In 1978, 3 years after leaving Vietnam hours before Saigon fell, Yen Ngoc Do started what became the largest Vietnamese-language publication in the U.S. This is the story of a man’s mission to bridge 2 worlds, as told by his daughter Anh Do (newsterrier)
Shadows of community members are cast against a banner featuring the first edition of Nguoi Viet Daily News during a celebration of the newspaper’s 40th anniversary in Westminster. he stories, spread in front of him in hot metal typeset, told of families stranded at sea, of sturdy ships rescuing rickety boats, of the hundreds drowned — all in the desperate struggle to get to America.
Nguoi Viet, meaning “the Vietnamese people,” grew up with Little Saigon, the Orange County enclave that’s the biggest Vietnamese business and cultural district outside the motherland. In January a birthday party to celebrate its 40th anniversary drew nearly 800 people to its unpretentious building at the end of a Westminster cul-de-sac. An online readership joined the festivities, logging in from Australia, Canada, France and China, along with Facebook Live viewers from Vietnam.
Tai Do, center, and Steven Mai look over a cake featuring the front page of the first issue of Nguoi Viet Daily News during the 40th anniversary celebration of the paper in Westminster.Retired Associated Press photographer Nick Ut, left, speaks with Nho Nguyen during the 40th anniversary celebration of Nguoi Viet Daily News.
He decided to run more stories on the mechanics needed to balance living in both worlds — write-ups about the price of a kilo of rice so refugees would know how much money to send back to relatives in Vietnam. He spoke English — along with French, German and Chinese — and wrote stories explaining how the U.S. government system works. Back in Vietnam, the communist regime blacklisted the paper, which was smuggled in, while clandestine sources continued to feed Nguoi Viet news and information.
Soon, strip malls surfaced along Bolsa Avenue, the main artery of Little Saigon, introducing herbal shops, dental clinics and bakeries. Myths swirled outside the community that all the Vietnamese lived off welfare. The refugees knew that they needed to “clarify the situation,” according to’s recordings. “We needed to educate our activists in the community about long-term solutions, and we needed to build up a responsible image of the refugees.
My father’s portrait hangs in the hallway leading to the design and layout department. At the anniversary party, blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, a dissident released by Hanoi’s Communist government last October, strolled past it.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ichiro says goodbye to adoring fans; Mariners beat A's in 12Ichiro Suzuki was showered with cheers and chants Thursday night while taking his final bow in a magnificent career that lasted nearly three decades when the Seattle Mariners beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in 12 innings. The 45-year-old Ichiro went 0 for 4 in the second game of the Major...
Read more »
'I am your mother now': New Zealand mosque shootings hit tight-knit Bangladesh community hardHusna Ahmed was 19 when she arrived in New Zealand from Bangladesh on her weddin...
Read more »
'I am your mother now': NZ mosque shootings hit tight-knit Bangladesh community hardHusna Ahmed was 19 when she arrived in New Zealand from Bangladesh on her weddin...
Read more »
A 40-Year-Old Mexican Immigrant Died In US Custody — The Fourth Death In Recent MonthsThe unidentified man died after being diagnosed with flu-like symptoms, liver failure, and renal failure
Read more »
Newt Gingrich: C-SPAN’s 40-year mark on our Republic | OpinionWe all owe C-SPAN a big vote of gratitude for empowering citizenship in the television age.
Read more »
The burden of a 40-year career: Some of Joe Biden’s record doesn’t age wellIn 40 years of public life, Biden has taken some stands at odds with today’s Democratic Party consensus. Scrutiny of that record could become a problem.
Read more »
Indian court acquits 4 Hindu activists in train bombing that killed over 40 Pakistani nationalsA special court pronounced its verdict 12 years after the blast.
Read more »