Vietnamese American Community Fractured in Virginia
A History of Division
The Vietnamese American community in Virginia has been fractured for decades. The division is rooted in the different experiences of the two main waves of immigrants. The first wave arrived after the Vietnam War and was mostly made up of refugees who fled the communist regime. The second wave arrived in the 1990s and was mostly made up of economic migrants.
The two waves of immigrants have very different perspectives on Vietnam and its current government. The first wave is more likely to be critical of the government, while the second wave is more likely to be supportive. This difference in perspective has led to tension between the two groups.
The Impact of the Division
The division within the Vietnamese American community has had a negative impact on the community's ability to organize and advocate for its needs. The community is also less likely to be able to build bridges with other communities.
Efforts to Heal the Division
There have been some efforts to heal the division within the Vietnamese American community. In 2017, a group of community leaders founded the Vietnamese American Unity Council. The council's mission is to "promote unity and reconciliation within the Vietnamese American community."
The council has organized a number of events and workshops to bring together different groups within the community. The council has also worked to raise awareness of the division within the community and to promote dialogue.
The division within the Vietnamese American community is a complex issue with a long history. However, there are efforts underway to heal the division and to build a more unified community.