“WHO AM I – 2026” Invites Anyone and Everyone Globally to Reflect on Identity, Resilience, and Growth directly or indirectly related to Vietnam and Vietnam diaspora Communities.
Garden Grove, CA — The Vietnamese Heritage Museum (VHM) today announced the launch of WHO AM I – 2026, an international storytelling initiative commemorating 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of large-scale Vietnamese refugee resettlement worldwide.
The initiative invites individuals age 18 and above, globally, to submit an essay or a short video narrative responding to one central question:
Who am I — after 50 years?
From 1975 onward, Vietnamese refugees and their descendants, approximately 5.3 million, have built communities across 130+ countries — within the USA from California and Texas to Virginia, Louisiana, Washington, Minnesota, New York … and beyond to other countries of the 7 continents. Five decades later, WHO AM I – 2026 seeks to capture how one’s identity has evolved or impacted across generations, gender and races; shaped by displacement, rebuilding, entrepreneurship, military service, education, and civic engagement to name a few.
The Vietnamese Heritage Museum believes “This is a defining moment, fifty years after 1975, we are witnessing and recapitulating a generational transition. The first generation is aging. The second and third generations are redefining what it means to be a naturalized citizen-person with Vietnamese root. WHO AM I – 2026 creates space for reflection, dignity, and preservation of these stories before they are lost.” And as for other races, being impacted directly or indirectly since 1975: having participated in the war and survived; immersing within the growing Vietnamese diaspora community; partaking in Vietnam-related projects by self or through marriage etc… How, What, Where, Who… are you – after 50 years?
Participants may submit:
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- 1 Essay (up to five pages, in English or Vietnamese)
- 1 Video narrative (up to five minutes)
Submissions will be reviewed by a selective panel representing scholars, writers, community leaders, cultural practitioners, artists…. Selected entries will be archived as part of the museum’s permanent digital collection.
Winners will be honored on June 20, 2026, at the Vietnamese Heritage Museum’s 10th Year Anniversary Gala. The event will also feature a curated montage of selected excerpts reflecting the diversity of the experiences worldwide.
More than a contest, WHO AM I – 2026 is designed as a public humanities initiative — fostering intergenerational and interracial dialogue, and strengthening understanding of the Vietnamese Diaspora Communities journey as part of the broader humanity story.
“We hope to hear from people from all walks of life. From refugees who arrived in 1975, boat people who survived perilous journeys, HO program families, to young professionals who grew up in America asking new questions about identity and belonging. We also welcome input and voices from our fellow native neighbors of all nations in this whole Vietnam ordeal. This is not just about the past. It is about who we are now — and who we are becoming”.
The submission deadline is April 30, 2026.
Full guidelines and contest details are available at:
www.vietnamesemuseum.org/WhoAmI-2026
About the Vietnamese Heritage Museum
Founded in 2016, the Vietnamese Heritage Museum is dedicated to preserving, documenting, and sharing the history and cultural legacy of the Vietnamese diaspora. Through exhibitions, oral history initiatives, educational programming, and digital archives, VHM serves as a cultural bridge connecting generations and communities across the United States.
Media Inquiries
Ms. Thanh Giang
Email: WhoAmI-2026@vietnamesemuseum.org
