“Chapters of Us” Campaign Kicks Off as uNAVSA’s 2010 Collective Philanthropy Project
Vietnamese American History: Told by the Old, Preserved by the Young
uNAVSA’s 2010 CPP Campaign and the Vietnamese American Heritage Foundation launches the “Chapters of Us” fundraising campaign to fund the “500 Oral Histories Project”. Between January to May 2010, the campaign will coordinate with Vietnamese Student Associations (VSAs) across the nation to fundraise for one purpose – to preserve a critical era of Vietnamese American history that is quickly slipping away as stories are lost forever with the passing of aging Vietnamese Americans.
The goal of the 500 Oral Histories Project is to document over five hundred interviews in an effort to preserve the unique and diverse experiences of Vietnamese Americans across the country. In the future, these interviews will be developed into an anthology, web archive, traveling exhibit and documentary film highlighting a selection of these amazing stories.
The Vietnamese American youth across the nation are eager to learn about their predecessors’ journey that ultimately paved the path for the opportunities and privileges they now enjoy. This profound project will contribute significantly to the overall American history. Kieu Phan, a young VAHF member, agrees “..this is really important because not only do we preserve the history, but we preserve the culture for the next generation.”
Dr. Duc Tran, a retired physician who escaped Vietnam during the war, expresses the importance of this project by saying, “Even if we are speaking English, even if we are very successful Vietnamese American citizens in this country, please never forget our heritage, our origins, our culture.”
The kick-off event for our campaign is called “Chapters of Us on YouTube” and will happen during January, leading up to the Tet Holiday Weekend (February 14). VSA groups from all over the nation will submit videos onto YouTube to express “A Vietnamese American Story.”
This year’s CPP Director, Lisa Nguyen, says “This project will lead to defining moments of identity in many Vietnamese Americans across the nation. I’m so inspired that our generation has collectively chosen to take this bold initiative and ask for the older generation for these important stories. The CPP Committee and I are very excited and look forward to continuing the success that CPP has always been able to achieve.”
