Vietnamese Narratives: A Story of Refuge and Resilience of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Vietnamese
This presentation explores the enduring legacy and lived experiences of the Vietnamese American community on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, focusing on themes of displacement, cultural preservation, and resilience. Rooted in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese families sought refuge in the U.S., with a significant number resettling in coastal communities like Biloxi and Gulfport. Drawing from oral histories, archival research, and personal family narratives, “Vietnamese Narratives” highlights the contributions of the Vietnamese community in shaping the region’s fishing industry, faith traditions, and civic life.
Speakers Expertise:
Dr. Emma Phuong To is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and Assistant Professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, where she teaches and mentors future anesthesia providers with both rigor and compassion. Most importantly, she is a daughter of Vietnamese refugees who worked in the Gulf Coast seafood industry. Beyond her anesthesia and academic roles, she is a storyteller, grief coach, and cofounder of Gulf Coast Vietnamese Narratives with Jennifer Le, a project born from shared loss and a deep desire to preserve the untold histories of Vietnamese refugees who rebuilt their lives along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Emma lost her two older brothers within two years, one to COVID-19 and the other to a tragic fall. Jennifer also lost her father and younger brother. Through their grief, they found each other and created an archive of stories of resilience - honoring Vietnamese families who migrated along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
Emma’s work explores how storytelling bridges generations and cultures, memory holds both grief and grace, and cultural preservation can heal across generations. Her talks blend science and soul, inviting audiences to see that stories, like breath, sustain us, and that in each retelling of the Vietnamese refugee experience, we find not just survival, but hope that continues to live along the Gulf Coast and beyond.
