Kim L. Pham

April 30, 2003
Occidental College
Urban & Environmental Policy Institute
Senior Comprehensive Project

Despite the substantial social science literature about Asian Americans, little has been written about the Vietnamese American community and none examine the non-profit organizations that serve these new immigrants. The purpose of this study is threefold: to provide a directory of resources to non-profit organizations and public agencies that service the Vietnamese community in Orange County; to provide an in-depth comparative investigation into the strength and weaknesses of these organizations; and to examine the unmet needs of Vietnamese Americans who continue to experience significant economic, social, cultural and health-related problems.

Given their social conditions, sociologists Nazli Kabria and Janet Benson found that the presence of a large household and complex informal social networks have provided important resources to these new immigrants (Kabria 1993, Benson 1994). In addition to the informal social networks of the household members, community-based organizations (CBOs) play a vital role. CBOs that serve the Vietnamese American community can be an essential resource to address critical social, economic, cultural and health problems that many members of the community face. In this report, I’d like to discover the strengths and weaknesses of these CBOs so that I can find ways to help these organizations improve themselves and continue the valuable services they provide.

This report is divided into three main sections. In the first section, I explore the impact the model minority myth has on the Vietnamese American community. The second section, I will provide a brief background of Vietnamese Americans and their condition in the United States. The last section will be dedicated to the case studies’ profiles, strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement.

Vietnamese American Community Directory (PDF, Black and White, Color)