Vietnam 50 Years Later: The Minnesota Vietnamese Language School
A big wave of Vietnamese people immigrated to Minnesota following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. Nowadays, community members are diligently striving to ensure that their language and culture remain vibrant and enduring for generations to come.
And for more than a decade, Roseville's Minnesota Vietnamese Language School is how they've been cultivating community in the Twin Cities metro.
Now retired, Loc Van founded the school in 2013 with just about 90 students. Twelve years later, the number has grown to more than 270, with students traveling from across the state and beyond to learn each weekend.
A group of volunteers have stepped up to help keep the school going, and growing.
"We mostly look like the family," said the school's Canh Truong. "Everybody share the work."
Sharing in the work, and sharing in the cost. Beyond a few grants to help with funding for events, and the $150 yearly tuition students pay — which goes to leasing the building and buying the books — the school is primarily funded by private donations.
Everyone at the school is a volunteer, including the principal and teachers. No one takes a paycheck.
"So we can carry the culture from generation to generation," Van said.
This story is part of the WCCO documentary "Vietnam 50 Years Later: Reflection on a War that Changed Minnesota," by reporter Pauleen Le and photojournalist Art Phillips.
Watch the full documentary below, or on our YouTube channel.
