Flourish: An Organization Inspiring & Supporting Vietnamese-American Youth in Cleveland

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the national median household income of Vietnamese Americans is $81,000. This is less than the median household income among all Asian Americans, which is $100,000. While there are no specific statistics on the incomes of Vietnamese Americans in Cleveland, in my personal experience these families typically earn less than the national median. Many young Vietnamese Americans must assist with household income or spend their time working to survive rather than pursuing their education or passions. Because of this, many young Vietnamese Americans in Cleveland succumb to what I call “The Nail Salon Epidemic.” This is where the prioritization of money and lack of resources perpetuates a cycle of generations working in nail salons rather than seeking other opportunities and career paths. The lack of a central organization for younger generations contributes to the thinking that the safest option is to become a nail technician. Unlike other Vietnamese communities in America, such as those in California and Texas, we don’t have enough examples of younger Vietnamese Americans in Cleveland following their dreams. Many don’t even know what their dreams could be.

Growing up, this has directly impacted how I view myself and has caused me to doubt that I will ever become who I want to be. However, attending Laurel has taught me that empowered women empower women, and I have taken this philosophy to my community through the creation of Flourish. Throughout the process, I kept one core goal in mind: to create long-lasting benefits for the Vietnamese community. Flourish brings together young Vietnamese Americans by providing support and opportunities to further their careers. This includes, but is not limited to, assisting in high school applications, college applications, and general resume building. Flourish is a hub of connections and inspiration. It shares job opportunities, scholarships, and inspiring stories from successful Vietnamese Americans. 

With funds from the Emily Pomeranz Prize for Public Service, I developed a Translation Services Program. Within this program, Flourish members assist Vietnamese people, especially older members of the community, with medical appointments, driver's tests, and immigration services. I created a simple process so that any young Vietnamese American in the Northeast Ohio region can join and help. So far, we have assisted over 25 Vietnamese community members, and our numbers are growing.