Page 49 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2025

of the photos are of children who are now adults “A lot of us have no photos as kids because our families were poor and didn't have cameras,” To says. Other exhibit photos were taken by Horatio Nguyen.
“I hope that people will be more informed about the rich cultural tapestry of the Coast,” To says. “I am a travel nurse anesthetist and have met so many people in other states who do not know the history about Mississippi, especially the Gulf Coast, which has the largest Vietnamese population in Mississippi.
“I want people to realize how much we contributed to the seafood industry and how we have integrated and become Americans all within 50 years.”
To puts into words her passion for this project. “When we pass, our story dies with us. We live
on in the memories of others but also how we record our family's history. My passion is to help others tell their stories and to preserve it for future generations to never forget how the Vietnamese refugees started.”
Jennifer Le's family was originally sponsored by a Baptist church but also found support in Biloxi through a relative named Bac Nam, who had lived in their village in Vietnam.
“After my youngest brother, Johnny, and my father both passed away in separate drowning incidents, I met Emma, who shared the same desire to formally preserve our family history and narratives,” she says. “My brother and father left their final marks near major milestones in their lives. Johnny passed away shortly after his high school graduation in 2012. Then, in 2018, my father fell off his boat and drowned during his last shrimping trip of the season – just two years away from retirement.
“Neither of them had the time to reflect on, share, or commemorate their achievements or to be alive to see the full timeline of their lives unfold. It’s not only important to share the stories and accomplishments of our loved ones who have passed, but also to give those still with us the chance to see and celebrate theirs.”
Le, a part-time pharmacy assistant, feels preserving these narratives is more than historical work; it’s an act and an art of love, healing, and remembrance. “That’s what this project means to me. The Vietnamese community – if you’ve met us – you know we are warm, shy, yet welcoming people,” she adds. “We also tend to smile a lot. Behind every smile seen on a Vietnamese descendant lies a deeper history and background.
“Life hasn’t always been easy for us, even if our smiles suggest otherwise. The narratives shared in this exhibit showcase the resilience, grit, passion, and love the Vietnamese embody as they built from nothing for the sake of their families and communities.”
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