What does it mean to carry a refugee story across generations, and how do we keep those memories alive?
In this special Lunar New Year episode of The Well Endowed Podcast, guest hosts Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau (“We Are Together”), lead a heartfelt conversation about identity, belonging, and the Vietnamese Canadian experience in Edmonton.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon in 2025, this episode reflects on the journeys of Vietnamese boat people and their descendants who rebuilt their lives in Edmonton. Linh Vu shares her memories of escaping Vietnam by boat at six years old and being rescued at sea. David Nguyen speaks about interviewing his parents and uncle to document their family’s refugee story for the next generation. Together, they explore cultural traditions, intergenerational expectations, gratitude, and the importance of preserving family history before it’s too late.
Our guest hosts today were Jessica Truong and Linda Hoang, co-founders of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau.
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Linh Vu, owner of Mai Mai Vietnamese Street Kitchen, who shared her family’s journey to freedom as a Vietnamese boat refugee.
David Nguyen, co-founder of Agnt, who shared reflections from documenting his family’s story.
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Credits
Photo credit: David Thao Nguyen
At ECF, building meaningful relationships with communities across Edmonton is central to our work. Our connection with the Vietnamese community is one we’re proud of. Through our grants, we’ve supported local organizations, including the Edmonton Viets Association, and have had the privilege of joining the community at a Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau event in November and at the Tết New Year celebrations on February 7. These connections help us better understand the hopes and aspirations of diverse communities so we can support what matters most to them.
If you’re part of a community you’d like us to connect with, or want to explore how ECF can support your work, please reach out to Sherilyn Trompetter, our Manager of Equity Advancement. We’d love to hear from you.
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