Meet the Team: Dionne Nguyen, Communications and Membership Services Assistant

Welcome to our blog series, “Meet the AAPCHO Team,” where you’ll have a chance to get to know our staff! Meet Dionne Nguyen, Communications and Membership Services Assistant, as she shares the meaning of her Asian American heritage this Asian American, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Image description: The first photo is a collage of Dionne with her family, a red envelope, and food. The second photo is a text block.

Based on my last name, it’s really easy for others to guess that I am Vietnamese. But based on my first name, Vietnamese folx would probably guess that I was born in the United States.

The interconnections of my Vietnamese American identity presents itself in unique ways.

How my mom makes thịt kho year round although it’s traditionally a Lunar New Year dish.

How our large family gatherings have evolved into a mixing pot of different ethnicities within just one generation.

And how remarkable it is that my mother and father, who was once a boat refugee, stands beside me to celebrate our family’s first college graduation.