Refugees' Transitions Reflected In Exhibit

25/12/2009
GUNNAR OLSON, The Des Moines Register
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ― Don Nguyen was 14 when he arrived in Iowa in 1975 without passable English.

Among the first wave of Vietnamese refugees to land in Iowa, he and his six siblings learned the language well enough to get through college. He went on to law school in California and recently moved back to Iowa, where he practices in Des Moines.

"I think we contribute a lot to this country and this state in particular," said Nguyen, now 47.

He might as well have introduced the traveling exhibit of the Smithsonian Museum that opened last Saturday at the Iowa State Historical Building.

The exhibit, "Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon: Vietnamese America Since 1975," opened to the public with a ceremony including traditional song and dance, stories and speeches. It will be on display through Feb. 28.

It coincides with the 35th anniversary of the year Iowa played a pivotal role in America's acceptance of Southeast Asian refugees.

Gov. Robert D. Ray opened the door for thousands of refugees to settle in Iowa starting in 1975. Ray was on hand Saturday to reiterate reasons why he believes it was a great move for Iowa.

"If you help others for the right reasons, you'll be well rewarded," he said. "It's amazing what people can do when they set aside their differences. Never underestimate the goodness of Iowans."

America's involvement in the decades-long conflict in Vietnam came to an end in 1975 when the communist North overcame the government of the South.

But the fallout led to years of South Asians fleeing the region, often by boat and with no clear destination.

Kenneth Quinn, the former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia who also attended Saturday's ceremony, credited Ray for helping bring them to America.

"The one political leader anywhere in the world who stood up to say, 'We have to do something,' was Robert D. Ray," he said.

The exhibit explores the refugees' transition into America, while trying to maintain their own cultural traditions. There are about 1.5 million Vietnamese-Americans in the country.

Vihn Nguyen, 48, of Des Moines, is a member of the Commission on the Status of Iowans of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage. He said there are 9,000 to 10,000 Vietnamese-Americans in Iowa. Many are refugees from Vietnam, like himself.

"We found freedom in Iowa," he said. "To Governor Ray and Ambassador Quinn, my deepest gratitude."

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Information from: The Des Moines Register, http://www.desmoinesregister.com