About Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau

Welcome to a Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau, an initiative aimed at building a community that explores our generational identity as Canadian children of immigrants, through shared stories, experiences, and events that connect the Vietnamese diaspora.

Connect with us (and your identity!) online or in-person

We’re hosting community events, sharing education and relatable Vietnamese culture content, and finding ways to bring the Vietnamese diaspora together.

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Join the community!

Join the Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau community. It’s free! Be the first to learn about upcoming events and more opportunities online and in-person that connect Vietnamese-Canadians with our culture, heritage, and each other.

What is the meaning of the name?

Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau translates to “We are together” in Vietnamese.

Pronounced "Joom th-ah, goom nyow"

Our name reflects a vision of unity: to bring together adult children of Vietnamese immigrants—and the broader Vietnamese diaspora—by creating spaces, both in-person and digital, where we can connect more deeply with our heritage. It speaks to the shared stories, struggles, and identities that bind us, no matter where we are. Through Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau, we hope to give our community a place to reflect, to rediscover pride in our culture, and to build stronger connections between younger and older generations. At its heart, the name is both a reminder and a commitment: that we are preserving the past, celebrating the present, and shaping a shared future—together.

Meet the co-founders

Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau was co-founded by Vietnamese children of immigrants Linda Hoang and Jessica Truong, who—through this initiative—hope to help preserve the past, celebrate the present, and shape a shared future, together.

Meet the board

Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau board members are leaders, advisors, and community champions supporting the advancement of our mission to create spaces where adult children of Vietnamese immigrants and the broader Vietnamese-Edmonton community can connect with their heritage, share stories, and build bridges across generations.

  • Co-President, Co-Founder & Secretary

    Linda Cẩm Tú Hoang (she/her), is a second-generation Vietnamese Canadian and experienced storyteller and communications strategist.

    An entrepreneur, community organizer and content creator with a background in journalism and television broadcasting, Linda is the founder of a number of cultural and food-focused events and initiatives including the Edmonton International Cat Festival, Stop Race Based Hate, Chinatown Chow Down, Instagrammable Wall and Food Tours.

    Linda, commonly known as @lindork, received the inaugural Edmonton Best Tourism Influencer Award in 2024, was part of Edify Edmonton's Top 40 Under 40Class of 2021, and received the Spirit of NAIT Award in 2019, in part for using social media and her blog to share and advocate for local businesses, food, and art.

    Linda grew up serving bowls of phở at her family’s long-standing Vietnamese restaurant King Noodle House Pho Hoang in Edmonton’s Chinatown, enjoys recreating her mom’s Vietnamese recipes, binge-watching TV and film, and spending time with her family including toddler, three cats and a dog.

    If Linda could only eat one Vietnamese dish for the rest of her life, it would be: Bún bò Huế (lemongrass beef and pork noodle soup with extra huyết pork blood cubes). It would also be her family’s three-generations phở recipe but wanted to spread the Vietnamese food love.

  • Co-President, Co-Founder

    Jessica Truong (she/her), is a second-generation Vietnamese Canadian who shares her love for food and culture online @aspoonfordad, which she started in memory of her late father.

    Her passion for storytelling is explored through her co-produced TELUS STORYHIVE docuseries EATING EDMONTON and through her writing found in HUNGRYZINE. She is building the bridge of connection through the Vietnamese community as co-founder and board member of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau.

    Jessica is also an Oncology Certified Registered Nurse and University of Alberta alumni who volunteers for the Oncology Nursing Interest Group of Alberta leadership team which supports education and networking for nurses working in oncology.

    During her free time you can find Jessica being creative in the kitchen or through mixed media art and hanging with her HusBen, kids and Old English Sheepdog named Ollivander.

    If Jessica could only eat one Vietnamese dish for the rest of her life, it would be her mom’s Bún riêu chả cá (pork and crab meat ball noodle soup with pork ribs, fish cakes, dill sausage, tomatoes, and tofu).

  • Treasurer

    Stewart Hong (he/him) is a second-generation Chinese/Vietnamese Canadian. Stewart’s mother was born and raised in Saigon to Chinese parents, escaped the war by boat and lived in multiple refugee camps before coming to Edmonton in the 1970s. Her journey—and the sacrifices that came with it—has profoundly influenced Stewart’s identity and values while instilling a deep sense of gratitude, as it made his life in Canada possible. 

    Professionally, Stewart brings a diverse background across accounting, business ownership, logistics, import/export, and warehousing. These experiences have given him a strong foundation in financial discipline, operational efficiency, and cross‑functional collaboration. Stewart currently works at the College of Registered Nurses of Alberta, where his focus includes procurement, risk management, and planning.

    Outside of work, Stewart enjoys running and training for Hyrox, exploring new places through travel and discovering incredible food. He values spending quality time with his partner, their corgi, and friends. Stewart believes meaningful connections are at the heart of building strong, inclusive communities.

    If Stewart could only eat one Vietnamese dish for the rest of his life, it would be Bò Lá Lốt (Vietnamese grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves).

  • Dawn Trang Graves (she/her) is an Edmonton-based, first generation Vietnamese-Canadian photographer, visual communicator, and community storyteller whose work centers on connection, heritage, and nature. Her body of work includes editorial, commercial, lifestyle, and family photography.

    Dawn has been telling stories at the University of Alberta for the past 20 years. Her background in visual science communications helps her turn intricate ideas into narratives that feel relatable and engaging.

    Whether creating intimate portraits, documenting science, or capturing everyday moments and gatherings, Dawn approaches each story with care and intention. She believes photographs can preserve memory, honour lived experience, strengthen community, and deepen our appreciation of the world around us.

    A maker at heart and a lover of all things that bloom, Dawn is also a floral and fibre artist. In addition to her creative practice, Dawn mentors new photographers and artists alike. She is passionate about using the arts to create spaces where stories can be shared.

    Through her work with the non-profit sector, Dawn supports initiatives that celebrate culture, education, and community resilience.

    If Dawn could only eat one Vietnamese dish for the rest of her life, it would be Phở (Vietnam’s National Dish - a comforting bowl of beef noodle soup).

  • Dr. Christopher Lê (he/him) is a second-generation Vietnamese-Canadian who grew up in Edmonton. He attended the University of Alberta for his undergraduate and medical degrees and completed his Family Medicine residency through Dalhousie University.

    Chris eventually returned to Edmonton and works at a private clinic and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, seeing a mix of English-speaking and Vietnamese-speaking patients.

    He initiated an online language group for second-generation Vietnamese Canadian healthcare providers to practice medical terminology, and he serves as a mentor for medical students from a Vietnamese background.

    Chris grew up experiencing broader Vietnamese culture primarily through his Christian church, where he celebrated festivals, ate traditional food, and practiced his language skills with his faith community.

What is the meaning of the logo?

The boat has always been a huge symbol of how our parents left their country to find hope and life elsewhere. In our logo, the folded paper boat represents how easily those who fled could have met many different fates, but were fortunate to find land. The sun and moon reflect the passage of time and the shared horizon that connects us across generations. The same sun and moon that guided our families as they risked everything crossing the South China Sea, or flying across the sky to find their new home and build a new life, continue to shine over us today. They remind us that though our journeys are different, we are bound together by the same sky. Together, the boat and the sun/moon capture the essence of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau: remembering the courage of those who came before us, reflecting on the legacy we’ve inherited, and carrying their light forward into the generations to come, together.

Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau (“We are Together”) is a Vietnamese-Canadian grassroots initiative dedicated to creating in-person and digital spaces where adult children of immigrants can reflect on, reclaim, and reconnect with their cultural heritage.

Through storytelling, art, education, and community events, we honour the journeys of our parents, explore our shared generational identity, and build bridges across the Vietnamese diaspora—preserving the past, celebrating the present, and shaping a shared future together.

Our Mission

We envision a future where adult children of Vietnamese immigrants across Canada feel deeply connected to their cultural heritage, to one another, and to their communities. Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau has the potential to become a national movement with local chapters across cities, creating accessible spaces—both in-person and digital—that foster belonging, preserve stories, and celebrate Vietnamese identity in all its evolving forms.

Through community events, storytelling, art, language initiatives, and intergenerational exchanges, we see a future where Vietnamese-Canadian voices are amplified, where our parents’ journeys are honoured, and where our children inherit a proud, living connection to their roots.

Our Values

Our Values

  • Community & Belonging: We believe in building inclusive, supportive spaces where Vietnamese-Canadians feel seen, heard, and connected—across generations, cities, and digital platforms.

  • Heritage & Preservation: We are committed to preserving Vietnamese culture, language, and traditions, while also recognizing how these evolve within the diaspora.

  • Storytelling & Memory: Through oral history, art, photography, food, events and shared experiences, we use storytelling as a tool to honour our parents’ sacrifices and to carry forward their legacies.

  • Integrity & Authenticity: We prioritize Vietnamese voices, perspectives, and partnerships in everything we do, ensuring our work reflects the lived experiences of our community.

  • Intergenerational Bridges: We honour the frozen memories of the past held by our parents’ generation, while helping new generations engage with Vietnam as it exists today, and as it lives in them.

  • Shared Humanity & Connection: While our focus is Vietnamese heritage, we recognize that themes of sacrifice, resilience, and growing up between cultures resonate across many immigrant and diasporic communities. We foster empathy, understanding, and solidarity with others whose stories may be different, but whose journeys echo our own.

  • Collaboration & Growth: We are a volunteer-led, grassroots movement that sees itself as part of a growing national effort to strengthen and connect Vietnamese diasporic voices.

  • Resilience & Hope: Inspired by the symbolism of the boat, the sun and the moon, we carry forward the courage of our parents’ journeys, while building communities of hope, identity, and future possibility.

In five to ten years, we aim to:

  • Establish Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau as a registered national non-profit with active chapters across Canada.

  • Build a digital archive of Vietnamese-Canadian stories, oral histories, and cultural materials.

  • Create recurring cultural programs—such as language learning, ao dài exchanges, intergenerational storytelling circles, and art installations—that strengthen heritage preservation and bring together the younger and older generation.

  • Partner with schools, libraries, and cultural institutions to integrate Vietnamese-Canadian experiences into Canada’s broader heritage narrative.

  • Be recognized as a trusted platform where Vietnamese diasporic communities reflect, heal, and thrive—together.

Our vision is to carry forward the courage and resilience of our parents’ journeys, while building a future where Vietnamese culture continues to flourish across generations, across Canada, and across the world.

Is Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau for you?

Our events and programs are designed for the Vietnamese diaspora—especially adult children of immigrants—because they speak directly to our shared cultural heritage, identity, and generational experiences.

That said, the themes we explore—family sacrifice, resilience, growing up between cultures, and the immigrant Canadian experience—resonate far beyond the Vietnamese community.

While it will feel most meaningful if you are Vietnamese or connected to the Vietnamese-Canadian experience, our spaces are ultimately open and welcoming to anyone who wishes to listen, learn, and reflect alongside us.

We believe that by centering Vietnamese voices, we also create opportunities for broader understanding, empathy, and connection across communities.

See the latest news and updates from Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau.

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Thank you to our sponsors!

We are deeply grateful to our early sponsors for believing in the vision of Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau and throwing support behind us as we bring this movement to life.

We encourage our community to support these incredible businesses and organizations—especially if you’re looking for local, Vietnamese and Asian-owned services and products. By choosing to support them, you’re also supporting the growth and vibrancy of our community, and reinforcing the spirit of cùng nhau—togetherness—that grounds everything we do.

How can you get involved?  

Attend an event.

We host several culturally-focused events throughout the year! We hope to see you there.

  • See upcoming events

Volunteer with us.

We’re donating our time to build community. We’d love if you helped us do that too!

Sponsor our organization.

Does Chúng Ta Cùng Nhau speak to you? Help fund our events and programming!

  • Reach out to see how we can work together