BY JEREMY NGUYEN PHUONG, NGUYEN-PHUONG FAMILY FOUNDATION
I recently had the privilege of co-hosting a next-generation leaders lunch with Asia Philanthropy Circle, joined by changemaker titan Jacqueline Novogratz.
I had no specific expectations for the gathering. I just knew we needed more safe spaces for next gen leaders—and that Jacqueline could hold that space beautifully. She did not disappoint.
What stayed with me wasn’t a single insight. There’s something powerful about being in a room where people are navigating similar tensions—between legacy and individuality, duty and freedom, certainty and doubt. It reminds us that we are not alone in this.
Now that I have had time to digest—not just because there was so much food that day—I want to share a few reflections from this gathering.
Doing What’s Right, Not What’s Easy
In a world that feels increasingly complex and uncertain, how do we stay grounded in our values?
One idea that stayed with us during the lunch was about doing what is right, not what is easy. It is a radical act. It sounds obvious, but in practice, it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient. It asks us to rethink how we deploy capital, how we define success, and who we are ultimately serving.
“Making capital work for communities—not just returns—requires courage, patience, and often going against the grain.”
Jacqueline shared stories of changemakers displaying two key practices of courage and confidence. Courage never arrives fully formed. It starts small—speaking up in a conversation, asking difficult questions, choosing the harder right over the easier wrong. But each time we act with courage, it builds up to become easier the next time. It will shape us into who we are.
Confidence works the same way. It isn’t something we magically have before we act—it’s something we build because we act. Each step we take, even imperfectly, reinforces a belief that we can navigate uncertainty, that we can hold complexity without needing all the answers.
We all have good and bad in us. It’s often easier to judge than understand. What if we looked for even a fraction of truth in perspectives we disagree with? Not to agree, but to stay open. Because the moment we start demonising others, we stop learning. And when we stop learning, we stop leading.
There is no perfect roadmap for moral leadership. But maybe that’s the point. We all want our lives to count for something and have purpose—whether it’s fighting for justice, against poverty, or against climate catastrophe.
The Role of a Community: APC and others
“Show me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are.” I have been part of APC for over 7 years. I remember feeling imposter syndrome during gatherings and being a new face in established places. The next-gen drinks after venn2023 perfectly captured the feeling that it wasn’t quite ready yet.
Since the last venn, I have seen APC evolve to shine more conversations around the next-gen voices and experiences. These spaces matter. They remind us that despite our differences, we share values in wanting to build a better world.
A common hope mentioned during the lunch was the need to create a safe community of peers who understand each other. One idea that came up was to create intergenerational salons around topics—less on theory of change and more about what really matters. This could be about redefining success, about dreams, about regrets, and about human experiences.
In many ways, this is what mentorship for our generation can look like: not giving answers, but helping each other ask better questions.
Because courage builds on itself. Confidence builds on itself. And community? The community does the work together. Community is where courage is witnessed, where confidence is reinforced, and where ideas are challenged and strengthened.
An Invitation to build together
If there’s one thing I’m taking away, it is this: we are not meant to figure this out alone.
If you are navigating these questions around leadership, family, values or philanthropy/service, consider this an invitation. It’s important to start by reaching out, asking for advice..Talk with your tribe, or reach beyond your usual circles. Even slightly uncomfortable conversations with loved ones can be revealing. We might have more parallels or experiences in common than we realise.
And if this resonates, consider this an open invitation to step into APC’s Next Gen community. Come to a gathering, or even host a salon. We welcome ideas, differing perspectives, and honest reflections—this is a space to share openly, including the challenges you’re navigating.
For the now-gen, we also invite you to pull up a chair—mentor someone finding their way, or simply share your experience over a coffee or a drink (or a few).
I hope to see this community learn a little faster, lead better together, and enjoy the journey along the way. I am looking forward to seeing how this community grows and supporting each other to leave a world better than we found it.
Jeremy Nguyen-Phuong is the co-founder of Udentity, an education technology company that supports learning institutions with their digital marketing and recruitment. He also supports his family’s service work through the Nguyễn-Phương Family Foundation.