May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Join Professor Son Mai, PhD of Midland College as he tells stories of the Vietnamese American migration experience in Texas. This event will be rescheduled to later in May with more festivities…stay tuned!

Speaker’s Bio: Dr. Son Mai was born and raised in Texas. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Texas at Arlington, an M.A. in History from Stephen F. Austin State University, where he wrote his thesis on Vietnamese Immigration to Texas, an MBA from McNeese State University, and a PhD at Texas Tech University, where he focused his research on Vietnamese fishing communities along the Texas Gulf Coast. Dr. Mai is currently an Associate Professor of Organizational Management at Midland College and has over 11 years of experience in teaching History.

The Vietnamese community in the United States was minimal until Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975. Early immigrants entered the country as refugees, with most being supporters of the non-communist South Vietnam in the Vietnam War conflict, and fled due to fear of political persecution under the new communist regime. After resettlement, the Vietnamese Americans continued to struggle with challenges in acculturation and discrimination in their new country. By the latest U.S. Census, the Vietnamese American population is now more than 1.5 million, with half residing in the two most populous states of California and Texas, primarily in urban areas.