SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — After years of effort, the Vietnamese community is one step closer to having a home in the House of Pacific Relations in Balboa Park. The timing is especially meaningful during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
With more than 700,000 Vietnamese Americans living in Southern California, the region is home to the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam itself. Now this vibrant community will have a dedicated space to share their culture with visitors.
Tan Nguyen, who moved here with her family in 1975 during the fall of Saigon, carried her family's culture and stories with them in a boat with 200 other refugees.
"I remember the day. I remember my father telling us to make sure that my sister and I hold hands and that we need to hang on to each other because there are a lot of people, 210 people, coming onto this boat, and we need to stay together," Nguyen said.
Nguyen is proud of her Vietnamese heritage and says sharing it has always been important not just for her, but for the next generation.
"We feel like we are the next generation and we will continue the legacy of our elders," she said.
The House of Vietnam is now fourth in line to be an addition to the international cottages at Balboa Park. Until a spot opens up, volunteers will greet visitors inside the shared House of Nations space, offering traditional arts, music, history and language.
"We have our tea set. We're a culture that loves to eat and share our food and have fun," a volunteer said.
For many first-generation Vietnamese Americans, the cottage represents an important cultural bridge.
"We in the first generation wanted to make sure that we preserve and share our culture and heritage to the next generation," Nguyen said.
For Nguyen's parents, who left everything behind and started a new life with their daughters 50 years ago, it's more than just a cottage—it's a cultural connection decades in the making.
"We are proud to be in America and to be American right now, Vietnamese American," Nguyen's parent said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
