PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jennie Nam is always up for a challenge.
Nam, an insurance broker since 2017, comes from a family of Cambodian refugees. After helping her family run their businesses, including a Chinese takeout spot, she branched out and has been tackling one endeavor after the other.
“I’m willing to take chances when it comes to bettering myself and helping the community, but when I sit back and think of all the changes and who I impact, that matters to me. That stands out,” she said.
In recent years, Nam worked for the city's commerce department and did outreach for Councilmember Nina Ahmad. Currently, she’s the commercial corridor manager of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, connecting new and existing businesses with resources to give them a boost, as well as the neighborhood.
“The word is “co-creating” Kensington. I just want to see changes, I want make their lives a little bit better," said Nam.
She stands up for Kensington. A few years ago, she organized a rally to stand up against anti-Asian hate. “I said, you know what I have to do this. I have to really put on my big girl boots and make some noises,” she said.
Another of Nam's accomplishments has been taking the Southeast Asian Market at FDR Park to a new level. Her husband is a vendor and she played a big role in creating the official vendors association in 2021.
“The ultimatum basically was from the city saying, 'Hey, if you don’t organize your community, you’re gonna get kicked out.'”
The market’s popularity has skyrocketed, becoming a destination for locals and tourists who get a taste and a feel for the AAPI culture in Philly.
“Over the time I feel like we really did this and made it a sense of community," she said, "and we empowered each other to feel like we belong here.”