First of all, it is not because they are inherently “better at solidarity” than Vietnamese people.
And it’s not that the Vietnamese community is weak.
The differences largely come from population size, immigration history, professional networks, and the ability to build organizations over generations.
1. They are not only successful people. They have a whole ecosystem.
When a community is large enough and connected enough, predecessors can introduce jobs to successors.
– Entrepreneurs can find lawyers, accountants, investors and partners in the same network.
– Doctors, engineers, professors and students have professional associations to share information and open opportunities for each other.
A good individual can go very far.
But a strong community is where good people pull more people up.
2. They build organizations, not just individual success
Community strength does not just lie in the number of rich people or people with advanced degrees.
It lies in things that last:
– Professional associations.
– Scholarship fund.
– Advisor network.
– Organize policy advocacy.
– Media and cultural center.
Vietnamese people also have many valuable associations, but resources are sometimes scattered, dependent on a few individuals and lacking a succession mechanism.
A strong organization needs more than just good people.
It needs processes, finances, successors and a big enough goal.
3. Vietnamese people have a very different immigration history
Many Vietnamese people came to America after the war, in a situation of loss and having to start over almost from scratch.
The first generation must focus on the most basic things:
– Got a job.
– Raising children.
– Buy a house.
– Learn English.
– Stabilize your life.
When a generation has to devote most of its energy to survival, it is difficult for them to have enough time and resources to build lasting influence.
Therefore, we cannot just look at today’s results and ignore the starting point.
4. Vietnamese people are very strong at the family level, but not strong enough at the community level
Many Vietnamese families are willing to sacrifice everything so their children can study and have a better future.
That is a huge power.
But we often stop at the question:
How to make your child successful?
While a strong community will ask more:
How can our next generation have more opportunities?
A strong family is the foundation.
But if we want strong communities, we must go from “my children” to “our generation.”
5. Vietnamese people do not lack talent. What’s missing are bridges.
We have had many successful doctors, engineers, professors, lawyers and businessmen.
But the more important question is:
– After success, do we open the door for those who follow?
– Are there mentors for young people?
– Is there network sharing?
– Do you introduce qualified people to important opportunities?
– Can we build an organization that will last for generations to come?
The community does not grow thanks to individual stars.
Communities grow thanks to people willing to be a bridge.
The Vietnamese community in America has actually come very far in just a few decades.
The next thing we need is not just more successful individuals.
It’s about learning how to connect those successes into common strength.
Because a successful Vietnamese person can change the fate of a family.
But a Vietnamese community that knows how to share opportunities and support each other can change the position of an entire generation.
That is also the reason why I built Vietnamese in Medicine – Vietnamese in the medical profession: a community for those who are studying, working or interested in the medical profession in the US.
I hope this is not only a place to share knowledge, but also a place where those who go before pave the way for those who follow, where like-minded people find each other, and where one person’s success can create opportunities for many others.
If you are interested in the medical profession in the US, we invite you to join the group Vietnamese in Medicine – Vietnamese in the medical profession (Join the community here).
A strong community is not created solely by the number of members.
It is created when each person who enters is ready to learn, contribute and pull another person forward.
I am also looking for more brothers and sisters and friends who are really interested in building the Vietnamese in Medicine community – Vietnamese people in the medical profession to join the group’s management board.
If you are studying, working in the medical industry in the US, or have experience, knowledge and desire to contribute to support those who follow, please contact me directly.
I’m not looking for people just to “keep the title”, but looking for people who really want to build a kind, valuable and sustainable community for Vietnamese people in the medical industry in the US.
What do you think about these shares? Please comment to let me know.
Please share if you find it useful!
Dr. Christina Nguyen
Phoenix Medical Academy
