The Vietnamese with Kenneth Nguyen

Joseph Nguyễn received his M.A. focusing on Vietnamese and Vietnamese Diaspora Studies at Columbia University. In 2022, he also received a Fulbright Fellowship to Vietnam. Currently, Joseph teaches Vietnamese American Experiences at CSU Long Beach and is a Vietnamese dual language immersion (VDLI) teacher at Westminster School District, the first K-12 VDLI program in the United States. He is also...

Join Kenneth as he sits down with his former club-promoting partner (1995-1997), Son Vu. Together with Chris Tran from Little Saigon, they take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about the vibrant mid-90s party scene in Southern California, reflecting on their shared experiences and the cultural impact of that era within the Vietnamese community. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/bran...

Vietnam is the world's second-largest coffee producer and the top producer of Robusta beans, but its coffee story is much more than numbers. In this episode of *Sea Dreams*, we explore how coffee has shaped Vietnam's history, economy, and identity—from its introduction during French colonization to its rise as a global export powerhouse. This is not just about coffee; it’s a journey throug...

Born and raised in Orange County, California, Eric Nong is a self-taught classic film buff who, since 2021, has served as Viet Film Fest Artistic Director. In addition to his passion for film, he has served as a volunteer and writer for Viet Film Fest 2018. Eric was also a part of Viet Film Fest 2019’s Curatorial Committee and volunteered during the 3-day event. Eric has a BA in Political Science...

Daniel Nguyen, originally from the Pacific Northwest, made history as the first person of color on the City Council of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and currently serves as an Oregon state legislator for the 38th district. Katherine Lam, who immigrated from Vietnam at age thirteen, holds influential roles as a commissioner for the Port of Portland and board member for the Oregon Business Council. Katherine...

Andy Ho, known by his stage name HoeyFarmer, is a stand-up comedian and entertainer whose unique journey began in the fields as a farmer for four years. Transitioning from agriculture to comedy, Andy discovered his knack for creating hilarious skits and rap parodies that quickly gained attention for their witty humor. He has a variety of characters including Viet Dad and none other than 50dong the...

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên is a Vietnamese-American singer, songwriter, and master of ceremonies and co-host of Paris by Night. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Many of you still have the chance to record and preserve the legacies of your own families. I’ve sat with families now for interview sessions to record the rich histories of parent...

Nguyen Coffee Supply was founded by Sahra Nguyen, a 1st generation Vietnamese American and a quintessential Millennial of the “Slash Generation”. Her multifaceted creative career includes being the award-winning documentary filmmaker behind NBC News’ “Deported”, a former restaurant owner and a 2018 Google Next Gen Leader. Nguyen is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, who fled their country by boa...

Welcome to SEA Dreams! Explore Southeast Asia’s dynamic past, present, and future landscape through the lens of culture, food, business, history, and politics. Each episode deep dives into expert analysis on key events shaping Southeast Asia. Whether you're a professional, student, or curious listener, this podcast will provide fresh perspectives and thought-provoking conversations on the forc...

Loan Le is a Senior Editor at Atria Books. She began her publishing career at Gallery Books and Scout Press in 2014, then joined Atria in 2016. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Fairfield University in 2014, where she later earned her MFA in fiction. Her titles include Scott Alexander Howard’s The Other Valley, Luke Dumas’s USA Today bestseller The Paleontologist, Carolyn H...

Triet Tran, also known as Tee, was born in Vietnam but raised and currently reside in Houston, Texas. He is a content creator who focuses on making comedic short skits on Instagram and TikTok where he usually has a towel wrapped around his head imitating Vietnamese moms or a baseball cap to imitate our Vietnamese dads. Outside of the realm of content creating, you can find him figure skating or be...

Kayli Tran is an American actor who’s made waves with her major breakout role in the critically acclaimed A24/HBO show The Sympathizer. Helmed by visionary director Park Chan-Wook and acting opposite Academy Award winner Robert Downey Jr. Kayli delivered a mesmerizing performance as a secret communist spy showcasing her depth and range as an actress. Through her portrayal, she skillfully navigated...

Fred Le is a comedian and filmmaker based in LA. He, along with fellow comic Andy Van co-created the all-Vietnamese comedy show Embarrassed by Night which continues to tour the West Coast, with its upcoming show #10 in Los Angeles on September 13th, 2024. Begun in 2022, Embarrassed by Night has received multiple write-ups on Metro Silicon Valley, been featured on Little Saigon TV, and showcased at...

Join K. T. Nguyen, a former magazine editor whose features have graced the pages of Glamour, Shape, and Fitness, as she shares stories from her life spent navigating the bustling cities of New York, Taipei, Beijing, Shanghai, San Francisco and working through debilitating OCD. “You Know What You Did” is her debut novel that was just released in April 2024. Now settled just outside Washington, D.C....

Andrew Lam is the author of  Perfume Dreams: Reflections on the Vietnamese Diaspora , which won the 2006 PEN Open Book Award, and  East Eats West: Writing in Two Hemispheres . Lam is an editor and cofounder of New America Media, an association of over two thousand ethnic media outlets in America. He was a regular commentator on NPR’s  All Things Considered  for many years, and was the subject of a...

Lan Ho is a Vietnamese American who made a bold career change from pharmacist to coffee entrepreneur after being furloughed during the pandemic. She pivoted to pursue her dream and successfully launched Fat Miilk - Chicago's first Vietnamese Robusta-centric coffee company. The brand saw instant global recognition when Bon Appetit listed Fat Miilk on their "Highly Recommend" list. The b...

Hồng Thanh Phương Thảo (She/Her/Hers) is a Senior Program Officer supporting advocacy for the Digital Public Infrastructure and Inclusive Financial Systems teams at the Gates Foundation.  Thảo previously held positions in commercial aircraft sales, brand marketing, and international strategy at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Prior to joining the private sector, Thảo was a Foreign Service Officer foc...

Stefan was born as Nam Le Thanh in Saigon in the early 70s of war-torn Vietnam. He was stricken by polio at the age of two, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Due to this debilitating disease, he was soon after abandoned by his parents.  He was later discovered sitting on the streets and taken to an orphanage where he was further neglected with little to no medical care. On April 6, 1975,...

The Vietnamese podcast goes on the road in person at Chef Nguyen Bui's Buivette, a series of steakhouse dinners in the intimate setting of his loft in the Arts District. Chef Bui, formerly of Rustic Canyon, is joined by two other guests, Minh Phan and Gustavo Arellano. Minh Phan is an art practitioner, chef, founder, and creative director of Michelin Star (2021, 2022) and 2021 LA Times Restaur...

Michael Tatarski is an American journalist based in Vietnam. Tatarski is the writer of Vietnam Weekly, and served as Editor-in-Chief of Saigoneer, a Ho Chi Minh City-based English news publication, from 2018 to 2022. Tatarski's reporting has covered Vietnamese culture, politics, and international relations, including the 2019 Trump-Kim Summit in Hanoi and the COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam. Tata...

Originally from Cần Thơ, Vietnam, Mixed Miyagi was raised in Tampa, Florida, where he was captivated by the Hip Hop Culture. As a biracial immigrant, he holds his Nigerian and Vietnamese roots close to his heart. Miyagi expresses his passion for social justice, cultural awareness, lyricism, and clever wordplay. His most viewed music video today, titled “Việt Nam Xin Chào”, which is a nod to his ho...

Trung Nguyen is a distinguished former Army Ranger, having served with honor in the elite 2/75th Ranger Regiment. With over 14 years of dedicated law enforcement experience, Trung has served across four diverse departments, including suburban Illinois, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department. His tenure with the Chicago PD includes five years on the full-time SWAT team...

Bob Nguyen has been a staple of the Vietnamese community since opening the first Vietnamese owned tattoo shop in Orange County, in particular, Little Saigon Westminter California. With over 30 years experience in tattoo artistry, Bob still shows love for the art and its apparent in his work. You can still find him tattooing at his shop aptly named Bad Influence Tattoo, established in 2003.  ------...

Nodey is a dynamic Vietnamese-French music DJ, beatmaker and producer whose beats and melodies transcend borders. In this podcast, we explore Nodey's unique soundscapes, blending traditional Vietnamese music with contemporary French influences. From his rise in the French music scene to his early days in Vietnam, Nodey's story is one of cultural innovation, and relentless passion for music...

Erica Allen-Kim is an assistant professor of architectural history at the University of Toronto. Erica is the author of Building Little Saigon - This work is an in-depth look at the diverging paths of Vietnamese American communities, or “Little Saigons,” in America’s built environment. Building Little Saigon  examines nearly fifty years of city building by Vietnamese Americans—who number over 2.2...