Tulane Students Amplifying Community Voices by Documenting Vietnamese Histories in New Orleans
Last week, Tulane University students, faculty, and community members came together for Việt Nam in New Orleans: Exhibition and Panel Discussion — a powerful evening rooted in storytelling, cultural memory, and meaningful partnerships.
This event was the culmination of a semester-long collaboration between Professor Daniella Zalcman's Community Engagement Journalism class and the Sông Community Development Corporation in New Orleans East. Over the course of the project, 42 students conducted oral history interviews with 21 members of the Vietnamese immigrant community — preserving stories that are vital to the fabric of New Orleans.
These narratives were published on vietnaminneworleans.com and visualized through a modular timeline, designed in partnership with Sam Nga Blum. One copy of the timeline is now on display at Tulane, while the second will travel to Sông CDC and cultural institutions across the city.
The panel discussion featured insights from Co-Executive Director Tập Bùi, former Councilwoman and VIET founder Cyndi Nguyễn, student Mika Nijhawan ’25, and exhibition designer Sam Nga Blum. The evening was a reminder of the rich histories that exist within our city — and how student work can both amplify and honor those voices.
Projects like this are a powerful model for engaged learning: connecting students directly with community partners to do work that matters — and lasts.
5/6/2025
