Thuy Le Oral History Interview, July 31, 2015

NF: My name is Natalia Fernández and I am the Oregon Multicultural Librarian for the Oregon Multicultural Archives at OSU. Today's date is July 31, 2015, and we are conducting an interview as part of the Asian Family Center Oral History Project in Portland, Oregon. So, if you could state your name and spell it out loud.

TL: My name is Thuy Le. T-H-U-Y is the first name; L-E is the last name.

NF: And what is your birthdate and your birthplace?

TL: So I was born in Vietnam in 1981.

NF: And with which ethnic or cultural backgrounds do you identify?

TL: Vietnamese.

NF: And when and where were your parents born?

TL: My parents were born in Vietnam. My dad was born in 1951, my mom 19, was born in 1957.

NF: And so you grew up in Vietnam?

TL: I think so. I came here when I was 16 so yes, partly, I grew up in Vietnam and spend my teenage years over here until now.

NF: So what was life like in Vietnam? Can you describe a little bit about that and what your parents did?

TL: My dad was an employee, he sell electronic stuff for a living. My mom, she, was working, I think she worked at a school, kind of like a nanny, but like a classroom teacher; I was a student over there. Just schooling and stuff; that's it.

NF: And so you came to the United States in what year?

TL: I came in 1997. Yeah I came here at the time.

NF: And you came by yourself or with your family?

TL: I came with my family, with my mom, my dad, and my brother. At the time he 00:02:00was 13, 13 years old, I was 16.

NF: And did you come to Oregon specifically or did you come elsewhere?

TL: Original plan or actually the plan was to come here, but I stopped at Los Angeles and stayed, stayed then went to San José and stayed there for like about a couple of weeks and then I came back here, to live here.

NF: So you went to California first? Why did you think, why did your family think of Oregon? What was in Oregon? Did you have family or friends that were already here?

TL: Yes, we have family here. So our plan was just to live here. We just went to California to you know, visit some of the family over there because you know, we got to the US. We, we came to Los Angeles International Airport right there so we decided just to stay there to visit family for a few weeks and then came back here.

NF: And why did your family choose to come to the United States, to Oregon?

TL: My uncle, he's the one who sponsored my family over and probably for, maybe the main goal for the parents to come over here, for the kids to grow up over here and get a chance to go to school and have a better, have a better future over here.

NF: So the sponsorship? That was financial sponsorship, is that what that means?

TL: I think so. So, like a brother sponsored the brother and sister, like immediate family to come over. Like immigrant, immigrant status, but under the sponsorship of the immediate family members.

NF: Okay.

TL: Yeah.

NF: And you were young and your siblings were young, but do you recall that process being difficult or it seemed, from your perspective, fairly simple that 00:04:00your parents decided to come to the United States, and then soon you were here, or do you remember it being a longer process?

TL: Honestly, I don't really remember everything, I just, when I started to notice about the things, I heard that my family been sponsored, was being sponsored from, by my uncle and we waited for quite a long time because I heard they say about 10 years, but the thing is when I was 16, that's the time that I finally you know, got permitted to, my visa got approved to come over. So I think maybe because of the US citizenship thing, but my uncle told me that as soon as he became a US citizen, he sponsored, he submitted the paperwork, he sponsored my family right away. So they say 10 years, but technically I don't really recall; I don't remember the time that he was, he changed from immigrant status to the US citizen status. Maybe that timeframe is different so I don't 00:05:00know how that works.

NF: Okay.

TL: But yeah.

NF: So what was it like for your family to come here? Obviously they had a support system. Did you receive assistance from other organizations?

TL: No, we couldn't because of, because of the sponsorship at that time. So whoever sponsored had to be responsible for the family that they sponsored. And my family, my uncle kind of supported my family. My mom and my dad found a job and my uncle and my auntie helping my family, you know with buying, buying school supplies, clothing, but as soon as my parents came they found a job and started working right away. So we didn't really live on; we didn't even depend on any kind of assistance.

NF: Okay. And in terms of you and your siblings, you started school right away?

TL: Yes.

NF: And what was that experience like?

TL: Scary. I didn't speak English at all, so I came to the school with everybody speaking English and there were some Vietnamese kids there too so I got some help from the Vietnamese kids. Yeah, but it's hard.

NF: Did your family pretty immediately connect with the other members of the Vietnamese community here?

TL: Yes, because I joined the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Group. Since I was in Vietnam and I came over here they also had that kind of youth group at the Nam-Quang Temple over the NE Sandy Boulevard and 148th. My uncle also joined that group, my whole family pretty much you know, all. Two different generations joined, that was the kind of group. So when I got over here I got linked to that 00:07:00youth group right away. So yes, kind of involved in the Vietnamese community, communities through the temple and, and also my neighborhoods are, my uncle family. So we kind of have four or five Vietnamese families living together in the same area.

NF: Okay, so then it was the, the other community members in your family that helped you in terms of finding your way around and understanding the school system, those types of things?

TL: Yes. Yeah we all helping, all helping each other out.

NF: Wonderful. So, did you attend college and if so, where and what did you study?

TL: I attended PCC and then transferred to Portland State University. I studied sociology and graduated in 2006, yes.

NF: And what drew you to that? What was interesting about, about sociology?

TL: First of all, I. Well at first I didn't know what I wanted to do and then just because of my uncle, he came here maybe around 1980 something. He worked in the social, social security administration office, and he told me a lot of stories about you know, when the new people, the new Vietnamese person come and helping. He's one of the first people that arrived in the US, in this, Oregon I guess. And he helped a lot of you know immigrant, Vietnamese immigrant families, and he helped them with different things you know? Showing, showing them you know, locate different resources and I heard stories about that so I kind of, okay, let's go for it. It's kind of cool to help other people. Also I received help from the people around me as well.

NF: And was that something that your family strongly encouraged, that you attended college and, and that you pursue that line of work?

TL: Well they encouraged me to go to college, but they, my mom and my dad they don't really know much about you know, school over here. They just said that you know, "if you go to college it's easier for you to get a job and get a better future." So I just, you know, slowly go to school and whatever comes will come. I'm just trying, I were. At that time I didn't even think; when I first came here I didn't even think that I'm going to go to college.

NF: And now, are you the oldest?

TL: I'm the oldest.

NF: So now your siblings, your younger siblings, they, are they also very interested in attending college?

TL: No, he attended, but then he's doing something else.

NF: So how did you become connected to IRCO AFC, to the Asian Family Center? Can you describe that, that professional journey that you took?

TL: So, I. When I attended Portland, PC, Portland Community College. I didn't 00:10:00know what I wanted to do. So when I finished the two years associates degree over there, when I decided to go to Portland State University, I took some kind of test. I took the career test and one of the career tests that I. One of the, the results came out that you know, sociology is one of my topic or how do you call it? My favorite career, I guess.

NF: And your strength?

TL: Maybe, my strength. So, I started to find to see if there were any social services around. I had no idea at that time. So, luckily I met two people at the gym and I just mentioned to them that I, that I learned about AFC and I, I mentioned to them that I would like to volunteer. I know it's really hard for me to find jobs, especially my English. I'm still working on my English skills. So, so at that time I didn't think that I could get a job, right away. So I just 00:11:00tried to focus on volunteering first, gaining some experience and learn about, you know, what social services is like. So I volunteered and met Pam Richardson and Annie. I started volunteering around 2004. To, I started with the parent, parenting program. What's it called, parent child development services. So I started volunteer work there during the time that I was in college. Like during the time that I was in Portland Community College. Oh no, I'm sorry, Portland State University.

NF: So this was with AFC or this was with a different organization?

TL: With AFC.

NF: With AFC.

TL: With the Asian Family Center.

NF: Wow, so you've been with the Asian Family Center all this time? Or did you take breaks and work for a different organization?

TL: I took, I got a little break, like about six month breaks, and I came back. I started 2004 as a volunteer and then I was in school so I kind of didn't have 00:12:00time, part time, so I got hired for casual staff and then moved to half time and then become full time. And then I think 2000, I don't remember exactly, 2006 when I finally graduated from Portland State University I actually do full time, did the full time job at the, in the parenting program. And then I moved from that program to the Healthy Start program, also in the parenting department. I got laid off in 2010 and then 2011 I applied for the Vietnamese family engagement specialist with the youth department. And I think a few months later on, I don't remember the exact time frame. Then I applied for another half time position at the rental case, rental assistance case manager. So right now I'm a 00:13:00full time staff there. I'm kind of half, case manager and half program, program coordinator in the rental assistance program.

NF: So can you talk a little bit about when you first began? Can you describe the parenting program and what that did what your role was, and then you mentioned the Healthy Start program. So can you describe a little bit about those programs?

TL: So in the parenting department we help families who have children under five years old. For the PCS we serve family under, who have children under five years old. So we, I did the home visit. I came to the home and provide the child developments information to the parents. Help them understand each of the stages of how the child develops and modeling you know, activities for the parents and 00:14:00child, and the, and the child to play together and promote any kind of skill that they need to, that the kid need to know and also the parent need to know. So I, if I remember correctly; hopefully those main goals are still there. So the main goals at that time were meant to prevent child abuse. So if the parent understands about child development, then it would not, would not lead to child abuse. So the Vietnamese family, the way that they discipline the kid is different from the American law. So it may be okay for them to, well back in our country, if the kid is not doing what, not doing, not behaving in a certain way, we spank the kid, but over here if you spank the kid then it will become child abuse.

So I kind of, you know, the program was to teach the parents and help them understand that part and understand that you need to be involved in the kid's life better. Understand, in order for, to raise the kid. So I don't, you to be 00:15:00the main goal. I don't know about now because I'm out of the program already. So I also created like a group activities, some kinds of games to play with the kids. I really enjoy working with children, they're really cute and sometimes you know, they might cry, but we understand that they are very innocent. And create fun activities for the family to do together, you know? Create fun activities for the parent to do with the kid. Also help link them to any other social services or any resources out there that might be available for them and help them with some of the language barriers, yes. The Healthy Start, I was, I was the program coordinator over there. I only did a few home visits because I 00:16:00changed the roles already. So I only did a few home visits, but the thing is Healthy Start also serves families. First time home, first time parents who live in Multnomah County, and so the parents who have children from newborn to three years old.

NF: And the families that you worked with were they predominantly Vietnamese families or did you expand beyond the Vietnamese community?

TL: I actually expand beyond that. So I had some family from Bur, Burma, I think she's from there, the Burmese. I don't, I don't remember exactly where they came from, because probably from the refugee camps. A couple families that speak Thai and Burmese at the same time, so that's why I, I don't remember exactly you know, where they came from. I just remember they are Burmese. So I helped some Burmese families, some Chinese families and Vietnamese families. In the Healthy 00:17:00Start program we have to serve everybody in Multnomah County regardless of ethni, any kind of ethnicity, ethnicity or races. So we serve all.

NF: Can you describe a little bit, some of the challenges of, of that particular work? You mentioned that there are cultural differences with raising children. So I can imagine that, that can be a difficult transition for some families or do you find that they're responsive and that they, that they're easily willing to change, or does it depend on the family?

TL: I think it's depending, it depends on the family, but some of the family are very cooperative (laughs). I talked to them a lot about the law, child abuse laws over here and one of the problems, one of the problems that I have was, I was single, I didn't have any kids. So some of the Asian families they, they 00:18:00probably said, "Oh, you don't have family." I do see that, you know, I did see that in their eyes when they asked if I had kids and I said no. That kind of you know step back a little bit because some of them might think, "Well if you don't have kids how are you going to help me raising my kid." So I always talk to them I always told them that even though I don't have kids, but the thing is I learned about child; the development over here. So I'm providing, I'm providing you this information for you to learn more about, you know, these, and also with the parenting group meetings that we have weekly, if you think that these materials is not applying to your situation, there are other parents that are going to come to the group, you can learn from them. You can learn a skill from them so I'm just creating them you know, I'm just creating the opportunity for you to get advice from other parents. So it doesn't have to come from me, but it 00:19:00comes from other parents. Maybe that will help you.

NF: And did you follow up with the parents? You mentioned it was up until five years old, but then does the AFC keep track of what happens to those families and those children. Do you, do you do that through other or do they just transition into other programs, other services that the family center provides?

TL: They, I normally refer them. I refer them to the youth department. If they want to participate in it they can, but they always can come back to - well, not like comeback to be in my program, in the parenting program, but they can come back to ask any questions and I can continue to refer them again. And some families, when I started working for the Vietnamese family engagement specialist, I run into the student I worked with before - the little, little kid 00:20:00that I worked with before so they remembered me. I remember going to - or take me to the pumpkin patch or something like that and the parents remember me.

NF: Oh how nice.

TL: Yeah.

NF: How did parents find out about your services? Was it that you went out, the AFC or maybe you yourself went out into the community and said we have this program to provide or did people hear about it and then request to be a part of the program? Was it a little bit of both?

TL: I think both. Yeah, some, some families meet me fro, by other social services or maybe DHS, some families maybe know someone already in the program and they interview each other and they refer the client to us, yeah. For some families, for example when I worked at the school, when I noticed that, 'oh this 00:21:00family also have you know, the siblings, the kid also have the sibling under five' then I referred them to the parenting program even though I'm not working: I wasn't working for the parenting program anymore, but I still you know, refer them.

NF: And with the, with the Healthy Start program can you describe a little bit about the health needs, the, the major health needs that are affecting the communities that you serve?

TL: The health?

NF: In terms of what health services do they need? Are there certain - is it just about information about understanding the health system which can be very complicated or are there certain ailments that affect the communities you serve in particular?

TL: Actually, Healthy Start program at that time is one of the parenting programs and also do serve families, serve families who have children, who are first time parents and we provide child development services to them and link 00:22:00them to you know any for example help or Oregon health plan, help them with you know, with those. We just link them or sometimes we help them fill out the applications and also the program has a nurse, community health nurse. So she also goes to the home visit with the staff and to weight a child or provide any information, weight information. So it's not just about like health in general, but okay the name, but the thing is parenting, parent child development. And we just refer people out; we just help with whatever we can do, but there are certain services that we couldn't help, we just lead them.

NF: So it sounds like you, through your programs, you have a lot of partnerships with other organizations with other services to connect.

TL: Yes.

NF: And do you yourself build those relationships or does that come from a more administrative level, those connections with other organizations?

TL: I think every - sometimes I learn it from manager or supervisor and we, when we get connected, we just contact whoever the person who is responsible for, for that particular program then trying to work with them. So yeah, we just learn from whatever, whoever had the experience passed down to us and we try to explore more. And there was, well up to now there are different kinds of meetings, county meetings or city meetings when we go to the meeting and meet new people and when they introduce the new program trying to get the information and sometimes we can contact them and also people heard about our program, they 00:24:00refer a claim to us, yeah.

NF: And while you were working with those programs in particular did you collaborate with other programs within the AFC itself or was your program, because it was very focused on children under a certain age, did you not really collaborate with, with others within the AFC?

TL: We collaborate with everyone as long as you know, the family is interested in that kind of service then we, we refer them out and try to contact that particular program to work with them. So it doesn't have to be just AFC or just IRCO, but we just connect them to anything that the family may want because everything is about the family.

NF: So it's about serving the family as a whole, and all the different needs that they have.

TL: Yes and we just try our best to help them. We cannot, you know, enroll them 00:25:00into any program that we don't have the power over you know. So we just refer them out and we just try our best.

NF: What do you consider some of your accomplishments or some of your favorite memories from those particular programs? You mentioned that you, you really enjoyed working with children?

TL: I enjoy working with them. I enjoy you know, creating fun activities for them. Whenever the child, there's a smile on their face, that is you know one of my, I think I feel happy when I see that because we are trying to bring the family together and prevent it from having the child be taken away just because the parent doesn't understand about how the child grows and how the child behaves. So we, I'm just happy when I see the smile on their face and teaching them you know writing ABC because in our, in the parent group we try to teach 00:26:00the kid how to cut and create some of the paper craft. So one time I'm trying to, I was trying to do, to try to make the monkey, a monkey, but I didn't measure it right. Somehow, the result came out, the kid, when people asked the kid, what did, what did you just make? The kid said a bear, when it's supposed to be a monkey. It's just cute when they you know, cutting, and pasting and do you know, those little stuff, it's just cute.

NF: And that they're learning those skills and that they're -

TL: They're learning those skills to prepare for their kindergarten or an elementary school, I mean prepare them for school.

NF: That's wonderful. So is part of those programs, did it start, it starts it sounds like with the home visit and then they're invited to those weekly group meetings?

TL: Yes.

NF: And those meetings are, it sounds like they're for both the parents and the 00:27:00children, but then the children get to play together, the parents get to learn from each other?

TL: Yes, the curriculum that we use, the child development curriculum that we use have, is parent as teacher. So I'm not the teacher, but I want the parent to be the first teacher. Actually the parent then the first teacher, but whether or not they recognize that. So let the parent sit down with the kid, working with them on you know writing ABC counting number 1-2-3, so they spend time with their kid and do like fun activities with their kid. And helping them out of course, when their kid is too young they cannot really cut you know the circle right, but then at least they're trying and the parents stick to them and helping them, supporting them on that.

NF: So you mentioned that then in 2010 to 2011 you had applied for a job with 00:28:00the, the program that you're currently working with?

TL: I'm not working with them anymore, but I applied for the Vietnamese Family engagement specialist.

NF: So you did work for, as the, in that position?

TL: Yes.

NF: Oh you did okay, can you describe a little bit about that?

TL: My job is to engage the parents into school activities so I basically stationed at the school. So I work with the SUN program and some of the teachers and the principal over there. I invited the parents to the school meeting or group meeting or any kind of activity at the school. And because some of the Vietnamese family, they might not, well some of the Vietnamese family they don't speak English so I help them with the - and also helping them understand the report card, their children's report card and bringing whatever the information that the school provide, bring it to the family. Also create fun activities for 00:29:00them as well. In the summer we like to have fun.

NF: And so that position was specific to the Vietnamese community?

TL: Yes, that one was specifically for the Vietnamese family.

NF: And how long did you work at that position? About a year it sounds like?

TL: I, I think 2011 to 2014. I think three years, but again I only had half time, only 20 hours per week. So I worked in two different schools with Whitman Elementary and Woodmere Elementary school.

NF: Did you have another position since that one was only halftime?

TL: I think when I started, I think six or eight months later I also applied for the rental assistance case manager. So I maintain, I kept that kind of half position here and half position there until last year, yeah.

NF: Okay. And then with the, the Vietnamese specialist position you mentioned 00:30:00that was elementary school so you were working with kids from five to ten or eleven years old, with that age range?

TL: Yes. Yes, well my, my position mainly for the family, for the mom, for the parents. I don't really work with kids, but then I do work with kids when there are certain things that happen at the school, in the classroom. The teacher will call me in and ask me to help the kid, especially some of the kid who are new to the school, new to the country. So I stay and then helping them if they understand some of the basic stuff and sometimes I help doing the interpretation during the parent teacher conference. And the test, I don't remember exactly the test, but to evaluate, for the teacher to evaluate whether the kid has any kinds of disabilities, doing some kind, so I help with that.

NF: Okay. And with, with that program, were there any families that you worked 00:31:00with that you had previously helped in your other position when you were helping with the zero to five age range?

TL: Yes, yeah. When I first came to the school, I was nervous because I was afraid that the Vietnamese parent over there might not know who I am and they might not want to work with me, but luckily I met some of the family that I worked with before in the parenting program so those families introduced me to the other families. "Oh don't worry, we from IRCO, she's worked with me before so go ahead. She can help you a lot, just get to know her, get to know the program, enroll in the program." So all the parents in that, those parents introduced me to the others and they again, they see me every week at the school with the school ID badge so that they know that I'm one of the staff, so trying to help them as much as I can.

NF: That's wonderful that you had that introduction that you had already worked with the community and they were able to expand that for you.

TL: That's one of the advantages, you know, they trust me more.

NF: And can you talk, you mentioned trust. Can you talk a little bit about the importance of building trust and building those relationships with the community and I imagine that can be difficult at times; can you talk a little bit about that process?

TL: I don't know how to say that, but maybe because of the experience working with the parenting program, so sometimes we already know that I try my best to work with the families. So when I work with them, I always let them know my schedule and I give them my work cell phone, and I say you know anytime give me a call during the work time. I will try my best to help you of course I never promise them that I can do certain things. I just say that I will try my best to 00:33:00help you and I try my best. Again, if I, if there's something that I could do I'm willing to do it, but there are sometimes that I think it's not under my control so they have to understand that. So I just you know when I work, sometimes they ask me very silly things, so okay just be happy and work with them, connect them to the school and I, I think one of the things that I learned from the school, especially from one of the principals: I help out at the interpretation, with the interpretation during the parent and teacher conference, actually the meetings with the principal, the kid got into trouble so the principal told the kid, asked the kid "are you a bad student?" he said "yes," but the principal said, "no you're not a bad student." So I learned that skill and I say the same thing to the parents. So Vietnamese parents normally if the kid is bad, the kid is bad. So I only have to talk to the parents and say no 00:34:00the kids not bad, its maybe it's just some maybe of the, they are kids. So they have to behave in a certain way and they are trying to, where the limitations go. They're just testing you out, so if you understand your kid, you just need to be kind of like a, find a way to you know bring them back, you know try to teach them in a different way, but not to identify them as a bad kid. So I share that with the family and the family feel good because I just don't, what's it called, I just don't just a kid, but I mention to them that their kid is a good one so they feel less stressful. At that time, that family had a lot of problems with the kid. The kid had a lot of problems in school, but yeah. So I think from then on I think the family trust me more because I never said a bad thing about their kid.

NF: Of course. So you worked in, in that position for about three years and in 00:35:00the meantime you were working halftime with the other program, the rental assistance program - can you describe a little bit about that program and your role within that program, the rental assistance program?

TL: Sure, so rental assistance program is the program that is trying to help families with the short, with the short term rental assistance. We help families who live in Multnomah, Multnomah county and eligible for the program, so we help everybody, regardless of ethnicity or race, only kind of status. And we are helping them pay for rent, also link them to jobs - employment services, and energy assistance. So we also lead them to different like legal clinic if they need, if there is a need and yeah.

NF: And that program, is that part of a larger program within the Asian Family Center?

TL: Well there's an anti-poverty department. Anti-poverty department has rental assistance and energy assistance and we have only four people working in that department. And we have two people working for the energy assistance. One is full time and the other one is half rental assistance and half energy assistance. So the, the other two also have case manager and half program, yeah.

NF: And the program, did you mention the rental assistance was temporary or its you're trying to find permanent places?

TL: Well I am permanent right now yeah, but before it was half time.

NF: But in terms of the families that you are assisting? Is it temporary rental assistance or its.

TL: No, it's a short term temporary.

NF: Short term temporary, okay.

TL: Only short term rental assistance.

NF: So it's helping them transition so that then they can find...

TL: That's right. So for some families, it depends on their need, for some families, because we lead them to employment so for example, we have some because we partner up with DHS and also the Work Source. We link them to those kinds of services. I have a couple client that who have grown into the Work Source system and they were able to receive the scholarship and went through the training, the employment training. So one of the client, she finishes her, she finished her office assistant certificate. I think it's a nine month training, so during that time we help her pay for the rent if she participates in that. But for some family they only need it like short term rent, maybe one or two months and they will be okay, then that's it. So it's depending on the family.

NF: And so did you decide that you wanted to work full time with that program and if so what, what made you decide to choose between the two since you were halftime in two different programs?

TL: Oh the reason I want a job, I want a, I became like a full time here is because I had to learn something new and that's why I decide to do that, but before I really enjoyed, I mean until now I really enjoy working halftime as a case manager and halftime at the family, Vietnamese family engagement specialist at the school because two different jobs, less stressful, one job, kind of very stressful. But two different jobs you know, if I feel like today I'm done with the rental assistance then when I work at the school I don't remember anything about the rental assistance and I might be able to do fun activities with the students and the parents at the school, yeah.

NF: And with your position with the school, were you the only specialist there 00:39:00or were there other specialists that worked with different populations, with different communities?

TL: At the school, the two schools that I worked with, probably I'm the only family engagement specialist there. The program here at IRCO have different staff working for different communities so we have African immigrants community of family engagement specialists working with African American, African immigrants at a different location, at different schools. And we have some staff that works at different schools so that is the whole team, but at the two schools that I work with I believe I was the only one, yeah. The school also has other Vietnamese staff, but the staffs have to go to different in Portland 00:40:00public school. The staff has to go to too many schools, so they don't have anyone that sit there except one day a week like me, yeah.

NF: So with, I'm, I'm curious with your role now with the AFC, that you're encouraging families to, to work with organizations and to take advantage of the services that are available to them. I'm curious how that relates to your family's experience that you've mentioned that you, you didn't seek out organizational assistance, that it was more from the community. Now that you actually work for an organization like AFC do you think back on that experience? Would your family have benefited from an organization, from reaching out to an organization, have you thought about that?

TL: I thought about that all the time, but I have to understand that you know for some families they have the support, but some families don't have that kind of support. So for my family, yes, we had that kind of support through my uncle 00:41:00and my auntie and no complain. And for all the family who came into the service, they probably don't have that kind of support so, but sometimes I think back and sometimes it depends on the family. So I don't really share a lot, but for some family I share the experience and I encourage them to do better. To give an example and say that you can do it. Just like telling them yes, you can do it. It's not like you, for example you know we came here with no English and now we speak some English. So I say exactly the same thing to them you know, yes when you come you don't speak English at all, but in the future you don't need to speak fluently like an American, but at least you understand some basic stuff. That's all you need to do, just do slow, go slow.

NF: Well in talking a little bit more about that, you and your siblings, did you 00:42:00learn English in the school system or did you take classes, did your parents take classes?

TL: We learned some in our country, but the thing is we didn't have a lot of chance, a lot of opportunity to practice. So basically I came here with no English and yes I learned from school and friend and also my little cousin and watching TV. And so my little cousin is about three four five years old so learning English from him was a bit easier than learning English from an adult person, an adult they speak really fast can't really hear what they say, can't really catch it up so I learned from a kid.

NF: And for your parents as well, no?

TL: No, not so much. They understand some, maybe my mom if you write something my mom can write back to you, but if you know like speaking, not much.

NF: Do you find that that's common for immigrants that come and are perhaps a bit older and, but maybe they have children, so maybe the younger generation they tend to learn English, but the older generation they might understand it, but it's, it's not something that they actively learn.

TL: It's easier for the younger to learn a new language than the older ones. Especially for the parent they have to struggle with finding jobs, finding jobs, working so they can bring food to the table for the kid. The kid just need to go to school, so it's easier for them and then especially when they go to school they hang out with friends, but parents they normally just go to work and go home, go to work, and go home. And the people that they're hanging around are people who speak the same language. So it's harder for the older to learn English unless they really, really intelligent and really, really you know, 00:44:00trying really hard to learn then that's a different story, yeah.

NF: And with, with your family being here do you foresee your family staying in Portland since you have your uncle, your aunty, your parents are here, any thoughts of going elsewhere or Portland is home?

TL: I love the city. I think it's peaceful and I love the weather here, but I don't like that kind of 90 something degree. I like the rain, so my family, we okay with this. I like trees; maybe I don't have allergies yet. You know we just love to live here, we don't know about the future, but for now I love Portland.

NF: Wonderful, and what do you see as the AFC's role within Oregon's immigrant 00:45:00and refugee community? Based on all the things that you've done and all the services you provide. You've talked about this little bit already, but in your own words can you describe the significance of the Asian Family Center and what it means to the communities here?

TL: To me, I think that the AFC brings the family together. We bring everybody together because we have all the programs here, rental assistance, energy assistance, the youth department, the parenting department; everything is about each of the, each of the members in the family. So we want them to stay together, so I think that it's bringing family together.

NF: And in terms of your thoughts for, ideas for the AFC, based on the communities you've worked with do you see needs or desires from the community that the AFC could provide more, could do more for them?

TL: Sometimes we have the league of clinic, it's just we need more. It's really hard, we need more lawyers connected to the lawyer that is willing to work with low income family and not in a speaker family. I think we need more of that even though we already have the legal clinic to link the family there, but some of the lawyers when they look at the case maybe whatever the case, it's not something that they are interested in. So some family they feel like no use, but some families they actually think that it is really helpful, yeah. So again everything is depending case by case. It's really hard to satisfy all the families that we serve.

NF: I can imagine, yeah. Well considering that you've been connected with the AFC for about ten years now. Have you seen changes in those ten years in terms 00:47:00of what the families need or do you find that with each new family that comes and asks for assistance or that you reach out to that community, do you find that the needs are kind of similar, over time people still need the same unity, the same services - can you describe your thoughts, has, have things changed or have things kind of stayed the same?

TL: I think pretty much everything stayed the same, I do see that health insurance with the new law, this might be kind of hard for some new family, but we have amazing staff over here trying to work with them. It's just the problem is the number of the people who are in need always go up, but the number of the person who can help is not, not, not enough staff to help the family who I need. 00:48:00So we need more staff to do that.

NF: Do you find that there are community members that maybe they weren't as connected before, but through the AFC you mentioned uniting families. Do they become more involved in their community and then give back to their own community? Do you find that that, that's something that occurs in some cases?

TL: In some cases, for example the youth, they do community work so I remember I heard my coworker share that they did some kind of fundraising, washed a car, did a car wash and got some money. They bought a sleeping bag and stuff like that and bring it to the poor, give it to the homeless. So I'm thinking they are giving back and the lady that, who, the youth department manager is trying to teach the kids that you know giving back to the community. You got help and now 00:49:00you're giving back to the community. So I think.

NF: And you mentioned that you and your family became involved with a couple community based organizations when you first came. Are you still involved in, in those and have you expanded to others beyond working for the Asian Family Center, are there other organizations or other community groups that, that you've joined and you're a part of?

TL: Well I'm not, I'm not joined with the temple anymore, but once in a while I still stay connected with the, with the temple. Sometimes I got to church because my coworker also, some of my coworkers go to church so we just go everywhere. And living in a town where I work here I am involved in, not really involved, but I partnered up with DHS and Anna West [?] and sometimes even the hospital contact me and [?] also contact me to refer clients. So I'm not really 00:50:00involved in any, but if anyone wants to work with me I will always try my best to work with them, yeah.

NF: And overall, within your time here can you describe just some of your challenges. We'll end with some successes, but some of your challenges that you've experienced and how you've overcome them?

TL: Because rental assistance we are trying to place the family into a permanent place, but the problem is when their loan comes, it's really hard for them to find an apartment to rent, especially the rent right now, in order for them to qualify, the income has to be 2.5 times the rent or 3x times the rent. So if a family who is receiving cash assistance or social security benefits and they 00:51:00have kids and if they cannot get approved into an apartment there's nothing else I can do. They have to find a, they have to be able to get, get approved to move into a place in order for my program to help them. So some of the challenges are like that, and also finding an apartment for a big family is also hard. A family of 8, they have to rent a house, but the house is really expensive. Especially since they have to pay for the rent and also have to pay for the water, electricity bill. If they rent an apartment maybe the water they don't have to really struggle with that, but the problem is with a big family it's really hard. There's no way they can find an apartment for four room, so the challenge is to help them find a place. And I cannot tell them where to move so I normally just give them whole list of apartment complex that I've worked with before and 00:52:00then have to explain to them that you have to call and decide where you want to stay. I'm afraid that if I tell them "why don't you just move to this location" and if that location is not safe for them then that's not how I help them. So yeah, it's really hard in that area. Something, funding, we don't have enough funding to help everybody and we cannot satisfy all our clients.

NF: Do you have guides, I'm assuming you have guidelines for who has priority and who you decide to be able to help since you don't have enough funding to, to help everyone?

TL: We opened a, a hotline and to be fair everyone needs to call in and it's just like a lottery because in order for them to get into the eight, 8:30am slot 00:53:00within one minute I could have, I could have about ten clients call in and I cannot help all ten. And a lot of people call like before that and I cannot take those kinds of call or the ones who call at 10 o'clock, I cannot take those calls. So it's, its hard and we do have the hotline for them which we just you know, we ask them a screening question and then get back to them later on if they qualify for our program we call them to set up the intake appointment. And for some cases they might not qualify due to the landlord doesn't want to work with us even though they qualify for the program, but if the landlord says, "no I don't want to receive money from a third party" - then I cannot help the client.

NF: Interesting, have you found that there are some landlords who refuse?

TL: There are some like that.

NF: Oh.

TL: Yeah, so the landlord has to agree to work with us, because when we pay rent 00:54:00we don't pay it to the client; we pay directly to the landlord. If the landlord says no, then we cannot help. So I'm always trying to talk to the family about landlord, landlord and tenant relationship. Make sure that they keep the relationship well, then the landlord is willing to work with us or probably the manager would want to work with us. If the client cause trouble all the time then after the contract, the landlord has the right to not rent the place to the client then I cannot help the client.

NF: Well can you talk a little bit about then what you found rewarding about, about your position and your success that you've had with this current position?

TL: Some of the families, they really appreciate it. We don't need them to do anything, but they are really happy that they were able to find a place to stay. 00:55:00And I'm happy that sometimes when I give them advise they actually listen and apply, and like actually you know, like follow through. That's why I feel like I do make a difference in their life, but if they don't want to listen if they don't want to, if they don't want to accept my advice, I can't do anything because they make their own decision, you know. So some of the successful stories are like that.

NF: So where do you see yourself in the next five or ten years, you mentioned enjoying new challenges so do you, do you see other departments, other programs within the AFC that you'd be interested in working with sometime in the future?

TL: I really enjoy, well each of the programs has its own challenges. I'm not saying that mine is the most challenging one, no. Each of the programs has their 00:56:00own challenges and I really, honestly I really want to work with families, with kids. I like the family engagement specialist position because I could, besides working with the parents, I'm also working with kids. I enjoy teaching them about the Vietnamese culture so now sometimes I can go volunteer, to help them now. So we had the, that every year, we brought students from different schools together to perform dancing and singing. And we want to teach the kids Vietnamese culture through music. So some of the kids, they really enjoy that, so it's kind of, kind of like a routine that every year we have that kind of event and the kids go from you know we have like four or five even ten schools come together for one event.

NF: Wonderful.

TL: And yeah the parents love it too because the parents love to see the kids on stage singing and dancing. Some of the Asian or some of the Vietnamese kids if they are really, really shy when I first started the job over there it's kind of hard for me to convince them to go on stage, and once they go on one time, they keep, they kept coming back asking me, "when are we going to dance again?" So yeah, I think that's the only program that I like to be with because I want to do, I want to do fun things and I want to be able to connect them and make sure the parents keep track of them - the kids you know, progress in school. I just want to help them understand that and help them, help them, help them get you know, grow up and continue school and continue getting the education.

NF: And it sounds like you like that age group, the younger, the younger 00:58:00children, elementary school, maybe middle school?

TL: I work with some of the high school kids before, but I think let handle the elementary kids is better than, maybe I don't have, I don't have enough of experience in working with the middle school and high school, but I have so that's why I like staying with the group that I feel comfortable with, but once in a while because like I mentioned to you about the [?] my other coworker she worked with the youth, with the high school age kids so I worked with them too. So when we do the events together I'm trying to manage some of the kids, some of the performers, but, but I like little kids better.

NF: Well then you mentioned really enjoying teaching others about Vietnamese culture and music. Do you and your family have any desire to return and visit Vietnam or have you in these years? Have you returned?

TL: I came back, I came back to Vietnam three times. I want to go back, but I have no money now and then not enough vacation for it.

NF: Do you, so does your family have other family members there, other relatives?

TL: My mom, brother and sister, they live in Vietnam, so I really want to go back and visit them. They almost every year, they ask me when are you going to come back, but money and financial is something that really, really needs to be considered. So it's really hard for me to go back there all the time.

NF: So in the last, ten or fifteen years you've been back about three times?

TL: Three times, yeah. I came back in 2004, 2007, and 2010 and five years already. I haven't been back there.

NF: And is it just to visit or do you have a special purpose other than seeing family?

TL: No, just to visit and travel. Maybe travel to some of the towns in Vietnam 01:00:00because there were some areas that I have never been to before, yeah.

NF: And did you travel back with your family or by yourself?

TL: The first time I traveled back with my brother, the second time with my mom and my uncles and auntie. The third time I came back by myself and I stayed home -- yeah, just visit family.

NF: Wonderful. Well is there any additional information that you'd like to share or do you want to talk a little bit more about any of the topics we already covered?

TL: No, not much.

NF: Okay, do you have any closing thoughts in terms of maybe where you see yourself down the line or any ideas for the AFC, anything that you'd like to share?

TL: No, not really. I don't know. Maybe they should change the vacation policy. 01:01:00Maybe IRCO should change that. I just feel like all the people who work at IRCO in general, most of us that we all came from a different country and everybody wants to go back to their country and visit. And due to special occasions sometimes if we, if we could go over the vacation, we could stay our vacation before those times because the Lunar New Year is in February, January February, and if I can't go my vacation over then technically I cannot go back there for a month because the ticket to travel back to the country is really expensive. It's not about two or three hundred, it's about a thousand dollars. So we cannot just go there for one or two days and then come back for maybe one week and come back. So we normally stay there for a whole month. And if we don't have vacation for a whole month it's really hard for us to do that. That's one of the things 01:02:00that I'm not satisfied.

NF: And do you find that within the community a lot of community members want to retain that connection to their home country that they, even though they've moved here and they really like living here, they still have that connection to, to their home country?

TL: Yes. Yes, that's where their roots are so they want to go back there especially when they have family over there too. And you know I'm Vietnamese, but I don't know much. I don't know everything about Vietnam of the cities mostly from the South to the North. I've never been to you know some of the, some of the, some of the towns so I really want to visit and learn about the lifestyle over there. And you know just to bring us back to our roots, to keep the culture.

NF: And then do you bring that knowledge back and share it with, with the youth here?

TL: Sometimes, yes. Some of the kids if they want to know, you know we share our 01:03:00trips to have some kind of memory, especially visit our family and to see the differences, the changes, you know; the country changed through time. So we want to see that, hopefully that our country can develop better.

NF: Wonderful. Well it sounds like you plan to continue working with the Asian Family Center for the foreseeable future?

TL: Yes. Yeah, I, I enjoy you know working with people and helping people. It's just because the, the depart, the anti-poverty department is one of the departments that requires [?] due to we don't have enough funding to help everybody. And everybody, they, they need help as well. They are frustrated and one cannot get that kind of help. They are just stressed out on us.

NF: Right.

TL: I want them to understand that, their problems.

NF: Well it's wonderful that you do what you do to, to assist the community.

TL: I'm just trying my best and hopefully, I mean again I cannot satisfy everybody.

NF: But, you've made an impact in, in the lives of the people that you've helped.

TL: In some families lives, some families.

NF: Wonderful, so anything else that you'd like to share?

TL: No.