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Logo Cộng Đồng Người Việt MinnesotaVietnamese Community of Minnesota

Mission & History

Established in 1981 to represent the first wave of refugees resettled in Minnesota after the fall of Saigon.

Our mission

It is the mission of the Vietnamese Community of Minnesota to preserve and enrich our cultural heritage through educational initiatives; cooperate with other Vietnamese associations in unified actions for the benefit of the Vietnamese community; and promote cross-cultural interaction and foster mutual understanding and cooperation between the Vietnamese community and other communities.

In January 2004, our mission was revised to include:

  1. 1Preservation and enrichment of our cultural heritage through education initiatives.
  2. 2Cooperation with other Vietnamese and Southeast Asian organizations in unified actions for the benefit of the Vietnamese community.
  3. 3Promotion of cross-cultural interaction and fostering mutual understanding and cooperation between the Vietnamese community and other communities.
  4. 4Advocacy for and promotion of the socio-economic influence and well-being of the Vietnamese community in Minnesota.

Our history

Established in 1981, the Vietnamese Community of Minnesota (VCM), a nonprofit organization, was originally formed to represent the first wave of a few thousand refugees resettled in Minnesota after the fall of Saigon. The community has since grown to over 30,000 residents, with geographic, socio-economic and demographic factors creating different needs and interests.

In response, VCM addresses the unmet needs of Vietnamese people as they build new lives in Minnesota. All of VCM’s activities focus on helping Vietnamese (and other Asian) people overcome challenges, advance, and contribute meaningfully to the greater community — through cultural arts, networking and outreach, and educational and social justice advocacy.

VCM works with a wide range of Vietnamese community organizations, private companies, nonprofits and individuals on employment, social services and health. Thanks to many great sponsors over the years, our annual Tết Festival draws thousands of people!

Together we can

  • We educate

    Helping younger generations preserve our cultural heritage.

  • We help

    Guiding people to the right resources and advocating for our community.

  • We build

    Fostering strong partnerships with other organizations.

  • We unite

    Collaborating with other Vietnamese organizations for the common good.