With school entering its second week of classes, the Vietnamese Student Association prepares to welcome members to its Fall Reception on Oct. 16.
The event will feature catered food and a guest speaker, as it is the biggest event of the Fall for the VSA. The event is both a welcome back for returning members and an introduction for new members. The group hopes to not only excite people about the upcoming year, but also encourage them to celebrate Vietnamese culture and build a community.
The VSA aims to celebrate Vietnamese culture and help teach others about the culture as well, says Co-Director Michelle Nguyen.
“(VSA gives) students a safe place to come and talk about anything. It’s an open space where people can come, hangout and make friends,” Nguyen said.
One of the major highlights of the event is the appearance of guest speaker Alexander Dang, a Vietnamese poet. Dang often speaks about the struggles of culture, such as culture appropriation and the difficulty of language for Vietnamese people. Co-Director Thumi Do, hopes that Dang will inspire the attendees to embrace their culture and represent how important it is.
Students do not need to be Vietnamese in order to attend the event or join the VSA, Do said. The group wants to include people from all cultures in its organization and aims to teach others about Vietnamese culture and what it means to them.
“I want members to feel the sense of community that I feel and not only love our culture, but work on events that bring people together while learning about our culture at the same time,” Do said.
For Nicki Vuong, Outreach Coordinator, the VSA is not only a positive place to learn about her culture, but it is also a place where she feels included. Coming to the United States from Vietnam in sixth grade, Vuong said she often felt excluded until she found the VSA.
“[The VSA] is a place where I find myself belonging,” Vuong said.
Being in Oregon where there is not a significant Vietnamese population, Nguyen finds the VSA as a place where people have similar experiences and problems as her which forms a bond between members.
“I feel like I fit in. It feels like a safe place I can come to,” Nguyen said.
The Fall Reception will take place on Oct. 16 in the Great Room in the Global Scholars Hall from 6-8 p.m.