Awardee Feature: Ang Le, Boren Fellowship 2024 Recipient for Vietnam

Currently, I am enrolled in a master's in public health program at Pitt and I am completing their Boren Fellowship in Vietnam. My program began in September, and I am about to reach my third month of in-country experience, taking language classes at the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City while conducting a research project on people affected by Agent Orange. As a heritage applicant, through the Boren Fellowship, I have been able to be reconnect with family, living with them in Thủ Đức, a district slightly outside of Ho Chi Minh City. Additionally, I’ve been able to deepen my understanding of Vietnamese culture by participating in many ancestral worship celebrations, otherwise known as đám giỗ, and help my family prepare many traditional (and vegetarian) dishes. Lastly, I have recently been able to travel up North to Hà Nội and Hải Phòng, to attend the 6th Green Hospitals Asian Conference: Transforming Asian Healthcare Systems: A Vision for Equitable, Low-Carbon, Sustainable, and Climate Resilient Healthcare. At this conference, I was inspired by many experts hailing from Southeast Asian nations on building a climate resilient region. Other activities I have engaged with during my Boren thus far is spending time with my newly born cousin, Rhy, reading books about Southeast Asian American diaspora, and (safely) learning how to drive a motorbike in Vietnam. I enjoy exploring the bustling city of Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City), actively taking initiatives to take public transportation, cafe hopping, and interacting with locals. The Boren Fellowship has given me such a rewarding and unique opportunity and I hope to extend my time in Vietnam to continue to reconnect with my heritage culture and make active change for the victims of Agent Orange.