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Vietnamese Boat People Logo Competition
Congratulations to the
Winners
Beatrice
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University of California, Berkeley
“My parents were born in Vietnam and immigrated to America during the war. My parents were able to arrive at the states but struggled to make a living. However, they found support within their community by settling in areas populated by other South-east Asian immigrants. My submission shows 2 major motifs, a sinking boat and two people. The boat is turned on its side and its form is abstracted into the bodies of the people and resembles those used to cross dangerous waters. The people are representative of two generations, old and young, and how they are brought together by their interlocking form. The design is comprehensive of how multi-generational communities come together from the trauma left on us by our history as a form of survival and resiliency.”
Kyle
Arizona State University
“When I first heard about the logo design competition for the Vietnamese Boat People, I was immediately intrigued and wanted to know more. My only frame of reference for Vietnam is from history books and movies. Both of these entities depict the devastation and destruction of the Vietnam War, but almost never describe the acts of heroism, courage, and resilience. I was moved to hear of the thousands of people that risked life and limb in hope of a better life. I hope that in my participation in this competition I can give back to these incredible people and help preserve their stories in some way.”
Ruj
Virginia Tech
"I was born and raised in Thailand. I came to Virginia Tech as an international student, so I feel like it is important for me to represent as part of an asian culture in America. It is important to spread the knowledge to make communities more diverse and open minded. I know a few of my friends who came to America to study but they are forced to get deported because they are not from America, which is not how people should be treated in America. I want to spread the stories from our point of view to get people from outside the community to have more empathy towards the refugees around the world."
Samantha
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Penn State University
“I am from an Asian descent and my parents are from Vietnam. They have experienced what every single Vietnamese refugee had to go through to escape the Vietnam War. They told me their stories about how they came to America and what tragic events they had to go through that not many people know about and I was shocked. Their stories hold so much history that shouldn’t be forgotten and it must be told. I would like to represent for my parents, my family members, and many others for how strong and brave they were to get to where they are now. Without my parents and their survival here to America, I may not be where I am today. ”
Tuan
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Yale School of Art
“As a queer person of color who immigrated to the United States, language has been at the stem of my experience. And existing in this liminal space has helped me form my perceptions of citizenship, nationality, and identity. And how non-fluency can displace one’s personhood but also be a source of resilience. Throughout the past few decades, much of my family have emigrated out of Vietnam and have been repeatedly separated and reunited a number of times. The stories of their arduous journeys are close to my heart yet fairly enigmatic. My submission shows the logo divided into two by an abstract tearing. This tearing alludes to the separation of families, a rippling wave of ocean water, and paper being torn.”
