Kim Thái, shares the story of how her parents Chánh and Phượng Thái met, fell in love, and began their journey as husband and wife, only to get separated by the aftermath of the war in Việt Nam. During the height of the war, her father was stationed abroad, and made the decision to return to Việt Nam to be with his wife and baby, even though many had advised him not to. Upon his return, her father was imprisoned in a re-education camp, everything was taken from them and her mother had to find a way to raise their child alone. Their story is one that proves above all else, love prevails through war, separation, and hardship, even when all odds are stacked against you. This episode celebrates 50 years of their love and marriage.    This episode is directed and produced by VBP 2023 Mỹ Việt Story Slam storyteller Kim Thái, a writer and Emmy-award winning producer whose work can be seen on MTV, TED,  New York Magazine’s The Cut, Newsweek, and Buzzfeed.    Show Credits: VBP Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Interview conducted by Kim Thái and Khuê Thái Farmer Episode directed and produced by Kim Thái Sound design and editing by Jess Kaufman  Music Credits Of Virtue, Pensive Gaze, Her own device, Hybrid rhythmics, Once in a life, Until Now, A Quiet Storm, Inspiration 

Kim Thái, shares the story of how her parents Chánh and Phượng Thái met, fell in love, and began their journey as husband and wife, only to get separated by the aftermath of the war in Việt Nam. During the height of the war, her father was stationed abroad, and made the decision to return to Việt Nam to be with his wife and baby, even though many had advised him not to. Upon his return, her father was imprisoned in a re-education camp, everything was taken from them and her mother had to find a way to raise their child alone. Their story is one that proves above all else, love prevails through war, separation, and hardship, even when all odds are stacked against you. This episode celebrates 50 years of their love and marriage.  This episode is directed and produced by VBP 2023 <a href="http://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/storyslam" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mỹ Việt Story Slam </a>storyteller <a href="https://www.thekimthai.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kim Thái</a>, a writer and Emmy-award winning producer whose work can be seen on MTV, TED,  New York Magazine’s The Cut, Newsweek, and Buzzfeed.  Show Credits: VBP Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Interview conducted by Kim Thái and Khuê Thái Farmer Episode directed and produced by Kim Thái Sound design and editing by Jess Kaufman Music Credits <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/SCbkIZXAtS/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Of Virtue</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/SvRis8WPS9/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pensive Gaze</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/Qgvk0MgttB/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Her own device</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/pCQLBf0ksz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hybrid rhythmics</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/GdK09tdxDH/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Once in a life</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/AwW8OW05tn/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Until Now</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/vWm2SnEJX6/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">A Quiet Storm</a>, <a href="https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/cvaPmIiYXe/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Inspiration</a>

#52 A Love Story

Siblings Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn grew up together in the San Francisco Bay Area in a boisterous Vietnamese American family. In 2019, their father, Nguyễn Khánh Hưng, a first-generation immigrant from Việt Nam, passed away. To pay tribute to their father, the siblings participated in our 3rd Annual Mỹ Việt Story Slam in 2022 with their spoken word piece, “Ngày Về Của Bố” (roughly, “The Day of Dad’s Return”), a reflection on grief and Vietnamese mourning rituals. In this special episode of Vietnamese Boat People, the Nguyễn siblings are at the helm as our first-ever guest hosts. They’ve brought their group dynamic and conversational style to Vietnamese Boat People’s format, in order to delve into their father’s life, legacy, who he was, and his unique and multifaceted experiences.  The siblings also host a podcast called Growing Up Nguyễn, a story of 4 siblings holding onto our identity while fulfilling our parents’ dreams: the blessings and challenges of being Nguyễn in America.  Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Broken Bowl, POLLYANNA MAXIM; Joy in the Little Things, SAYURI HAYASHI EGNELL  “Ngày Về Của Bố”: courtesy of Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn

Siblings Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn grew up together in the San Francisco Bay Area in a boisterous Vietnamese American family. In 2019, their father, Nguyễn Khánh Hưng, a first-generation immigrant from Việt Nam, passed away. To pay tribute to their father, the siblings participated in our <a href="https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/2022-storytellers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">3rd Annual Mỹ Việt Story Slam</a> in 2022 with their spoken word piece, “Ngày Về Của Bố” (roughly, “The Day of Dad’s Return”), a reflection on grief and Vietnamese mourning rituals. In this special episode of Vietnamese Boat People, the Nguyễn siblings are at the helm as our first-ever guest hosts. They’ve brought their group dynamic and conversational style to Vietnamese Boat People’s format, in order to delve into their father’s life, legacy, who he was, and his unique and multifaceted experiences. The siblings also host a podcast called <a href="https://www.growingupnguyen.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Growing Up Nguyễn</a>, a story of 4 siblings holding onto our identity while fulfilling our parents’ dreams: the blessings and challenges of being Nguyễn in America. Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Broken Bowl, POLLYANNA MAXIM; Joy in the Little Things, SAYURI HAYASHI EGNELL “Ngày Về Của Bố”: courtesy of Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn

#51 Ngày Về Của Bố

The Vietnamese Boat People’s fourth annual Mỹ Việt Story Slam celebrates stories from the Vietnamese diaspora, and explores the theme of Ba, Mẹ ơi. Five storytellers were selected from an open call for submissions, to share stories about their mom, dad, or someone they consider to be a parent-figure. This live, virtual event features Cindy Truong (Connecticut), Vanessa Nguyễn (New York), Kim Thai (New York), Geoff Vu (Liverpool), and Nicole Ngo (Sydney) with guest appearances from Jackie Nguyễn, entrepreneur and owner of CafeCaphe and filmmaker Bao Nguyễn. The event replay and featured stories can be viewed online at www.vietnameseboatpeople.org Thank you to this year's Story Supporters: Qeep Up, VietFive Coffee, Key to Teas, Red Boat Fish Sauce, Hello to Chao, Quill Hawk Publishing, Media Vines, Traveling Calligrapher, Kahana Press, Contemporary Arts Network.    Episode Credits Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Story Slam Production Team: Megan Do, Saoli Nguyễn, Bella Nguyễn, Tricia Vuong, Matt Young  VBP Theme Song: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Solidarity On; John T Graham, Featuring Michael Stenmark

The Vietnamese Boat People’s fourth annual Mỹ Việt Story Slam celebrates stories from the Vietnamese diaspora, and explores the theme of Ba, Mẹ ơi. Five storytellers were selected from an open call for submissions, to share stories about their mom, dad, or someone they consider to be a parent-figure. This live, virtual event features Cindy Truong (Connecticut), Vanessa Nguyễn (New York), Kim Thai (New York), Geoff Vu (Liverpool), and Nicole Ngo (Sydney) with guest appearances from Jackie Nguyễn, entrepreneur and owner of CafeCaphe and filmmaker Bao Nguyễn. The event replay and featured stories can be viewed online at <a href="http://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/2023-storytellers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.vietnameseboatpeople.org</a> Thank you to this year's Story Supporters: <a href="https://qeepupnation.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Qeep Up</a>, <a href="https://www.vietfive.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VietFive Coffee</a>, <a href="https://keytoteas.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Key to Teas</a>, <a href="https://redboatfishsauce.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Red Boat Fish Sauce</a>, <a href="https://hellotochao.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hello to Chao</a>, <a href="https://quillhawkpublishing.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Quill Hawk Publishing</a>, <a href="https://www.mediavines.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Media Vines</a>, <a href="https://www.travelingcalligrapher.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Traveling Calligrapher</a>, <a href="https://alisonlihalakha.com/salted-plums-a-memoir-of-culture-and-identity/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kahana Press</a>, <a href="https://www.thecontemporaryartsnetwork.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Contemporary Arts Network. </a> Episode Credits Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Story Slam Production Team: Megan Do, Saoli Nguyễn, Bella Nguyễn, Tricia Vuong, Matt Young  VBP Theme Song: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Solidarity On; John T Graham, Featuring Michael Stenmark

#50 2023 Mỹ Việt Story Slam

Kevin Truong was born in a refugee camp. His mom fled Việt Nam with his two older sisters, while two months pregnant with him. Kevin grew up in Oregon ashamed of his immigrant mother and how un-American their lives felt. For the past ten years Kevin has been working on a documentary called Mai American. The film is about a 70-year-old Vietnamese American refugee living in Oregon who writes down her life story, indelibly shaped by the War in Việt Nam. As she shares what she has written with Kevin, they begin separate but parallel journeys confronting the traumas of their past and the emotional divide in their present.The film is more than just a story about a Vietnamese refugee, or the immigrant experience, it is an American story and at the heart of it, a story about the relationship between a mother and a son.  Mai American is one of five film projects participating in the 2023 DocPitch, a film pitching competition presented by the California Film Institute - Each of the five projects have a pitch online, and audiences get to vote to help the project of their choice win $45,000. Voting is Free! You can view Kevin’s pitch online and vote for his project to help get it to the finish line! Go to https://www.doclands.com/docpitch-mai-american/   Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Fugetsu, SAYURI HAYASHI EGNELL; Somewhere Ahead, DANIEL KAEDE Mai American trailer: courtesy of Kevin Truong  

Kevin Truong was born in a refugee camp. His mom fled Việt Nam with his two older sisters, while two months pregnant with him. Kevin grew up in Oregon ashamed of his immigrant mother and how un-American their lives felt. For the past ten years Kevin has been working on a documentary called <a href="https://maiamerican.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mai American</a>. The film is about a 70-year-old Vietnamese American refugee living in Oregon who writes down her life story, indelibly shaped by the War in Việt Nam. As she shares what she has written with Kevin, they begin separate but parallel journeys confronting the traumas of their past and the emotional divide in their present.The film is more than just a story about a Vietnamese refugee, or the immigrant experience, it is an American story and at the heart of it, a story about the relationship between a mother and a son.  Mai American is one of five film projects participating in the 2023 DocPitch, a film pitching competition presented by the California Film Institute - Each of the five projects have a pitch online, and audiences get to vote to help the project of their choice win $45,000. Voting is Free! You can view Kevin’s pitch online and vote for his project to help get it to the finish line! Go to <a href="https://www.doclands.com/docpitch-mai-american/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.doclands.com/docpitch-mai-american/</a> Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Fugetsu, SAYURI HAYASHI EGNELL; Somewhere Ahead, DANIEL KAEDE Mai American trailer: courtesy of Kevin Truong

#49 Mai American

Buried Ruins is a play written by Vietnamese American actor and playwright, Carolina Đỗ . It started out as a series of interviews that Carolina did with her parents, over the course of almost nine years, and turned into a personal writing project about memory and wishful dreams. The play is centered around a series of torturously absurd family dinners interrupted by glitches of memories of the past. It is a reflection of Carolina’s own experiences about Vietnamese parents and daughters trying to get through to one another despite generational trauma and the force of cultural assimilation. The play premiered in a staged reading in New York City with an all Vietnamese team, both onstage and backstage. This episode features discussions with Carolina, "Buried Ruins" director Cara Hinh, and actor Bi Jean Ngo. The conversation delves into the making of "Buried Ruins", the process of learning about one's parents, and what it’s like to be Vietnamese American in the theater industry.  Note: This episode contains some adult language that may not be appropriate for all ages.  Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: A Certain Shade of Blue: Paper Twins, Inside Clarity: Synthetic Tides

Buried Ruins is a play written by Vietnamese American actor and playwright, <a href="https://www.carolinado.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Carolina Đỗ </a>. It started out as a series of interviews that Carolina did with her parents, over the course of almost nine years, and turned into a personal writing project about memory and wishful dreams. The play is centered around a series of torturously absurd family dinners interrupted by glitches of memories of the past. It is a reflection of Carolina’s own experiences about Vietnamese parents and daughters trying to get through to one another despite generational trauma and the force of cultural assimilation. The play premiered in a staged reading in New York City with an all Vietnamese team, both onstage and backstage. This episode features discussions with Carolina, "Buried Ruins" director Cara Hinh, and actor Bi Jean Ngo. The conversation delves into the making of "Buried Ruins", the process of learning about one's parents, and what it’s like to be Vietnamese American in the theater industry. Note: This episode contains some adult language that may not be appropriate for all ages.  Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyễn Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyễn VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: A Certain Shade of Blue: Paper Twins, Inside Clarity: Synthetic Tides

#48 Buried Ruins

Lisa Phu is an Alaska-based journalist and the creator of "Before Me", a limited series chronicling her mother’s journey to America. Lisa has always wanted to record her mom's story but never quite found the right moment, until she gave birth to her first child in 2016 and her mom came to care for them both. During that visit, Lisa's mom finally shared the real story about growing up in Cambodia, fleeing genocide by the Khmer Rouge, surviving as a gold dealer in Vietnam, building a home in America while navigating the fallout and traumas of war… and carrying the future of her children throughout the journey. Lisa shares her 5-year journey in making the series from the first day she pressed record to releasing the story, Before Me with Self Evident Media.    "Before Me" is a 5-part story that follows one woman’s life, from Cambodia to America, over the course of decades. But it’s also a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter about their family’s history — through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings. To make Before Me, Lisa was awarded an Individual Artist Grant from the Juneau Arts &amp; Humanities Council and did a residency at Alderworks Alaska Writers &amp; Artists Retreat. She was an AIR New Voices scholar in 2017 and an AIR Edit Mode fellow in 2021.   Photo: Lan Phu holds her granddaughter Acacia in 2016 Oct Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Editing Support: Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Free Mind: Wildflowers, In-Between Heartbeats: Headlund

Lisa Phu is an Alaska-based journalist and the creator of "Before Me", a limited series chronicling her mother’s journey to America. Lisa has always wanted to record her mom's story but never quite found the right moment, until she gave birth to her first child in 2016 and her mom came to care for them both. During that visit, Lisa's mom finally shared the real story about growing up in Cambodia, fleeing genocide by the Khmer Rouge, surviving as a gold dealer in Vietnam, building a home in America while navigating the fallout and traumas of war… and carrying the future of her children throughout the journey. Lisa shares her 5-year journey in making the series from the first day she pressed record to releasing the story, <a href="https://selfevidentshow.com/listen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Before Me with Self Evident Media. </a> "Before Me" is a 5-part story that follows one woman’s life, from Cambodia to America, over the course of decades. But it’s also a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter about their family’s history — through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings. To make Before Me, Lisa was awarded an Individual Artist Grant from the Juneau Arts &amp; Humanities Council and did a residency at Alderworks Alaska Writers &amp; Artists Retreat. She was an AIR New Voices scholar in 2017 and an AIR Edit Mode fellow in 2021. Photo: Lan Phu holds her granddaughter Acacia in 2016 Oct Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Editing Support: Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Free Mind: Wildflowers, In-Between Heartbeats: Headlund

#47 Live Episode! Making Before Me w/Lisa Phu

PodSwap with Self Evident podcast! Before Me is a limited series launched by Self Evident with Alaska-based journalist Lisa Phu, chronicling her mother’s journey from Cambodia to America over the course of decades. The story unfolds between Lisa and her mother Lan as the two care for Lisa's first born daughter — and for the first time, Lan feels ready to share her own experiences fully with Lisa, on tape. But it’s also a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter about their family’s history — through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings. Because while we may never fully understand the reality of those who came before us, every story is a chance to get closer.  Listen to the full show at Self Evident podcast Episode Credits: Created, written, and produced by Lisa Phu Edited by Julia Shu Fact checking by Harsha Nahata and Tiffany Bui Sound design by James Boo Additional support from Cathy Erway Original theme music by Avery Stewart Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Audio engineering by Dave Waldron and Timothy Lou Ly Cover art and show name created by Christine Carpenter Audience engagement by Rekha Radhakrishnan Thanks to Ben Kiernan for participating in the research and reporting process Huge thanks and gratitude to Lan Phu “Before Me” is a Self Evident Media production. The show’s Executive Producers are James Boo, Lisa Phu, and Ken Ikeda.  This project is also supported in part by the Juneau Arts &amp; Humanities Council and the City and Borough of Juneau. Thanks to the Alderworks Alaska Writers &amp; Artists Retreat for the residency they provided for this project.

PodSwap with <a href="https://selfevidentshow.com/listen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Self Evident</a> podcast! Before Me is a limited series launched by Self Evident with Alaska-based journalist Lisa Phu, chronicling her mother’s journey from Cambodia to America over the course of decades. The story unfolds between Lisa and her mother Lan as the two care for Lisa's first born daughter — and for the first time, Lan feels ready to share her own experiences fully with Lisa, on tape. But it’s also a long overdue conversation between mother and daughter about their family’s history — through war and violence, separation and loss, endings and beginnings. Because while we may never fully understand the reality of those who came before us, every story is a chance to get closer.  Listen to the full show at <a href="https://selfevidentshow.com/listen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Self Evident</a> podcast Episode Credits: Created, written, and produced by Lisa Phu Edited by Julia Shu Fact checking by Harsha Nahata and Tiffany Bui Sound design by James Boo Additional support from Cathy Erway Original theme music by Avery Stewart Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions Audio engineering by Dave Waldron and Timothy Lou Ly Cover art and show name created by Christine Carpenter Audience engagement by Rekha Radhakrishnan Thanks to Ben Kiernan for participating in the research and reporting process Huge thanks and gratitude to Lan Phu “Before Me” is a Self Evident Media production. The show’s Executive Producers are James Boo, Lisa Phu, and Ken Ikeda. This project is also supported in part by the<a href="https://www.jahc.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Juneau Arts &amp; Humanities Council</a> and the City and Borough of Juneau. Thanks to the <a href="https://alderworksalaska.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alderworks Alaska Writers &amp; Artists Retreat</a> for the residency they provided for this project.

#46 Bonus Episode: Before Me

PodSwap with Seven Million Bikes Podcast!  Suzanne Thi Hien Hook was a baby found on the street and placed in an orphanage during the Vietnam War. She’s Amerasian; with a Vietnamese mother and an African-American soldier father. She was adopted into a white English family and moved to the UK when she was just three years old. Unfortunately it was not the beginning of a happy childhood that many would expect. Despite an abusive upbringing she became a trained chef, gained a business degree and started a successful company. In 2006 she visited Vietnam for the first time to connect with her roots. That experience changed the trajectory of her life. There she met other children in orphanages which had a profound effect on her. When she returned to the UK, she realized money didn’t buy happiness, and sold all of her possessions to start Allambie orphanage in Vietnam. She wanted every child, orphaned, adopted, fostered, or living in the streets to be cared for, and most importantly wanted to give them a sense of belonging.  This episode contains topics on abuse. Episode Credits:  Seven Million Bikes Podcast Host &amp; Producer: Niall Mackay Seven Million Bikes theme music composed by Lewis Wright VBP Host &amp; Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo

PodSwap with Seven Million Bikes Podcast! Suzanne Thi Hien Hook was a baby found on the street and placed in an orphanage during the Vietnam War. She’s Amerasian; with a Vietnamese mother and an African-American soldier father. She was adopted into a white English family and moved to the UK when she was just three years old. Unfortunately it was not the beginning of a happy childhood that many would expect. Despite an abusive upbringing she became a trained chef, gained a business degree and started a successful company. In 2006 she visited Vietnam for the first time to connect with her roots. That experience changed the trajectory of her life. There she met other children in orphanages which had a profound effect on her. When she returned to the UK, she realized money didn’t buy happiness, and sold all of her possessions to start Allambie orphanage in Vietnam. She wanted every child, orphaned, adopted, fostered, or living in the streets to be cared for, and most importantly wanted to give them a sense of belonging. This episode contains topics on abuse. Episode Credits: <a href="https://sevenmillionbikes.com/avietnampodcast/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seven Million Bikes</a> Podcast Host &amp; Producer: Niall Mackay Seven Million Bikes theme music composed by Lewis Wright VBP Host &amp; Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo

#45 Bonus Episode: Suzanne Thi Hien Hook

The stories we share on Vietnamese Boat People are often harrowing tales of people surviving adversities and finding strength and resilience to move forward. Diving into their family histories and trauma, our interviewees can all be described as brave and introspective. And the same can also be said about our listeners. Over the years, listeners have reached out to us sharing how the podcast has given them a newfound connection with the culture. Our desire to bring people together to share stories and experiences, along with inspiration from podcasting colleagues Self Evident and PRX, led us to organize the first VBP listening party (kinda like a book club!).  Several members of the VBP team met up virtually to listen to and discuss episode 31: The Escape. It was our first time doing this as a group, and the experience was recorded in order to serve as a guide for anyone who wishes to do something similar. Our conversation became a deep dive into one of the most intricate stories we’ve featured, as well as a behind-the-scenes discussion about how the episode came together. We hope this inspires you to host your own listening party with students, communities or just with friends and families.   Featuring: Tracey Nguyen Mang, Saoli Nguyen, Matt Young, Bella Nguyen, Anthony Nguyen, and Brandon Nguyen The video version of this episode can be found on the VBP YouTube channel and on our videocast page. Episode Credits: Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyen VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Hop In (Instrumental Version): Iso Indies

The stories we share on Vietnamese Boat People are often harrowing tales of people surviving adversities and finding strength and resilience to move forward. Diving into their family histories and trauma, our interviewees can all be described as brave and introspective. And the same can also be said about our listeners. Over the years, listeners have reached out to us sharing how the podcast has given them a newfound connection with the culture. Our desire to bring people together to share stories and experiences, along with inspiration from podcasting colleagues <a href="https://selfevidentshow.com/participate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Self Evident</a> and <a href="https://training.prx.org/programs/google-podcasts-creator-program" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">PRX</a>, led us to organize the first VBP listening party (kinda like a book club!).  Several members of the VBP team met up virtually to listen to and discuss <a href="https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/podcast/episode/b035a6fb/31-the-escape" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode 31: The Escape</a>. It was our first time doing this as a group, and the experience was recorded in order to serve as a guide for anyone who wishes to do something similar. Our conversation became a deep dive into one of the most intricate stories we’ve featured, as well as a behind-the-scenes discussion about how the episode came together. We hope this inspires you to host your own listening party with students, communities or just with friends and families.   Featuring: Tracey Nguyen Mang, Saoli Nguyen, Matt Young, Bella Nguyen, Anthony Nguyen, and Brandon Nguyen The video version of this episode can be found on the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsnS7oe14YDoTga5ypfX_UA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VBP YouTube channel</a> and on our <a href="https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/videocast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">videocast page</a>. Episode Credits: Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyen VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Hop In (Instrumental Version): Iso Indies

#44 Bonus Episode: Listening Party

Family Histories &amp; Emotional Truths: Healing Thru Writing An intimate discussion with three Vietnamese-Americans who turned to writing as a way to confront and reconcile with their histories and upbringings. Featuring: Alison Hong Nguyen Lihalakha, author of Salted Plums ; Christina Vo, author of The Veil Between Two Worlds ; Len Tran, author of Split Up By The Sea  Replay of the discussion is also available on Vietnamese Boat People Youtube channel  Episode Credits:  Host &amp; Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Supported by New Jersey Council for the Humanities 2022-23 Action Grant and Quill Hawk Publishing in effort to inspire the community to learn about family histories and contribute stories to the VBP Journeys digital collection at www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/journeys 

Family Histories &amp; Emotional Truths: Healing Thru Writing An intimate discussion with three Vietnamese-Americans who turned to writing as a way to confront and reconcile with their histories and upbringings. Featuring: <a href="https://alisonlihalakha.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Alison Hong Nguyen Lihalakha, author of Salted Plums ;</a> <a href="https://www.christinavo.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Christina Vo, author of The Veil Between Two Worlds ;</a> <a href="https://www.lenvtran.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Len Tran, author of Split Up By The Sea </a> Replay of the discussion is also available on <a href="https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/videocast" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vietnamese Boat People Youtube channel</a> Episode Credits: Host &amp; Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Supported by New Jersey Council for the Humanities 2022-23 Action Grant and Quill Hawk Publishing in effort to inspire the community to learn about family histories and contribute stories to the VBP Journeys digital collection at <a href="http://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/journeys" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/journeys</a>

#43 Bonus Episode: Healing Thru Writing

The Vietnamese Boat People podcast is stories of hope, survival and resilience. Between 1975 to 1992, almost two million Vietnamese risked their lives to flee oppression and hardship after the Vietnam War, in one of the largest mass exoduses in modern history. Escaping by boat, many found freedom in foreign land, many were captured and brutally punished, and many did not survive the journey. This population of people are known as the ‘Vietnamese Boat People‘ and these are their stories. Support the show and the mission to elevate our stories at www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/donateWe are a 501(c)3 tax-deductible organization. Thank you for your support!

Thi and Phuong Nam Doan are two sisters born in Portland, Oregon. In 2020, their mom was diagnosed with lewy body dementia, a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning and independent function. The family has been navigating how to take care of a woman who used to take care of them. Their cousin, Andy Nguyen remembers how his aunt has always been like a second mother to him. The three grew up as a very close unit and they share how much the mom is the foundation in their lives. She is the matriarch of their family, the eldest who always cared for her younger siblings, the driving force behind the parents' escape from Vietnam and the caregiver to many. The recent news of the diagnosis has been hard for the family, and also the mom who has a hard time accepting it, feeling guilt and shame for putting a burden on her family. The three cousins share how they are navigating ambiguous loss/grief, a term that describes the grief one may feel for a loved one who has dementia.  If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with dementia, here are some resources shared by Thi Doan.  https://www.asianmhc.org/ has a directory of Asian American therapists Family Caregiver Handout in Vietnamese Fact Sheet on Dementia in Vietnamese Information on Dementia in Vietnamese For Lewy Body Dementia For Alzheimer's Dementia A podcast by Bambu care called "What the Dementia"  Episode Cover Art: https://www.thidoanart.com  4thWorldPress: The Day I Woke Up Different  Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producer: Tricia Vuong VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Heat Dream: Patrick Latham, Marigold Spring: Daniel Kaede, Recovering Hope: Spirits of Our Dreams, First Time for Everything: Trevor Kowalski

Thi and Phuong Nam Doan are two sisters born in Portland, Oregon. In 2020, their mom was diagnosed with lewy body dementia, a type of progressive dementia that leads to a decline in thinking, reasoning and independent function. The family has been navigating how to take care of a woman who used to take care of them. Their cousin, Andy Nguyen remembers how his aunt has always been like a second mother to him. The three grew up as a very close unit and they share how much the mom is the foundation in their lives. She is the matriarch of their family, the eldest who always cared for her younger siblings, the driving force behind the parents' escape from Vietnam and the caregiver to many. The recent news of the diagnosis has been hard for the family, and also the mom who has a hard time accepting it, feeling guilt and shame for putting a burden on her family. The three cousins share how they are navigating ambiguous loss/grief, a term that describes the grief one may feel for a loved one who has dementia.  If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with dementia, here are some resources shared by Thi Doan.  <a href="https://www.asianmhc.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.asianmhc.org/</a> has a directory of Asian American therapists <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lciGm7IShWuqD3hp0g3F0SND_u0HE5EC/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Family Caregiver Handout in Vietnamese</a> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v_wkglOAmRoujGAgQevFEzz3C47MPPLQ/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fact Sheet on Dementia in Vietnamese</a> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FYA9AAn6zCnyDuCXqQyHGtaaUUN8NKfF/view?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Information on Dementia in Vietnamese</a> <a href="https://www.lbda.org/local-support-groups/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">For Lewy Body Dementia</a> <a href="https://www.alz.org/help-support/community/support-groups" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">For Alzheimer's Dementia</a> A podcast by Bambu care called "<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-the-dementia/id1494802478" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What the Dementia</a>"  Episode Cover Art: <a href="https://www.thidoanart.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thidoanart.com</a> 4thWorldPress: <a href="https://4thworldpress.com/products/the-day-i-woke-up-book" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Day I Woke Up Different </a> Episode Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producer: Tricia Vuong VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other music: Heat Dream: Patrick Latham, Marigold Spring: Daniel Kaede, Recovering Hope: Spirits of Our Dreams, First Time for Everything: Trevor Kowalski

#42 - Ambiguous Grief

Trung Lê Nguyễn was born in 1990 in a refugee camp in Palawan, Philippines. His parents escaped Vietnam by boat and resettled in Minnesota, USA shortly after Trung was born. He grew up learning English with his parents through picture books and was always specifically drawn to fairytales. He studied Art History in college and eventually found himself gravitating towards being an artist. Trung's list of accomplishments and published works includes DC Comics, Oni Press, Boom! Studios, and Image Comics. The MAGIC FISH is his debut graphic novel. It is about an immigrant family, interweaving fairytales with the story of a young Vietnamese boy struggling to find the right words to tell his parents about his sexuality. THE MAGIC FISH is a warm and loving story that reminds young readers that they should be able to expect those who love them to accept them for who they are. In our conversation with Trung, he shares his own experiences of telling his parents he is gay. Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Sound Editor: Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Sun Therapy (instrumental + full mix), Sum Wave

Trung Lê Nguyễn was born in 1990 in a refugee camp in Palawan, Philippines. His parents escaped Vietnam by boat and resettled in Minnesota, USA shortly after Trung was born. He grew up learning English with his parents through picture books and was always specifically drawn to fairytales. He studied Art History in college and eventually found himself gravitating towards being an artist. Trung's list of accomplishments and published works includes DC Comics, Oni Press, Boom! Studios, and Image Comics. <a href="http://www.trungles.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The MAGIC FISH</a> is his debut graphic novel. It is about an immigrant family, interweaving fairytales with the story of a young Vietnamese boy struggling to find the right words to tell his parents about his sexuality. THE MAGIC FISH is a warm and loving story that reminds young readers that they should be able to expect those who love them to accept them for who they are. In our conversation with Trung, he shares his own experiences of telling his parents he is gay. Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Sound Editor: Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Sun Therapy (instrumental + full mix), Sum Wave

#41 - Live Episode! The Magic Fish

​Many of us have experienced losses that have changed our lives. We have lost loved ones to war, harsh living conditions and arduous migrations or to illnesses, age and more recently to the pandemic. But sometimes the loss can be an invaluable object, a community, a place we call home or a state of being. The process of losing someone or something that is irreplaceable can turn our world upside down. However, the journey to heal can lead us to finding ourselves again. For 2022, we invited storytellers  Alexander Nguyen, Qui-Shawn Tran, Mai Tran, Trinh Mai, and siblings Huong and Karin Hanh Nguyen, to share their experiences of loss in our 3rd annual Mỹ (American) Việt (Vietnamese) Story Slam event, ‘LOST &amp; FOUND’. To view the stories visit https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/2022-storytellers  Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Sound Editor: Matt Young Event Producers: Megan Do, Saoli Nguyen, Tricia Vuong VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Midnight Sunlight (instrumental + full mix), Tap Machines

​Many of us have experienced losses that have changed our lives. We have lost loved ones to war, harsh living conditions and arduous migrations or to illnesses, age and more recently to the pandemic. But sometimes the loss can be an invaluable object, a community, a place we call home or a state of being. The process of losing someone or something that is irreplaceable can turn our world upside down. However, the journey to heal can lead us to finding ourselves again. For 2022, we invited storytellers  Alexander Nguyen, Qui-Shawn Tran, Mai Tran, Trinh Mai, and siblings Huong and Karin Hanh Nguyen, to share their experiences of loss in our 3rd annual Mỹ (American) Việt (Vietnamese) Story Slam event, ‘LOST &amp; FOUND’. To view the stories visit <a href="https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/2022-storytellers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/2022-storytellers</a> Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Sound Editor: Matt Young Event Producers: Megan Do, Saoli Nguyen, Tricia Vuong VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Midnight Sunlight (instrumental + full mix), Tap Machines

#40 - 2022 Mỹ Việt Story Slam

When she was six years old, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and her family left their small village in northern Việt Nam for Bạc Liêu, a city located in one of the southernmost points of the country. As a northerner growing up in the south after 1975, Quế Mai witnessed the post-war devastation felt by those on both sides of the conflict. She gained a deep appreciation for the stories of all those around her, including the many boat people who were fleeing the country at the time. She had always wanted to be a writer, but initially pursued a career in business instead. But the dream to be a writer was always there. When Quế Mai published her first book of poetry in Vietnamese, there was no looking back. In 2020, she published THE MOUNTAINS SING, her debut novel and first book written in English. Set in 20th century Việt Nam, it tells the multigenerational tale of the Trần family as they experience several crucial moments in the nation’s history. The novel became an international bestseller, as well as a testament to the power of Vietnamese stories. Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyen (saolinguyen.com / IG: @saolinguyen) VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Before the War, Lama House; Dew Over Meguro, Lama House; Miika’s Journey, Lama House; Where Legends Dwell, Lama House; Chapters, Aerian

When she was six years old, Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai and her family left their small village in northern Việt Nam for Bạc Liêu, a city located in one of the southernmost points of the country. As a northerner growing up in the south after 1975, Quế Mai witnessed the post-war devastation felt by those on both sides of the conflict. She gained a deep appreciation for the stories of all those around her, including the many boat people who were fleeing the country at the time. She had always wanted to be a writer, but initially pursued a career in business instead. But the dream to be a writer was always there. When Quế Mai published her first book of poetry in Vietnamese, there was no looking back. In 2020, she published <a href="https://nguyenphanquemai.com/page/the-mountains-sing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">THE MOUNTAINS SING</a>, her debut novel and first book written in English. Set in 20th century Việt Nam, it tells the multigenerational tale of the Trần family as they experience several crucial moments in the nation’s history. The novel became an international bestseller, as well as a testament to the power of Vietnamese stories. Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producer: Saoli Nguyen (<a href="http://saolinguyen.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">saolinguyen.com</a> / IG: @saolinguyen) VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Before the War, Lama House; Dew Over Meguro, Lama House; Miika’s Journey, Lama House; Where Legends Dwell, Lama House; Chapters, Aerian

#39 - The Mountains Sing

Growing up, Ly Nguyen and her mom did not have the most understanding or tender relationship. Ly remembers the friction starting very early in her childhood, when she was molested by a family member and found that she wasn’t able to talk about it with anyone. To protect the family’s reputation, the incident was kept a secret. Leaving Ly feeling alone and unprotected by her mother. Over the years, their relationship progressively worsened. It wasn’t until Ly had her own daughter, did the complicated and unresolved trauma begin to surface again. In early 2020 during the pandemic, Ly started Cooking off the Cuff, a food blog to preserve her family’s stories for her daughter. It began as a way to heal and later when her mom passed away, it became an important space to remember her mom through the meals they shared and a chance to change their relationship. Content Warning: Please note that this episode contains discussions of sexual trauma as noted in the summary.  Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producers: Tricia Vuong, Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Liberating, Megan Wofford; Respire, Rikard From; Beyond Imagination, Gavin Luke; Joust, Trevor Kowalski; Returning Memories, Erasmus Talbot (melody stem)

Growing up, Ly Nguyen and her mom did not have the most understanding or tender relationship. Ly remembers the friction starting very early in her childhood, when she was molested by a family member and found that she wasn’t able to talk about it with anyone. To protect the family’s reputation, the incident was kept a secret. Leaving Ly feeling alone and unprotected by her mother. Over the years, their relationship progressively worsened. It wasn’t until Ly had her own daughter, did the complicated and unresolved trauma begin to surface again. In early 2020 during the pandemic, Ly started <a href="https://www.cookingoffthecuff.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cooking off the Cuff</a>, a food blog to preserve her family’s stories for her daughter. It began as a way to heal and later when her mom passed away, it became an important space to remember her mom through the meals they shared and a chance to change their relationship. Content Warning: Please note that this episode contains discussions of sexual trauma as noted in the summary.  Credits: Executive Producer: Tracey Nguyen Mang Associate Producers: Tricia Vuong, Matt Young VBP theme music: Clarity, Paulina Vo Other Music: Liberating, Megan Wofford; Respire, Rikard From; Beyond Imagination, Gavin Luke; Joust, Trevor Kowalski; Returning Memories, Erasmus Talbot (melody stem)

#38 - Cooking From Memory

Jolie Phuong Hoang remembers how her family ran into hiding in a temple as her town of Đà Lạt was being taken over by North Vietnamese soldiers in 1975. She escaped Vietnam in 1983 with five of her older siblings on a boat that their father had built. After 14 months of waiting in Indonesia at the Galang I refugee camp, the siblings were sponsored to Canada. She finally felt free. But that freedom would come at a cost. In 1985 her parents and her younger siblings planned a second escape. But tragedy would change her family forever and Jolie would never be the same again. She grieved for many years, trying to find answers to her open questions. It wasn’t until she started to write down her feelings and her family’s story, did she begin to heal. She published Three Funerals for My Father, a story told in three distinctive voices: her father's, her younger self in Vietnam and herself as an adult returning to Vietnam to visit her father’s grave and memories of her younger sister. 

Jolie Phuong Hoang remembers how her family ran into hiding in a temple as her town of Đà Lạt was being taken over by North Vietnamese soldiers in 1975. She escaped Vietnam in 1983 with five of her older siblings on a boat that their father had built. After 14 months of waiting in Indonesia at the Galang I refugee camp, the siblings were sponsored to Canada. She finally felt free. But that freedom would come at a cost. In 1985 her parents and her younger siblings planned a second escape. But tragedy would change her family forever and Jolie would never be the same again. She grieved for many years, trying to find answers to her open questions. It wasn’t until she started to write down her feelings and her family’s story, did she begin to heal. She published <a href="https://www.joliehoang.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Three Funerals for My Father</a>, a story told in three distinctive voices: her father's, her younger self in Vietnam and herself as an adult returning to Vietnam to visit her father’s grave and memories of her younger sister.

#37 - Three Funerals For My Father

Ly Tran was born in Viet Nam and came to America at the age of three in 1993 with her older brothers and parents through the U.S. Orderly Departure Program called Humanitarian Operations. Soon after they arrived, Ly joins her parents and three older brothers sewing ties and cummerbunds in their apartment to make ends meet. She grew up in Queens, New York, living just below the poverty line while her parents struggled to financially support the family. Ly found herself lost in the inherited trauma of her father’s PTSD, who served in the South Viet Nam army and was a prisoner of war in Viet Nam for almost a decade. When Ly was eight, she needed glasses but her father convinced her the diagnosis of poor vision was a government conspiracy. His frightening temper and paranoia left a mark on Ly’s sense of self. It was through writing her first novel, a memoir, House of Sticks, that Ly found the courage to confront her past. 

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/endingforadverbs/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Ly Tran</a> was born in Viet Nam and came to America at the age of three in 1993 with her older brothers and parents through the U.S. Orderly Departure Program called Humanitarian Operations. Soon after they arrived, Ly joins her parents and three older brothers sewing ties and cummerbunds in their apartment to make ends meet. She grew up in Queens, New York, living just below the poverty line while her parents struggled to financially support the family. Ly found herself lost in the inherited trauma of her father’s PTSD, who served in the South Viet Nam army and was a prisoner of war in Viet Nam for almost a decade. When Ly was eight, she needed glasses but her father convinced her the diagnosis of poor vision was a government conspiracy. His frightening temper and paranoia left a mark on Ly’s sense of self. It was through writing her first novel, a memoir, <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/House-of-Sticks/Ly-Tran/9781501118814" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">House of Sticks</a>, that Ly found the courage to confront her past.

#36 - LIVE Episode! House of Sticks

Breaking Barriers Through Conversations: The Making of the Vietnamese Boat People Podcast.  Bonus Episode, Seven Million Bikes: a Saigon-based podcast hosted by Niall Mackay, originally from Scotland, who now lives in Saigon. The podcast shares experiences of people from all walks of life, who have a love and deep connection to Vietnam.  Tracey Nguyen Mang, the founder and creator of the Vietnamese Boat People, chats with Niall about her family’s background from Vietnam to America. She came to America as a refugee, only 3 years old at the time, and the youngest of seven children. After a modest and humble start in America, Tracey built a successful career in the corporate world, but she realized that while providing more for her children than she ever had, she was distancing them from the values that she had been brought up with. As Tracey became a mother, she wanted to know more about her history so she could share it with her children. So she bought a microphone, and sat with her parents and older siblings to record what they remembered.  The stories enthralled her as she learned untold details of her family's escape. In this episode Tracey shares how 20 hours of family recordings led to the creation of the Vietnamese Boat People Podcast.  For the full conversation between Niall and Tracey, visit Seven Million Bikes Podcast. 

<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/vn/podcast/families-traumatic-escape-inspired-the-vietnamese/id1464479416?i=1000537021393" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Breaking Barriers Through Conversations: The Making of the Vietnamese Boat People Podcast. </a> Bonus Episode, Seven Million Bikes: a Saigon-based podcast hosted by Niall Mackay, originally from Scotland, who now lives in Saigon. The podcast shares experiences of people from all walks of life, who have a love and deep connection to Vietnam.  Tracey Nguyen Mang, the founder and creator of the Vietnamese Boat People, chats with Niall about her family’s background from Vietnam to America. She came to America as a refugee, only 3 years old at the time, and the youngest of seven children. After a modest and humble start in America, Tracey built a successful career in the corporate world, but she realized that while providing more for her children than she ever had, she was distancing them from the values that she had been brought up with. As Tracey became a mother, she wanted to know more about her history so she could share it with her children. So she bought a microphone, and sat with her parents and older siblings to record what they remembered.  The stories enthralled her as she learned untold details of her family's escape. In this episode Tracey shares how 20 hours of family recordings led to the creation of the Vietnamese Boat People Podcast.  For the full conversation between Niall and Tracey, visit <a href="https://sevenmillionbikes.com/podcasts/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seven Million Bikes Podcast</a>.

#35 - PodSwap! Seven Million Bikes

Bonus Episode, Dear Asian Americans: a podcast for and by Asian Americans, rooted in origin, identity, and legacy. Host Jerry Won brings on guests from diverse backgrounds and career paths to celebrate, support, and inspire the Asian American community.  In this bonus episode: Lisa Tran, owner of Tân Tân Foods, joins Tiffany guest host of Dear Asian Americans for an open and personal conversation about the American origin story of the Tran family, how the early years of American life shaped her identity, and how she fell in love with and innovated her family business to grow it into Tân Tân Foods. Lisa Tran was born in an Indonesian refugee camp, after her parents had successfully fled Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon. Lisa’s parents, Vinh Tran and Mai Nguyen, fled in a tiny fishing boat carrying 13 refugees in 1976 and were sponsored to Oregon in 1981. Many years later, they opened Tân Tân Cafe &amp; Delicatessen in the Portland metro area. Tân Tân means “New Beginnings,” and they were the first Vietnamese restaurant around at that time. Today the business has grown into a consumer products company with homemade sauces being sold in hundreds of grocery stores across America. IG @tantanfoods, www.tantanfoods.com Dear Asian Americans Podcast

Bonus Episode, Dear Asian Americans: a podcast for and by Asian Americans, rooted in origin, identity, and legacy. Host Jerry Won brings on guests from diverse backgrounds and career paths to celebrate, support, and inspire the Asian American community.  In this bonus episode: Lisa Tran, owner of Tân Tân Foods, joins Tiffany guest host of Dear Asian Americans for an open and personal conversation about the American origin story of the Tran family, how the early years of American life shaped her identity, and how she fell in love with and innovated her family business to grow it into Tân Tân Foods. Lisa Tran was born in an Indonesian refugee camp, after her parents had successfully fled Vietnam following the Fall of Saigon. Lisa’s parents, Vinh Tran and Mai Nguyen, fled in a tiny fishing boat carrying 13 refugees in 1976 and were sponsored to Oregon in 1981. Many years later, they opened <a href="https://tantancafedeli.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tân Tân Cafe &amp; Delicatessen</a> in the Portland metro area. Tân Tân means “New Beginnings,” and they were the first Vietnamese restaurant around at that time. Today the business has grown into a consumer products company with homemade sauces being sold in hundreds of grocery stores across America. IG @tantanfoods, <a href="http://www.tantanfoods.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.tantanfoods.com</a> <a href="https://www.justlikemedia.com/show/dear-asian-americans/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dear Asian Americans Podcast</a>

#34 - PodSwap! Dear Asian Americans

Bonus Episode! Join podcast host Tracey Nguyen Mang, artist and filmmaker Tuan Andrew Nguyen and Chrysler Museum’s curator of modern and contemporary art, Kimberli Gant, to explore the exodus of Vietnamese individuals and families from their home country after the conflict in Vietnam. In this conversation Tuan and Tracey discusses their personal histories, creative endeavors, and Tuan’s 2020 film The Boat People, currently on view at the Chrysler Museum of Art.  The film is a dreamy, fantastical tale of children navigating a dystopian world in the former area of Bataan, Philippines. Tuan filmed the project at the former Philippines Refugee Processing Center, where hundreds of thousands of people fled after the war. Set in an unspecified future at the precarious edge of humanity’s possible extinction, "The Boat People" follows a group of children led by a strong-willed and resourceful little girl, who travel the seas and collect the stories of a world they never knew through objects that survived through time. Stay tuned for Season 5 "Lost and Found" launching in 2022! 

Bonus Episode! Join podcast host Tracey Nguyen Mang, artist and filmmaker <a href="https://www.tuanandrewnguyen.com/theboatpeople" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tuan Andrew Nguyen</a> and Chrysler Museum’s curator of modern and contemporary art, Kimberli Gant, to explore the exodus of Vietnamese individuals and families from their home country after the conflict in Vietnam. In this conversation Tuan and Tracey discusses their personal histories, creative endeavors, and Tuan’s 2020 film <a href="https://chrysler.org/exhibition/tuan-andrew-nguyen-the-boat-people/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Boat People</a>, currently on view at the <a href="https://chrysler.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Chrysler</a> Museum of Art. The film is a dreamy, fantastical tale of children navigating a dystopian world in the former area of Bataan, Philippines. Tuan filmed the project at the former Philippines Refugee Processing Center, where hundreds of thousands of people fled after the war. Set in an unspecified future at the precarious edge of humanity’s possible extinction, "The Boat People" follows a group of children led by a strong-willed and resourceful little girl, who travel the seas and collect the stories of a world they never knew through objects that survived through time. Stay tuned for Season 5 "Lost and Found" launching in 2022!

#33 - Bonus Episode: The Boat People

This podcast has such a compassionate way to address the different emotions and experiences from Vietnamese people, that builds a lovely connection with the heart. Every time I listen to an episode I find myself looking inside me, discovering what my raw heart has to share. I feel so much respect for this community, as they are an example to all of us. Forever grateful.

What a great bridge to connect with heart!

Thank you so much for this podcast. I am working on the dramaturgy for the play Vietgone by playwright Qui Nguyen who is a second generation refugee from Vietnam. This podcast really helped me to feel and see this experience from real people and their real stories so I can better understand the play, and the historical inspirations. I believe people every would benefit from this podcast!

Needed Stories!

The Vietnamese Boat People podcast is stories of hope, survival and resilience. Between 1975 to 1992, almost two million Vietnamese risked their lives to flee oppression and hardship after the Vietnam War, in one of the largest mass exoduses in modern history. Escaping by boat, many found freedom in foreign land, many were captured and brutally punished, and many did not survive the journey. This population of people are known as the ‘Vietnamese Boat People‘ and these are their stories. Support the show and the mission to elevate our stories at <a href="http://www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/donate" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.vietnameseboatpeople.org/donate</a> We are a 501(c)3 tax-deductible organization. Thank you for your support!

The Vietnamese Boat People

Bao Nguyen is an award-winning Vietnamese American filmmaker whose work has been seen on The New York Times, HBO, NBC, PBS and more. He has directed, produced, and shot a number of short films, which have played internationally in festivals and museums. His feature documentary directorial debut, Live from New York, opened the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. His latest film is, Be Water, a documentary about Bruce Lee, airing on ESPN on June 7, 2020. Bao is a child of refugees and grew up working in his parents' fabric shop. From childhood to high school, Bao was a studious student. He was on his way to becoming a lawyer until one day, in a split second decision, he decided to chase after his passion for visual arts. Bao talks about his parents' experiences as “boat people” and what it was like putting his personal life in front of the camera for the first time in his 2019 documentary short Where are you really from.  https://vimeo.com/baonguyen To view the full interview on VCMedia.org  

Bao Nguyen is an award-winning Vietnamese American filmmaker whose work has been seen on The New York Times, HBO, NBC, PBS and more. He has directed, produced, and shot a number of short films, which have played internationally in festivals and museums. His feature documentary directorial debut, Live from New York, opened the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. His latest film is, Be Water, a documentary about Bruce Lee, airing on ESPN on June 7, 2020. Bao is a child of refugees and grew up working in his parents' fabric shop. From childhood to high school, Bao was a studious student. He was on his way to becoming a lawyer until one day, in a split second decision, he decided to chase after his passion for visual arts. Bao talks about his parents' experiences as “boat people” and what it was like putting his personal life in front of the camera for the first time in his 2019 documentary short Where are you really from.  <a href="https://vimeo.com/baonguyen" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/baonguyen</a> To view the full <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5wz9v6qlv4&amp;t=1005s" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">interview</a> on <a href="http://VCMedia.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VCMedia.org</a>

#19 - Being Bao

Steve, born in 1961 in Vietnam, was only 14 years old when the South had lost the war to the North Vietnamese. The eldest son of a socialite family, Steve’s childhood was filled with whatever he wanted. All of that disappeared overnight. A wealthy boy who had never had to do anything for himself but enjoy life, was suddenly forced to become a man. As the oldest child of seven, he quickly felt the burden of having to provide for the family. 

Steve, born in 1961 in Vietnam, was only 14 years old when the South had lost the war to the North Vietnamese. The eldest son of a socialite family, Steve’s childhood was filled with whatever he wanted. All of that disappeared overnight. A wealthy boy who had never had to do anything for himself but enjoy life, was suddenly forced to become a man. As the oldest child of seven, he quickly felt the burden of having to provide for the family.

#4 - Riches to Rags

Episode 3 continues the story of JoAnh who was just three days old when her family had to flee the city of Da Nang Vietnam, just 30 days before the Fall of Saigon. After the war ended, families were stripped of any wealth and personal possessions and many were separated and sent to reeducation camps under the Communist regime. JoAnh’s family escaped Vietnam in phases, eventually reuniting in America in 1981. She shares her earliest memory of what life was like as a refugee child and the importance of having family during the challenges and transitions. 

Episode 3 continues the story of JoAnh who was just three days old when her family had to flee the city of Da Nang Vietnam, just 30 days before the Fall of Saigon. After the war ended, families were stripped of any wealth and personal possessions and many were separated and sent to reeducation camps under the Communist regime. JoAnh’s family escaped Vietnam in phases, eventually reuniting in America in 1981. She shares her earliest memory of what life was like as a refugee child and the importance of having family during the challenges and transitions.

#3 - Three Days Old - Part 2

Thanhhà Lại was born in Vietnam in the middle of the war. She wrote about growing up there and leaving on a navy ship two days before the war ended in her first novel Inside Out &amp; Back Again, which won a Newbery Honor and a National Book Award and eight years later is still a New York Times bestseller. She is the youngest of nine children raised by a single mother. Her father went missing during the war when she was just one years old. Her life in America would begin in Alabama and despite the trauma that was going on, Thanhhà grew up in a household full of humor. Many years later as a writer, she would discover that balancing trauma with humor is what makes her voice unique. The contrast is beautifully reflected in her latest novel, Butterfly Yellow. https://www.thanhhalai.com

Thanhhà Lại was born in Vietnam in the middle of the war. She wrote about growing up there and leaving on a navy ship two days before the war ended in her first novel Inside Out &amp; Back Again, which won a Newbery Honor and a National Book Award and eight years later is still a New York Times bestseller. She is the youngest of nine children raised by a single mother. Her father went missing during the war when she was just one years old. Her life in America would begin in Alabama and despite the trauma that was going on, Thanhhà grew up in a household full of humor. Many years later as a writer, she would discover that balancing trauma with humor is what makes her voice unique. The contrast is beautifully reflected in her latest novel, Butterfly Yellow. <a href="https://www.thanhhalai.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.thanhhalai.com</a>

#15 - LIVE Episode! Butterfly Yellow

Chris is the third child out of seven kids. He remembers vivdily the drastic change overnight of going from riches to rags, from pampered baby to slumdog in a war-torn country. He did whatever it took to survive and make money to care for his younger siblings. He was 13 when he made his first attempt to flee the country with his brothers. This is a story about brotherhood and the sacrifices a mother makes, so her children could have a better life. 

Chris is the third child out of seven kids. He remembers vivdily the drastic change overnight of going from riches to rags, from pampered baby to slumdog in a war-torn country. He did whatever it took to survive and make money to care for his younger siblings. He was 13 when he made his first attempt to flee the country with his brothers. This is a story about brotherhood and the sacrifices a mother makes, so her children could have a better life.

#5 - Slumdog Brothers

Yen Ngo is number eleven of twelve children, born in Da Lat Vietnam. Her parents were both orphans and even though they did not receive a formal education themselves, they raised their kids to excel in school. After 1975, Yen’s oldest sister made the decision that the family needed to flee Vietnam in phases, and that the youngest children should go first. Yen arrived in America at the age of 13 and shares the loneliness she felt going from having a large family surrounding to feeling isolated in a new country. She studied engineering but stumbled into the restaurant industry and found completeness in serving food and bringing friends and communities together. She is the owner of an award-winning catering company Real Food Catering and Van Da restaurant in New York City. 

Yen Ngo is number eleven of twelve children, born in Da Lat Vietnam. Her parents were both orphans and even though they did not receive a formal education themselves, they raised their kids to excel in school. After 1975, Yen’s oldest sister made the decision that the family needed to flee Vietnam in phases, and that the youngest children should go first. Yen arrived in America at the age of 13 and shares the loneliness she felt going from having a large family surrounding to feeling isolated in a new country. She studied engineering but stumbled into the restaurant industry and found completeness in serving food and bringing friends and communities together. She is the owner of an award-winning catering company <a href="http://www.realfoodcatering.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Real Food Catering</a> and <a href="https://www.vanda.nyc/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Van Da</a> restaurant in New York City.

#18 - Van Da

VBP Student Spotlight: Tuan Pham, a graduate student from Yale School of Art, talks about living in a liminal space as an immigrant in America. As a child transitioning and navigating the ‘unknown’ he was constantly trying to bridge the ‘what was’ and ‘what next’. An introspective journey over the years from rediscovering Vietnam and himself, to studying Vietnamese artists, has enabled him to appreciate that ambiguity can give you the freedom to explore and create. And how that inspired his winning logo design for the Vietnamese Boat People which portrays the arduous journeys and the stories of the human spirit.  

VBP Student Spotlight: Tuan Pham, a graduate student from Yale School of Art, talks about living in a liminal space as an immigrant in America. As a child transitioning and navigating the ‘unknown’ he was constantly trying to bridge the ‘what was’ and ‘what next’. An introspective journey over the years from rediscovering Vietnam and himself, to studying Vietnamese artists, has enabled him to appreciate that ambiguity can give you the freedom to explore and create. And how that inspired his winning logo design for the Vietnamese Boat People which portrays the arduous journeys and the stories of the human spirit.

#7 Bonus Episode: A Liminal Space

Thanh is the oldest of six children and was just eight years old at the Fall of Saigon. She was living in Tân Châu, just six miles from the Cambodia border and she remembers vividly the blood bath from the continued warfare between Vietnam and Cambodia. With Communism breathing down their backs and their wealth and freedom wiped out, Thanh's parents had to make an agonizing decision. Without enough gold to pay for a family of eight to flee Vietnam, they had to choose whether to stay together and face whatever came in the new Communist regime, or risk separating the family. In 1979, Thanh's parents found an opportunity for her to leave Vietnam, but they did not know that their 12 year old daughter, would embark on a journey fighting for her life.   The Ground Kisser By Thanh Duong Boyer with Lisa Worthey Smith Also available on Amazon

Thanh is the oldest of six children and was just eight years old at the Fall of Saigon. She was living in Tân Châu, just six miles from the Cambodia border and she remembers vividly the blood bath from the continued warfare between Vietnam and Cambodia. With Communism breathing down their backs and their wealth and freedom wiped out, Thanh's parents had to make an agonizing decision. Without enough gold to pay for a family of eight to flee Vietnam, they had to choose whether to stay together and face whatever came in the new Communist regime, or risk separating the family. In 1979, Thanh's parents found an opportunity for her to leave Vietnam, but they did not know that their 12 year old daughter, would embark on a journey fighting for her life.   <a href="https://www.thegroundkisser.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Ground Kisser</a> By Thanh Duong Boyer with Lisa Worthey Smith Also available on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ground-Kisser-Thanh-D%C6%B0%C6%A1ng-Boyer/dp/1947523368/ref=asc_df_1947523368/?tag=hyprod-20&amp;linkCode=df0&amp;hvadid=343220104936&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=7575130161033028559&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9012726&amp;hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-728608185260&amp;psc=1&amp;tag=&amp;ref=&amp;adgrpid=71765243751&amp;hvpone=&amp;hvptwo=&amp;hvadid=343220104936&amp;hvpos=1o1&amp;hvnetw=g&amp;hvrand=7575130161033028559&amp;hvqmt=&amp;hvdev=c&amp;hvdvcmdl=&amp;hvlocint=&amp;hvlocphy=9012726&amp;hvtargid=aud-801381245258:pla-728608185260" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon</a>

#16 - The Ground Kisser

VBP Student Spotlight: Growing up in Brooklyn New York, Vivian was not surrounded by many Vietnamese people. Her parents fled Vietnam by boat as refugees in 1978. And while she grew up in the largest melting pot in America, Vietnamese-Americans don’t even come close to 1% of the entire population in New York City. She never connected with her heritage until college, when she met a group of passionate and supportive students who recruited her to join the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). For the first time, she felt proud about her background and a sense of belonging. Featuring Breathin by Ariana Grande - performed by Vivian Luu on the ukulele Vietnamese Boat People podcast theme song - created by Paulina Vo

VBP Student Spotlight: Growing up in Brooklyn New York, Vivian was not surrounded by many Vietnamese people. Her parents fled Vietnam by boat as refugees in 1978. And while she grew up in the largest melting pot in America, Vietnamese-Americans don’t even come close to 1% of the entire population in New York City. She never connected with her heritage until college, when she met a group of passionate and supportive students who recruited her to join the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA). For the first time, she felt proud about her background and a sense of belonging. Featuring Breathin by Ariana Grande - performed by Vivian Luu on the ukulele Vietnamese Boat People podcast theme song - created by Paulina Vo

#13 Bonus Episode: Miss VSA

In 1988, a group of Vietnamese boat people attempted to flee their country in search of freedom. Once at sea, the boat's engine died, leaving over 100 people stranded in the ocean. What happens next is an unbelievable story of perseverance that changed the lives of 52 survivors forever. Award winning documentarian Duc Nguyen, shares his journey in unraveling this story and making this regional Emmy award-winning film.  Film (English): https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52  Film(Tiếng Việt): https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52viet Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/righthereinmypocket 

In 1988, a group of Vietnamese boat people attempted to flee their country in search of freedom. Once at sea, the boat's engine died, leaving over 100 people stranded in the ocean. What happens next is an unbelievable story of perseverance that changed the lives of 52 survivors forever. Award winning documentarian Duc Nguyen, shares his journey in unraveling this story and making this regional Emmy award-winning film.  Film (English): <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52</a><a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52?fbclid=IwAR3_ugjNiY9D7IglXlQkWMU5ztYBg75pFigHmBko6dvzOvEoebtyuSARZvA" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> </a> Film(Tiếng Việt): <a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52viet?fbclid=IwAR0Jq-eWcbYPzHR_Ns3NAkkPiJcYPh1WafpjlzhKq7rn5XbxbajmuyFKCSo" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bolinao52viet</a> Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/righthereinmypocket" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/righthereinmypocket</a>

#12 - Bolinao 52

The best episodes for anyone looking to learn more about topics such as happiness, fulfillment, depression and psychology/mental health in general. With interviews with industry experts, personal stories of individuals, this topic has lessons applicable to everyone. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Mental Health, Emotions & Thoughts

The best self improvement podcast episodes. From improving productivity, to finding purpose in your life to what constitutes freedom, this topic is on anything and everything that can help people to improve their lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!