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From Việt Nam to Manhattan Chinatown
In 2025, Think!Chinatown (T!C) hosted the debut of Our Journeys, Vietnamese Boat People's traveling exhibition, at its studio in Manhattan's Chinatown. The partnership has since opened the door to more stories. Many of T!C's neighbors left Vietnam and made new homes in Chinatown, and this collection is the beginning of sharing their journeys.
In 2026, T!C brought back its community recording days with an open call to New Yorkers who came to Chinatown by way of Vietnam, or who knew someone who had. In just two recording days, the T!C and VBP story team captured six conversations among family members and loved ones, 14 storytellers in all, recalling their journeys from Vietnam to Manhattan's Chinatown.
The collaboration reflects a belief both organizations share: our stories matter, and each one recorded can inspire more conversations across families and generations.
This community project was made possible by Humanities Truck and Vietnamese Boat People.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the families and individuals who entrusted us with preserving their stories for this collection. We are also deeply thankful to the volunteers who dedicated countless hours to planning the Food & Conversations community dinner, which was a vital part of this project.
We are immensely grateful for the support of the local community in championing this initiative. Special recognition goes to Dr. Christina Juhász-Wood, Len and Kelly Tran, Andy Tran, Nguyen Pham Thu Thuy, Quill Hawk Publishing, and the Vietnamese Youth Educational Association of Washington DC for their outstanding leadership and advocacy.
From Vietnam to Northern Virginia, Community Recordings Trailer
Video credits: Matt Young, Vinh Dang
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This community project was made possible by Think!Chinatown 心目華埠 and Vietnamese Boat People.
Think!Chinatown 心目華埠 is a creative placekeeping nonprofit that creates intergenerational spaces of art, joy, belonging, and connection in Manhattan's Chinatown. Working at the intersection of arts, storytelling, and neighborhood engagement, T!C helps the community shape both its neighborhood's built environment and the stories told about it. T!C is the team behind Chinatown Nights (formerly Chinatown Night Market), the Chinatown Arts Festival, the Chinatown Block Party, and the Chinatown Storytelling Festival. Its home is the Think!Chinatown Studio at 1 Pike Street, which hosts exhibitions, cultural and food workshops, small performances, and talks. Learn more at thinkchinatown.org.
From Vietnam to Manhattan Chinatown, New York City
Video credits: Law Fong
This community project was made possible by Possibilities Inc. and Vietnamese Boat People, and was partially funded by a Oklahoma Humanities Grant.
We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the families and individuals who allowed us to capture their incredible experiences and entrusted us in preserving their stories for this collection. We also extend our thanks to many others in the community who contributed to the making of this collection.
We are so grateful for the support of the community in Oklahoma City in advocating for this project and special recognition goes to THN Insurance Solutions, Quill Hawk Publishing, and Asian District of OKC for their leadership and advocacy.
From Việt Nam to Oklahoma City, partnership summary
Video credits: Daniel De Lemos Duas Avos Productions
From Viet Nam to Oklahoma City, Community Recordings Trailer
Video credits: Matt Young
From Việt Nam to Oklahoma City: A Journey of Resilience and the History of the Vietnamese American Community in Oklahoma City
The Vietnamese American community in Oklahoma City has a vibrant and diverse history marked by resilience, determination, and a commitment to cultural heritage. Emerging from the tumultuous aftermath of the Vietnam War, members of this community navigated the complexities of resettlement in a foreign land, demonstrating remarkable strength in the face of adversity. Their enduring contributions have left an indelible mark on the tapestry of Oklahoma City, shaping its identity and enriching its cultural landscape.
We invite you to explore the individual stories below and read more about the history of the community here.
Gallery
Click on the images to read each story.
If you would like to contribute, please Share Your Story.
Francois Nguyen
Kim Chinh
Kenny & Susie Chan
Anna Ye
Thanh Ha & Andy Ha
Andy Ha
Norman Yu
Norman Yu
Steve Le
Brittani Le
Kristyana Pham
Kristyana Pham
Help us improve the site! If you see typos, kinks, or just have ideas to make it better, please tell us by completing this survey or email us at stories@vietnameseboatpeople.org - subject line "Journeys Map".