Priscilla Chan, Cofounder & Co-CEO, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Priscilla Chan, co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), shares her personal journey, the work of CZI, and her thoughts on education, racial equity, and criminal justice reform.

Key Insights

• 👶 Priscilla Chan's personal experiences as a child of Vietnamese refugees and her journey to success have shaped her commitment to making a positive impact.
• 👨‍⚖️ CZI focuses on education, racial equity, and criminal justice reform, using technology and community-driven solutions.
• 😀 Priscilla emphasizes the need to address the specific barriers faced by different communities and to work together to find solutions.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: Can you share more about the initiatives CZI is working on?

CZI focuses on education, racial equity, and criminal justice reform, using technology and community-driven solutions to solve complex problems.

Q: How do you balance depth and breadth of impact when it comes to making a difference?

Priscilla believes that understanding the specific barriers faced by individuals and communities is crucial to making systemic change. It's about addressing the right problems at the right time.

Q: How can leaders get involved and take action on important social issues?

Priscilla emphasizes the importance of learning, reflection, and understanding the perspectives and needs of different communities. It's about building partnerships and working together to find solutions.

Q: What lessons have you learned about building a successful team at CZI?

Priscilla values clarity, direct communication, and collaboration. She believes that everyone on the team brings different skills and perspectives, and it's important to solve problems together.

Summary

In this video, Priscilla Chan, co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, discusses her family's journey from Vietnam to America, her experiences of being bullied and working hard to achieve her goals, and her transition from medicine to philanthropy. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the problems one is trying to solve, staying close to the work, and being both a depth and breadth thinker. Priscilla also shares her insights on solving health disparities, building successful teams, and facing tough moments as a leader.

Questions & Answers

Q: Can you share the story of how your family left Vietnam and came to America?

My grandparents, who were business partners, made the difficult decision to smuggle their children out of Vietnam by sending them off in boats. They paired up their children into twos or threes to increase their chances of survival in case any boat sank. It took about a decade for everyone to reunite, but ultimately, they all made it safely. This story highlights the immense decision parents make for their families and the optimism and faith required in such situations.

Q: How did your early experiences of being bullied and growing up in Massachusetts shape you?

As an outsider in an Irish Catholic town, I didn't fit in, but I believed there had to be more to life if I worked hard enough. I made the decision to buckle down and strive for something better. This led me to Harvard, where I initially felt like a failure and a fraud. However, joining the Phillips Brooks House and seeing others with similar stories giving back inspired me to do the same. I learned the importance of not hiding and being upfront about who I am, which gives me power to be my best self.

Q: When did you realize that the problems were bigger than you and that you needed to get involved in systemic change?

I had a moment of realization when I failed to properly advocate for an eight-year-old boy in my practice. He had missed a year of school due to a miscommunication between his mom, the school, and me about his supposed seizure disorder. This experience made me realize that the way we care for our most vulnerable is broken, and I needed to do something about it. I spent months searching for existing solutions, but when I realized they didn't exist, I decided to take action and start a school while also starting the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

Q: How do you balance depth and breadth of impact in your work at CZI?

I believe that to make real change, you need to understand both depth and breadth. While my brother, a doctor, focuses on depth by helping one patient deeply, my work at CZI focuses on breadth by addressing systemic issues. However, to truly make an impact, you must understand the barriers and problems that affect people's lives. At CZI, we strive to stay close to the work and partner with communities to understand their specific needs, which helps us create meaningful and scalable solutions.

Q: How can leaders get involved in addressing pressing challenges, such as health inequities?

Leaders should start by learning and reflecting on the issues at hand. In the case of health disparities, it's crucial to take a community-centric approach and understand the barriers that different communities face. By partnering with these communities and empowering them to contribute to the solutions, leaders can make a real impact. It's important to remember that not every solution works for everyone, so collaboration and a deep understanding of the context are key.

Q: What are the principles you rely on when facing tough moments as a leader?

In tough moments, I draw inspiration from the children and families I have served over the years. I remind myself of the lessons learned from their experiences and work towards solving their problems. Collaboration is also crucial, as no one person has all the answers or sees the whole solution. By coming together, we can achieve meaningful change. Lastly, I remind myself that this work is a lifelong journey, and it's necessary to break it down into manageable pieces to keep moving forward.

Takeaways

Priscilla Chan's personal journey and work at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative demonstrate the importance of understanding the problems one aims to solve, staying close to the work, and fostering both depth and breadth of impact. By collaborating with communities, addressing health disparities, building successful teams, and staying resilient in tough moments, leaders can contribute to creating a better future for all.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Priscilla Chan discusses her family's history as Vietnamese refugees and their journey to the United States.

• She shares her experiences of being bullied as a child and how it shaped her determination to succeed.

• Priscilla talks about the importance of addressing systemic issues and making a positive impact in the lives of others.