Behind the Scenes:
Meet the Artist of the 2025 Design Contest
Introducing 2025 Contest Winner: Nga Vương-Sandoval
Community Leader, Advocate…and NOW an ARTIST!
ABOUT THE DESIGN:
My design is inspired by the central theme of water, with a focus on the beauty of slow and intentional movement, symbolized by water globes, which hold cultural symbolism in many traditions. The varying shades of turquoise reflect the essential role of water, particularly in the Dragon Boat Festival. Turquoise also honors the indigenous tribes of Colorado—such as the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Ute, Apache, Pueblo, and Shoshone where it is regarded as a sacred stone. In these communities, turquoise is linked to protection, healing, good fortune, and the connection between the sky and water, symbolizing life itself. The turquoise hue, a blend of blue and green, represents the balance between the heavens and earth, linking the sky and water.
Additionally, my design incorporates the symbol of the Year of the Wood Snake, depicted as a snake coiled within a water globe, drawing from the symbolism in Asian culture. Here, the sky represents the “heavenly realm” or higher power, embodying spirituality, and destiny, while water symbolizes life, adaptability, flow, and feminine energy, a source of nourishment and renewal. Together, these elements reflect the harmonious relationship between the earthly and spiritual realms, with the sky as the governing force and water as the life-sustaining essence on earth.
Nga Vương-Sandoval :
An Artist AND an Advocate!
Nga Vương-Sandoval is the Founder and Executive Director of Refugees + Immigrants United, she is a passionate champion for forcibly displaced communities. Additionally, she leads the groundbreaking program for the Colorado Judicial Department—the nation’s first and only initiative dedicated to diversifying the bench.
A refugee from Việt Nam, Nga’s remarkable journey has propelled her into the global spotlight as a fierce advocate for human rights, with a focus on issues affecting forcibly displaced individuals and marginalized groups. Her impactful work has taken her to international stages, including as a TEDx Presenter and a refugee representative at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland. Nga is also a Noble Ambassador for the Christina Noble Children's Foundation, the Program Services Vice-Chair of Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains Board of Directors, and a founding member and speaker for the Colorado Refugee Speakers Bureau. With a Master’s in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor’s in Political Science, Nga’s commitment to justice and equality drives everything she does, making her a true leader on the local, national, and international stage.
In recognition of her work, Nga received the Colorado Attorney General’s Outstanding Community Service Award, ADL Civil Rights Award, University of Colorado Denver Mack Easton Award, the highest distinguished award given by the CU Denver Alumni Board, and Refugee Congress Excellence Award. She has also advocated to First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to increase the Presidential Determination for refugee admissions. As Chair and Founder for Lunar New Year Allies Advisory Group (LUNA), she successfully led the effort to recognize Lunar New Year as an observed Colorado state holiday. She was named among Denver Westword's "Ten People to Watch," was the subject of a public mural by internationally renowned artist and muralist Thomas “Detour” Evans, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum honors Nga every April for APPI Changemakers Month by displaying banners with her photo along the cultural corridor in Colorado Springs, and she was honored by the Denver Nuggets with the "First Shot" of the game. On April 30, 2025, the State of Colorado and Governor Polis officially proclaimed April 30th as Vietnamese Remembrance and Resilience Day due to this historic proclamation authored by Nga.
Her journey and her advocacy have been featured in United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, USA for UNHCR, Business Insider, Colorado Public Radio, History Colorado Center, Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, Denver Arts and Venues, University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, The Denver Post, The Colorado Sun, Denverite, Denver Westword, University of Colorado Denver, CBS 4 Colorado, Denver 7 News, 9News Colorado, KOAA News5, and KGNU Community Radio. Nga is a transformative advocate who inspires change and champions the rights of forcibly displaced, marginalized and underrepresented communities.