Growing up in Vietnam, Thao Nguyen always felt like an outsider. As one of 23,000 mixed-race children left behind by US servicemen,
she was constantly ridiculed because she looked different. But, even as a young girl, she was determined not to let that mockery rule her life. She walked past the catcalls every day on her way to school and now returns to visit her old neighborhood in Vietnam as a successful citizen of the world.
I Am An American Live is a production of the award-winning nonprofit The Immigrant Story. The stories were presented live at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, OR on Saturday, May 11, 2024. This series of events is part of the programming by the Oregon Rises Above Hate coalition, with the aim of drawing attention to the historic xenophobia experienced by the Asian American community in Oregon and across the U.S.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution by Anne Naito-Campbell. Additional funds for Programming have been provided by the City of Beaverton and OnPoint Community Credit Union.