PIVOT Tết Statement 2025

Chúc mừng năm mới! In honor of the start of the Year of the Snake, this Tết we reflect on past years and think about the future ahead of us. 

For Vietnamese Americans, 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the loss of South Viet Nam and the beginning of our communities in the U.S.

PIVOT was formed to advance what many Vietnamese refugees and now Vietnamese Americans want–freedom, democracy, opportunity and prosperity, and human rights. The beginning of Trump’s second term is a reminder that our struggle for freedom has not ended. PIVOT will continue to fight against the Trump administration attacks on immigrants, on people of color, and on our communities.

From our humble beginnings as refugees, Vietnamese Americans have achieved much in 50 years across many fields, including the sciences, the arts, and the business sector. We have been building political power, with representation in local and state governments as well as Congress. Fittingly, Derek Tran was sworn in as the first Vietnamese American congressman for Little Saigon in Orange County, CA, which has the largest population of Vietnamese Americans in the U.S. The many events to commemorate our 50th anniversary coming up in April will be a demonstration of how we have thrived.

But as we celebrate our successes, we must not forget how we got here. Cherished lives were lost and diminished during the war, during escape from a totalitarian regime, and during difficult conditions in a new country. Any commemoration of our people’s sacrifices is inadequate without meaningful action to help our communities. Many Vietnamese Americans became citizens through birthright citizenship. The Trump administration has issued an executive order to end it. We must rally to push back and reverse this cruel and illegal abuse of power. And many Vietnamese Americans now still rely on the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare  for healthcare so we must protect these programs. A large number of Vietnamese Americans live in areas highly affected by climate change and need the federal support to adjust to the new realities to survive natural disasters.

Many Vietnamese Americans are now living the dream that they or their parents and grandparents had 50 years ago. Others are still struggling to make it. Our communities have both the needs and the power to address those needs. Let us work together to build a country that will benefit Americans of all backgrounds and places of origins. 

-PIVOT Board