Kavi Vu is a spoken word artist who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. She recently moved to Saigon to live, and as you can imagine, there have been lots of emotions: equal parts freakishly familiar and painfully foreign. She's been called mất gốc (lost my roots) more times than sje can count, and maybe she is. This next year, she will be writing and sharing her adventure as she knows many of her peers at home cannot have this journey of their own due to political or familial reasons. She hopes that through her stories, others can also feel closer to their que huong. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Kavi Vu Social Media: Instagram: @kavi.vu Title: Third Culture Baby Summary: A small ode to the diaspora that is perpetually yearning to be home. No matter where you were born or grew up, and no matter what is your primary language, if you came to this event seeking to tell and hear stories about Vietnam, I think it's safe to say that Vietnam will always be home for you. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.

Annabelle (Hiền) King is a biomedical engineer based in Louisville, KY. She was adopted from Hong Son, Vietnam at 10 months old and has spent her lifetime unraveling her identity as an Asian adoptee through her writing. She has been published in several local journals, as well as is one of the only recognized Asian DEI workshop presenters at the University of Louisville. Through her work, Annabelle hopes to better connect with other Vietnamese people and Asian adoptees. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Annie King Social Media: Instagram: @annie.belle608 Title: My Mother, Việt Nam Summary: Told from the eyes of Vietnamese adoptee, Annabelle (once Hiền) King explores her complicated relationship with her homeland. By knowing neither Việt Nam or her birth mother, Annabelle examines how her childhood fantasies have merged them into one entity because of her adoption. Through her brief prose, readers are presented with her lifelong question, “Does Việt Nam miss you as much as you miss it?”. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.

Kimaleen Tran is a proud first-generation Vietnamese American passionate about representing underrecognized communities and bridging the gap between cultures, identities, and health disparities to amplify voices in the media, connect and bring people together in the community and globally with the ultimate goal of cultivating an inclusive and diverse community that will make a difference and positively impact the world. She always strives to find a connection in my work at the intersections of storytelling, representation, and social impact from multicultural perspectives. At the heart of it all, she is multi-hyphenated; a creative, social entrepreneur and changemaker. Most recently, she left her traditional corporate job to embark on a journey of healing, health and wellness, and personal and professional development. She is carving her own path to combine her passions for the love of arts in humanities, history, community, and culture. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Kimaleen Tran Social Media: Instagram: @Kimaleentran LinkedIn: @Kimaleen Tran Title: No Mud, No Lotus; Connected By Our Roots Summary: Born in New York, raised in California, and then uprooted to Colorado during high school as my dad sought new opportunities for our family, I reflect on my parents' journey from war-torn Vietnam to America, where they also left their home as teenagers. My story encapsulates the journey of my parents and family, highlighting themes of migration, identity, resilience, and cultural connections to Vietnam in America. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.

Annie Ngo emigrated to the US as a baby and is now raising three kids in the beautiful town of Stillwater, MN. She has always felt disconnected from the Vietnamese culture growing up despite living in a Vietnamese speaking household. It wasn't till she had children of her own that she wanted to reconnect to her roots and language. Losing her mom, her biggest connection to Vietnam, made her realize just how important it was to share her beautiful culture with her kids. This poem is a way for her to honor her mother, and for her kids to see their mother do the hard and scary things in life. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Annie Ngo Social Media: Instagram: @ngolearningviet Title: Our Vietnam Summary: This poem is about what Vietnam means to me and how different it is for my mom. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.

Kelly Prisbrey, Winner of the “People’s Choice Award,” is a first generation Vietnamese American on her mother's side of the family, and currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada. Even though she is half Vietnamese, she is very passionate about her culture and advocating for it. She wanted to share her unique experiences with finding the balance between being Vietnamese and American through her art and writing. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Kelly Prisbrey Social Media: Instagram: @Kelpriz Twitch: @Kelpriz YouTube: @Kelpriz Winner of “People’s Choice Award” Title: A Love Letter Summary: A love letter expressing my feelings for the most important thing in my life. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.

Growing up, Jessica and Jennifer have always had an interest in their respective areas of media, whether it be written or digital form. As they experience an era of storytelling where authors/directors/creators are shedding light on the experiences of their parents and origins, they were inspired to share a story of their own. 2024 Mỹ Việt Story Slam Featured Storyteller: Jessica and Jennifer Nguyen Social Media: Instagram: @smileyfacejen @queenjessican Title: Our Vietnam Summary: This is a story about our family and how we define “home” in all of its intricacies. Visit our www.vietnameseboatpeople.org to explore more stories! Vietnamese Boat People is a nonprofit with the mission to preserve the elevate the stories of the Vietnamese diaspora community. We are a volunteer-led organization, therefore your support is vital in helping us produce, promote, and share these incredible stories at scale. No amount is too small! All donations are fully tax exempt under IRS 501(C)3. Thank you for your consideration.