"Lotuses plants root themselves in the mud, with their lengthy stems reaching upward to find the top of the water. The lotus prefers to grow in 12-18 inches of water. As the lotus begins to bloom its pedals start to unfold one by one." - National Park Service

Just like the lotus plant, we ground and root ourselves in our ancestors and the ones that came before us. The Southeast Asian Diaspora has learned how to become resilient and bloom against all odds. I plan to create a conversational workshop where attendees are challenged to find and reflect on where their roots come from and honor their ancestors and family that came before them.

On popular shows such as RuPaul's Drag Race, several Vietnamese-American drag queens have made a name for themselves on the international stage. Although there is still stigma around homosexuality in Vietnam, the queer community in the Vietnamese and Vietnamese-American diaspora has gained great support from the younger generations. Iconic moments like the Vietnamese Bachelor and Plastique Tiara's fame on RuPaul's Drag Race and Tiktok are just the surface of the history of the Vietnamese queer community. In this workshop, we will explore these iconic moments and other elements of intersectionality that comes with being queer and being Vietnamese.

As Vietnamese/Asian Americans growing up in the Midwest, we have a specific identity that may have shaped our understanding of the person we have become today or hope to become. Many cities in the Midwest are characterized as predominantly white communities, fostering an environment of either cultural exclusion or avoidance. When adding in your family upbringing into this mix, it can be a weird cycle of understanding your place in the world while paying respect to your family. Whether one becomes a doctor, engineer, teacher, or business owner, our career aspirations and goals are influenced by a multitude of factors. However, this upbringing and living experience can be confusing when pursuing a higher ed degree and figuring out what you truly want to do while thinking about said factors.

The first thing that may come to mind when reflecting upon the above is how one navigates one’s future goals while being mindful of respecting those who have paved the way for you to be able to accomplish what you want. Some may relate to this notion but as Vietnamese/Asian [Americans], our parents, as immigrants of Vietnam, sacrificed their living experience to be able to care, to nourish and to foster an environment where we can pursue our dreams at the expense of theirs. Known as immigrant guilt, truly acknowledging these sacrifices and how our identities shape our current day-to-day living is essential in being able to succeed in life on one's own terms.

What if I told you that you don't need to take notes in class—or ever? Want to study smarter, not harder? This workshop is your chance to discover the game-changing power of active recall—a study technique proven to boost learning and memory. We’ll dive into the science of learning and memory and explore practical strategies to help you maximize your potential.

What is it like fostering a Vietnamese community beyond our campus? How do we face challenges like bridging generations, resolving conflicts, and rallying smaller communities? How does our community honor where we came from, especially in light of the 50th Anniversary of the Fall of Saigon?

Come join Đinh Thái Hòa, the President of the Vietnamese American Association of Michigan (VAAM) and commissioner for the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (MAPAAC) as he shares a history of the Michigan Vietnamese community, and his experience leading and serving a multigenerational association in the Midwest. By exploring the growth of our community throughout the years, we can highlight how our community has left a mark on our state, and how we can continue moving forward.

In a corporate setting, storytelling is an effective alternative to the typical selling and political influencing. It is usually based on a key theme and an underlying message that is rarely about profit and bottom line. It is about purpose. This workshop focuses on the why’s and how’s of corporate storytelling in addition to pragmatic communication guidelines with tips and tricks.

Financial Literacy is a privilege, it is not taught in school yet it is a key to financial independence. This workshop is all about making personal finance simple and approachable for second-generation Vietnamese Americans. Many of us come from families where banking, retirement accounts (like IRA and Roth IRA), index funds, and high-yield savings accounts can feel confusing or intimidating. However, these tools are the keys to building long-term wealth and financial stability. The workshop will focus on how upbringing influences financial habits and understanding your relationship with money. Participants will also learn how to build good credit, the benefits of investing early, and setting up systems that can lead to financial security and even generational wealth—something many immigrant families dream of. Through a mix of a fun, informative talk and hands-on activities, participants will not only learn the basics but also set up their own accounts and get a glimpse of the growth potential for their financial future.

Each person deserves the right to health care. But why do the experience and resources differ for groups of people? Our identities as Asian Americans don’t just impact and determine which multiple-choice race we choose on the census, but also how we receive medicine. After 50 years of Vietnamese migration to America, this workshop aims to examine the ongoing disparities and systemic racism that Asian Americans face in public health. Though these challenges are not visible, we want to spotlight their impacts through discussions of access, discrimination, and representation. By recognizing the intersection of our own identity and health, we can begin to reshape our experience to advocate for change and create opportunities towards equal care at the community, interpersonal and individual levels.

In this interactive and deeply personal workshop, participants will explore the values important to them and understand which ones they prioritize in life. They will reflect on and engage with the values that shape the way they move through the world, engage in discussions to understand different values other participants hold, and walk away with a better understanding of themselves and the people around them.

In this space, we often acknowledge the leadership pipeline, from VSA, to UVSA, to UNAVSA. However, the pipeline becomes difficult to pursue when we each have our own individual needs and responsibilities, that only naturally take precedence over our involvement. So what can VSA do for you?

This workshop is designed to help you leverage your involvement with your VSA, UVSA, UNAVSA as a powerful asset in your career journey. With reflective activities, collaborative discussions, and practical exercises aimed at transforming your VSA experiences into compelling resume entries and interview talking points, participants will explore how to effectively showcase transferable skills gained from VSA, build a shared resource database for future leaders, and foster a supportive community. Whether you're a current student or recent graduate, this workshop will empower you to confidently articulate your unique contributions and aspirations. Let's clear the path to your future together!

This workshop focuses on the concept of failure, emphasizing not only its inevitability as part of life but also its crucial role in achieving success. While many acknowledge the idea that "rejection is redirection," few understand how to harness the lessons from failure to empower themselves moving forward. I will specifically explore the unique experience of failure within the Asian American community, where high expectations—often set by ourselves and our families—can create added pressure.

Inside and Outside of the Therapist Office Workshop is a workshop that hopes to provide more insight on what therapy is, what it could look like, and how to get connected. Mental health is hard enough, why do it alone?

Ever heard of “Matcha”? You may have heard of it before or even be an avid consumer of it. Regardless, come to this interactive workshop to learn more about how this currently popular drink/food can be tied back to Vietnamese Heritage. Following that we will have an opportunity to discuss the positive effects of Matcha and how it is more commonly used and viewed in the present day. Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss their Matcha experiences, practices, and routines within small groups. At the end of the workshop, attendees will get a little sweet surprise!

This workshop will be an interactive dance workshop that will allow attendees to experience Vietnamese culture through traditional fan dancing. This workshop will teach you the basics of fan dancing and encourage you to choreograph your own piece to express your creativity while gaining a greater understanding of Vietnamese culture.

Stuck between being Asian and American, we are shaped by the unique and profound implications of being Asian-American. Our youth is crafted by a non-Asian homogenous community through the subversive white culture that has grounded America. Yet, our roots at home are deeply entangled through clear-wrapped television remotes, foil-lined ceilings to protect from incense smoke, and the awkward, yet very evident elephant-in-the-room of generational trauma. The stories that we carry represent our unique diaspora of being and becoming Asian American.

Through this workshop, we will unpack the learnings of our youth within white America while shedding light through the ways we have protected, or pushed away, our Asian identities. Through both lecture and collective story-telling, attendees will gain a better understanding of the gray space that exists between their Asian and American culture and how to best capture that void to become more. We are, in-fact, the product of our environment, a deeply complex Asian America, and we should be proud of that.