"Evening English classes were one of the few opportunities the refugees had of getting together and sharing experiences in a new culture" ("Ames Immigrant Stories-Vietnam").
Vietnamese Refugees in Iowa:
Ray's Humanitarian and Controversial Relocation
Short Term
The language barrier significantly affected Vietnam refugees in their everyday lives. EMBARC, Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center, is a non-profit organization based in Des Moines that assists refugees with tutoring programs, interpreters, and other essential help (Deters).
“We put our faith and our believing, everything in the American government.”
~ Deacon Joseph Trughn- Vietnamese refugee
(Boshart)
In 1979 Governor Ray created a campaign called Iowa SHARES, Iowa Sends Help to Aid Refugees and End Starvation. Ray helped refugees by sending food, medicine, and Iowa doctors and nurses to help the sick and dying (McCarthy).
"When we put together the Iowa SHARES program, in one month Iowans raised one and a half to two million dollars."
~ Iowa Governor Robert Ray- 1969-1983
(Heinlein)
(Heinlein)
(Eklund)
"Former Iowa Gov. Robert Ray (seated right) was honored in 2013, on his 85th birthday, as a new humanitarian award was named after him. The Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES award is presented annually at the Iowa Hunger Summit" (Finney).
After viewing the procedure the Vietnamese went through, Governor Ray advocated for changing the U.S refugee law. He spoke to legislators to gain their support. Eventually, the law was passed in 1980 (Steines).
"The objectives of this Act are to provide a permanent and systematic procedure for the admission to this country of refugees of special humanitarian concern to the United States, and to provide comprehensive and uniform provisions for the effective resettlement and absorption of those refugees who are admitted."
~Refugee Act of 1980
("Refugee Act of 1980")
“America is still a dreamland and hope for many people. You just have to work hard and learn from past experiences.”
~ Thanh Quach- Vietnamese refugee