# data[].attributes.headline
A Proud Woman, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Cousin, & Niece

# data[].attributes.subject
A Proud Woman, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Cousin, & Niece

# data[].attributes.headline
"Tell me all your nicknames growing up, every single one, don't leave any out."

# data[].attributes.subject
"Tell me all your nicknames growing up, every single one, don't leave any out."

# data[].attributes.body
"They called me Trang." (that's her name)

"Actually! This one giant guy would call me ¹ nhí and he was the only one who could call me stupid names and he was fat and gay so I called him gay elephant."

¹nhí - tiny

# data[].attributes.body
Saigon, Vietnam

January 3, 1973

# data[].attributes.headline
"You should've seen my clothes, Nini. 'Okay here let me sew those parts back.' Spots. Spots. Spots. Spots."

# data[].attributes.subject
"You should've seen my clothes, Nini. 'Okay here let me sew those parts back.' Spots. Spots. Spots. Spots."

# data[].attributes.body
My mom was 12 years old with no education and only two sets of clothes that had lasted her for 3 years up until the day they found out they could finally leave. That day, her great aunt bought her a brand new set of clothes.

# data[].attributes.body
"I was so excited to wear it, Nini. You could not believe it I was so happy, but I can't wear it until we left."

# data[].attributes.body
Officials that handled my mother's family leaving had consistently told them that they will never be able to come back to Vietnam if they leave. That made my mom convinced she was leaving the rest of her family behind and cried the entire time on the last night and morning.

# data[].attributes.body
My Great Grandmother was revered for her kindness and generosity of her wealth. A mother came with her 3 day old baby that she couldn't take care of so my Ba Co adopted him.

Years later, the war began and life was rough. Eventually they found that they have built a strong case to get to America and begin the process.

# data[].attributes.body
The baby my Ba Co adopted had an American father and Vietnamese mother, so that gave them leeway to be able to travel via airplane

# data[].attributes.body
"They gave me, you know? That white sandwich bread and it was the most delicious thing we ever had we thought it was so fancy and tasty."

# data[].attributes.body
"It was just waiting and canh cai EVERY SINGLE F***ING DAY oh my god."

# data[].attributes.body
"I was so happy that I could go to school, but I didn't understand anything."

"It was basically like Vietnam, but you couldn't play because the jungle people would try to catch women and children and blackmail American soldiers for money."

# data[].attributes.body
All the kids had a party to eat a dessert you would usually onlt eat once a year

# data[].attributes.body
"Did you get the bread again?"

"HEHHLLLLL YEAH"

She got her first staple American cheese, turkey sandwich with some mayo.

# data[].attributes.headline
"What did you look for once you stepped off the plane?"

# data[].attributes.subject
"What did you look for once you stepped off the plane?"

# data[].attributes.body
"American People in America, I saw the most beautiful women with nice dresses and heels and blonde hair and blue eyes and I couldn't wait to be just like them."

# data[].attributes.body
"I didn't remember myself, it was 1978, but everyone here remembered that happening too so it was big and the entire country-side experienced a flood and my first memory was having to be carried to use the bathroom in the backyard because the water was too high."

# data[].attributes.body
"Only in Vietnam we played house. After we left, the adults all had work on their mind and getting to America, the kids needed to be quiet."

# data[].attributes.body
"Being the oldest child, I did every single thing for the adults and children. All the laundry, all the cooking, all the cleaning, vacuuming, everything. I bring 6 bags of laundry to the laundry mat every week at 12 years old for the entire house."

# data[].attributes.body
"Obviously the laundry."

# data[].attributes.body
"At home I didn't get to have a lot of fun because of my step-dad, but school was where I could be happy."

# data[].attributes.body
"I was very scared and very nervous, I was only 19 and people weren't very accepting."

# data[].attributes.headline
"I didn't know how to put letters together, but I put all my effort into school and finally got it!"

# data[].attributes.subject
"I didn't know how to put letters together, but I put all my effort into school and finally got it!"

# data[].attributes.body
"Spelling."

"Not math?"

"No, my math was sh*t."

# data[].attributes.headline
What was your favorite style you remember?

# data[].attributes.subject
What was your favorite style you remember?

# data[].attributes.body
"Matching tracksuits. I looked very very good."

"You're still bangin' moms."

"Awwwwwww"

# data[].attributes.headline
Who did you look up to and say you, "wanted to be just like them"?

# data[].attributes.subject
Who did you look up to and say you, "wanted to be just like them"?

# data[].attributes.body
"Do you really want to know? In Vietnam, no one. Vietnamese was weak ass, I don't wanna be like them. But in America, my mom had a friend, I didn't know her name, but she dressed so nice and took such good care of herself after coming from Vietnam. I wanted to do what she did to get there."

# data[].attributes.headline
World events that affected your family's life?

# data[].attributes.subject
World events that affected your family's life?

# data[].attributes.body
"Uhh, the war???"

# data[].attributes.body
The VietCong raided wealthy homes prior to the Vietnam War and one of them was my great grandmother's. She was murdered and that allowed her sister to flee with her money and leave her niece, my grandmother, behind with my mom at ~1 years old along with an entire family to feed during the war.

# data[].attributes.headline
How is the world different from when you were young?

# data[].attributes.subject
How is the world different from when you were young?

# data[].attributes.body
"I can do, say, eat, go wherever I want whenever I want because i worked hard for it."

# data[].attributes.body
I feel that my mother gave that specific answer and interpreted the question in that way because she may still be in awe by her own accomplishments throughout this interview.

# data[].attributes.headline
What stories have come down from your parents?

# data[].attributes.subject
What stories have come down from your parents?

# data[].attributes.body
"I didn't learn anything from my parents."

# data[].attributes.body
"Wait, hold on, this is a big question for me. I never met her, but it's my grandmother. She was always the kindest, most generous, smartest, person that everyone had respect for. If you hear the history of your Ba Co, it's like wow."

# data[].attributes.headline
What accomplishments are you most proud of?

# data[].attributes.subject
What accomplishments are you most proud of?

# data[].attributes.body
"My family, I didn't know how to raise my kids, but they turned out awesome."

# data[].attributes.headline
What is one thing you want people to remember about you?

# data[].attributes.subject
What is one thing you want people to remember about you?

# data[].attributes.body
"That I am a happy person."