psychological safety and flexibility.

“It feels good to be positioned to do things differently,” she said. “And I see better outcomes.”

As the luncheon concluded, applause filled the room—not only for two accomplished alumni, but for a shared reminder that justice work is sustained through community, courage, and care.

In the spirit of Coretta Scott King’s enduring legacy, the message was clear: know yourself, use your voice, and create spaces where others can do the same.