Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 16, 2006 

CONTACT:
Hung Nguyen (877) 592-4140

VIETNAMESE AMERICANS ANNOUNCE FEBRUARY 25th DINNER FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT SMITHSONIAN VIETNAMESE AMERICAN HERITAGE PROJECT

Washington, D.C. (January 2006) - To celebrate and share their cultural heritage, a group of Vietnamese American community members will be hosting a fundraising dinner on Saturday, February 25th, 2006 at Fortune Restaurant in Falls Church, Virginia. Proceeds from the dinner will be donated directly to the Smithsonian Vietnamese American Heritage Project which includes a dedicated website, a middle school curriculum, public programs and an exhibit representing thirty years of Vietnamese American culture and history in America. This exhibit will open at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC in late 2006 and then travel to various venues around the country for three years. The goal of the project is to heighten the public's awareness of Vietnamese Americans' perspectives and contributions to American society.

Most of the 1.2 million Vietnamese Americans in the United States came as refugees after the Vietnam War, and in the past thirty years, the community has shifted dramatically. Today, Vietnamese Americans occupy diverse social classes, work sectors, and political parties. Vietnamese American ethnic communities have formed across the country in places like California, Texas, Washington, Boston, and the D.C. Metro area. This community has excelled in many fields, and today there are Vietnamese American athletes in a number of sports, entrepreneurs in varied industries, politicians in different parties, as well as employees in the service industry and retail. These are only a few areas where Vietnamese Americans contribute to society. This ethnic group is an integral part of America's national fabric.

"I believe this project would be invaluable in developing an understanding and appreciation of the Vietnamese American experience and talent in American society through the traveling exhibit, the dedicated website, public programs and the school curriculum," says Dr. Franklin Odo, Director of the Smithsonian APA Program. After the initial fundraising campaign for the Project is completed, many members of the Vietnamese American community would like to establish a $1 million endowment to help ensure representation of Vietnamese American perspectives at the Smithsonian.

The evening's event will feature entertainment from Trinh Hoi (Mcee), Thanh-Tuyen, Che Linh, Truc-Linh, Truc-Lam, and Duong Trieu Vu, some of today's most sought-after performers. Tickets are $75 per person, or $100 per person for VIP. VIP tables get complimentary pictures with singers and entertainers. The Smithsonian Institution is a 501 (c) (3) organization. All contributions are tax deductible to the extent of the law. Please call Ban Tran at (703) 748-6309 or Thanh-Thuy Nguyen at (202) 955-0028 for tickets, corporate sponsorship and advertising at the dinner. Tickets are also available at Washington Video Production store at Eden Center. For more info, go to - http://www.VietAm.org.

CONTACT:
Thanh-Thuy Nguyen, National Minority Supplier Development Council, (202) 955-0028, tthuyn@yahoo.com

Ban Tran, Merrill Lynch, (703) 748-6309, ban_tran@ml.com

Bich Nguyen, Vietnamese Cultural Association in North American (VICANA), (703) 220-0491, nguyennbich37726@aol.com

Hau X. Mai, Retina Studios, (703) 855-5946, hau.mai@retinastudios.com

Chau Nguyen, Moonlight Group, (301) 520-9265, cnguyen54@yahoo.com

Hung Nguyen , National Congress of Vietnamese Americans (NCVA), (703) 470-4864, hung.nguyen@ncvaonline.org

My-Chau Nguyen, Sprint, (571)238-3051, my-chau.nguyen@sprint.com

V. Thanh Nguyen, NVT Technologies, Inc., (703) 406-8000, tnguyen@nvttech.com

Renee Tran, Perot Systems, (202) 680-4323, renee.tran@parsons.com