Speaker: Kim O‘Connell
Just over 50 years ago, the end of the Vietnam War sent refugees to safe havens across the globe, with many thousands settling in the United States with assistance from the U.S. military and refugee sponsors. These new arrivals created communities around the country, including a significant population in the northern Virginia suburbs, first in Arlington and later in Falls Church.
In Arlington’s “Little Saigon,” Vietnamese refugees forged livelihoods and support networks, determining how to become American while still holding onto what made them Vietnamese. One Vietnamese priest likened the challenge to “catching two fish with two hands.” Drawing on historical photos, oral history interviews, and other research, this program will examine the Vietnamese diaspora to the Washington, D.C., area, the development and preservation of Vietnamese enclaves like the ones in northern Virginia, the celebration of customs and cuisine, and more.
Kim O’Connell is a freelance journalist whose writing has appeared in national and regional publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Huffington Post Personal, AARP, Undark, National Parks Traveler, Washington Business Journal, Virginia Living, Arlington, and others. As the daughter of a Vietnamese immigrant and a white American father, Kim has made Vietnamese heritage and cuisine a particular focus of her work; she is the author of the booklet Echoes of Little Saigon: Vietnamese Immigration and the Changing Face of Arlington, Virginia, and wrote the text for a historical marker about Little Saigon in Arlington that was installed in 2025. Her website is www.kimaoconnell.com and she lives in Arlington.
Host Village: Northwest Neighbors Village
Limited to 100.
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