Phúc Nguyễn

Phúc Nguyen is a 76-year-old farmer at the VEGGI urban farm in New Orleans East. He emigrated from Vietnam in 1975 to Philadelphia where he was sponsored for 10 months. He then moved to Connecticut for two years. In 1978, Phúc came to New Orleans and has lived in the community with his wife for about 45 years. He is a very well-known member of the community and has been involved in many community development efforts, specifically VEGGI the community farm.

Interviewer:

“Are there any specific achievements or key moments that have happened since you've lived here that you're proud of in your community?”

Phúc Nguyễn:

“We are proud of ourselves for [Hurricane] Katrina. Our community came back here first after Katrina, and we also helped others rebuild. We wanted to help the communities nearby to build back up. When I listened to the radio, they would say that we were the first people to help, before the government. I am proud of us.”

Interviewer:

“So other than the growing number of people here, are there other things you can identify as how the community has changed since you've been here?”

Phúc Nguyễn:

“A lot of people were fishermen and they moved out here and they would buy a boat and go fishing. Now the old people have passed away and the young people get an education. They find a job, they work, and they get high pay. A lot of young graduates go out of state because there aren’t many jobs here, there’s not a big job industry here.

There has been some change because, before, they wanted to bring their parents and come out here and old people talk the same language, same culture. Now because the old people passed away, the young grew up. Some stay here and raise their children and study and keep our culture. Some people, because it’s difficult to find a job here, move and get a job somewhere else, but they still have a parent that is here and they come back.”

Interviewer:

“How do you feel about the community's relationship with the city of New Orleans? Are there areas where the city could be more helpful or contribute more to the community?”

Phúc Nguyễn:

“We don't have difficulty with the city because we try to be good. In the first years of the community though, some people didn't understand the laws and they would do bad things. But the city would tell our Priest and our Priest would tell them to live by the law and they would try.

Also, before, our community requested a playground. We requested it because other areas have playgrounds for children. I went to meetings for a long time to request the playground and we still don't have it.”