Tulane Students Amplifying Community Voices by Documenting Vietnamese Histories in New Orleans

On May 6, 2025, Tulane University students, faculty, and community members gathered at the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library for Việt Nam in New Orleans: Exhibition and Panel Discussion, an evening grounded in storytelling, cultural memory, and collaborative engagement.

The event marked the culmination of a semester-long partnership between Professor Daniella Zalcman’s Community Engagement Journalism class and the Sông Community Development Corporation in New Orleans East. Throughout the semester, 42 students conducted oral history interviews with 21 members of the Vietnamese immigrant community, preserving personal narratives that are integral to the city’s cultural fabric.

These interviews are now published at vietnaminneworleans.com and interpreted through a modular visual timeline designed in collaboration with exhibition designer Sam Nga Blum. One copy of the timeline has been installed at Tulane, with installation support from the Scholarly Engagement Department at Tulane Libraries, especially Scholarly Engagement Librarian for Humanities Katherine Hicks. A second copy will travel to Sông CDC and other cultural institutions across New Orleans.

The panel discussion featured reflections from Co-Executive Director Tập Bùi, former Councilwoman and VIET founder Cyndi Nguyễn, Tulane student Mika Nijhawan (’25), and Sam Nga Blum. Together, they highlighted the importance of honoring lived experiences and ensuring these stories are shared across generations and communities.

This project stands as a model for engaged learning, connecting students with community partners to create meaningful work with lasting impact.

—Rebecca O’Malley Gipson