Fifty years after the fall of Saigon , we reflect on what our family carries forward—stories, survival, silence, resilience, and love.

In this special episode of Growing up Nguyen, we weave together sibling conversation with interviews from our mom, aunts, and uncles to explore how war and displacement shaped our family’s habits, values, and sense of identity—and how those inheritances continue to shape who we are today.

From scarcity and sweat equity to healing, joy, and self-discovery, this is a conversation about honoring legacy while choosing what we carry forward.

Bonus Episode, Vietnamese Boat People Podcast: Episode #51 Ngày Về Của Bố

Siblings Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn grew up together in the San Francisco Bay Area in a boisterous Vietnamese American family. In 2019, their father, Nguyễn Khánh Hưng, a first-generation immigrant from Việt Nam, passed away. To pay tribute to their father, the siblings participated in our 3rd Annual Mỹ Việt Story Slam in 2022 with their spoken word piece, “Ngày Về Của Bố” (roughly, “The Day of Dad’s Return”), a reflection on grief and Vietnamese mourning rituals. In this special episode of Vietnamese Boat People, the Nguyễn siblings are at the helm as our first-ever guest hosts. They’ve brought their group dynamic and conversational style to Vietnamese Boat People’s format, in order to delve into their father’s life, legacy, who he was, and his unique and multifaceted experiences.

Vietnamese Boat People is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to preserving and continuing the narratives of the Vietnamese diaspora community. Their mission is to empower individuals within this community to share the stories of our community from intergenerational voices. In addition to their award-winning podcast, they have public programs available that empower individuals to preserve their family histories through storytelling workshops, story slams, community blogs, conversation kits, and the journeys map. To learn more, visit www.vietnameseboatpeople.org.

Do you speak another language? Tune into Hương, Karin Hạnh, Hedda Hiếu, and Benjamin Hoàng as they discuss the blessings and challenges of a heritage language and whether it's worthwhile.