Culture Shock and Consuming a Dream: Nga Vương-Sandoval on fleeing Việt Nam as a Child

In this episode, Amanda Henderson talks to Nga Vương-Sandoval, a refugee from Việt Nam and United States Refugee Advisory Board Project Manager. The conversation explores the transformation of the American Dream, immigration histories and policies, and the experiences of refugees. 

Vương-Sandoval shares her insights on the true meaning of the American Dream, which she believes should not be drowned by materialism but rather focused on essential human aspirations such as freedom, safety, and security. The episode also investigates how immigration laws shape daily life, how global events affect personal perspectives, and the complex realities of being displaced and navigating life in a foreign country.

Lastly, it presents a reflective poem reading by Mariela Saavedra Carquin on the complex realities of loss that come with displacement and resettlement in a new land.

00:02 Introduction and Overview

02:01 Understanding Immigration Laws and Policies

03:55 The Impact of Immigration Policies

05:08 Guest Introduction: Nga Vương-Sandoval

06:34 Nga's Journey and Perspective on the American Dream

13:53 The Influence of Capitalism on the American Dream

17:53 The Global Perception of the American Dream

21:20 The Role of History in Shaping Perceptions

24:22 Empowering Refugees and Asylum Seekers

28:27 Reflecting on Personal Experiences and the Concept of Home

31:20 Closing Remarks and Preview of Next Episode

Guest Bio

As a Việtnamese refugee, Nga Vương-Sandoval embraces her heritage and refugee experience and is empathetic to the plight and struggle of other underrepresented communities. In addition to being a TEDx Presenter, she is active in a number of advocacy roles, including being a member of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders; a founding member and public speaker with Colorado Refugee Speakers Bureau; a refugee advisor for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Refugee Advisory Group; the first refugee elected to Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains Board of Directors and Vice-Chair of the Program Services Committee; a Noble Ambassador for Christina Noble Children’s Foundation; an advisory member for Denver’s Little Sài Gòn Redevelopment Group; and an advisory member to the Denver Elections Advisory Committee. She previously served as a Commissioner with the Denver Asian American Pacific Islander Commission.

Nga earned a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. In her free time, she enjoys meeting, learning and engaging with diverse communities, reading, writing op-eds on Medium.com, watching documentaries, traveling domestically and internationally, exploring and savoring cuisines locally and around the world and creating origami for her NVS Cre-Asian line that’s sold at Ruby’s Market in Denver.

Want to Learn More?

Hart-Cellar Act of 1965: https://cis.org/Report/HartCeller-Immigration-Act-1965

The James Truslow Adams book Nga referenced that was published in 1931– The Epic of America: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1192936.The_Epic_of_America

Mariella Saavedra Carquin, the poet who read one of her poems at the end of this episode. Her recently published book of poems confronts hard truths in this powerful debut collection, pushing through layered complexities of immigration, race, and identity to find a way forward.   https://www.juneroadpress.com/maps-you-cant-make

Want to Take Action? 

Learn about immigration rights and how to take action in Colorado: https://www.aclu-co.org/en/campaigns/immigrants-rights

Sign up for Complexified Newsletter: https://complexified.substack.com/

Help Make Complexified Happen - Donate here https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E345509&id=75

Contact us: email complexified@iliff.edu

Complexified Website: https://www.complexified.org/