Inclusive Communication: Bridging Community Gaps Effectively | Jenny Nguyen | TEDxOklahomaCity

Summary

In this heartfelt speech, the speaker shares their family's immigrant journey from Vietnam to Oklahoma, shedding light on the challenges of communication faced by non-English speakers. Through personal stories, the speaker emphasizes the importance of language access, especially in emergencies, and proposes solutions like language-specific emergency lines and translation tools. The speaker calls on the audience to be patient, kind, and resourceful, encouraging them to bridge communication gaps in their communities. With a focus on empathy and support, the speech inspires individuals to make a difference in creating more accessible and inclusive spaces for immigrants.

Takeaways

• 😀 My father escaped Vietnam in 1980 as a refugee, and his journey reflects the hardship many Vietnamese immigrants faced.
• 😀 Catholic Charities played a key role in resettling Vietnamese refugees in Oklahoma, helping nearly 7,000 families during the 1980s.
• 😀 The Asian District in Oklahoma City was formed largely due to the Vietnamese refugee community's growth, which includes businesses like my mom's video store.
• 😀 My parents worked tirelessly to create a version of the American Dream, running a video store and later a restaurant despite language barriers.
• 😀 Growing up bilingual in a Vietnamese-English household, I could speak Vietnamese conversationally but mixed it with English, leading to what I call 'Vietlish.'
• 😀 Despite initially resenting my parents' restaurant, I later realized their hard work was essential to the community, not just their livelihood.
• 😀 A customer at my parents' restaurant had a medical emergency, highlighting the difficulties immigrants face when they don’t speak English in urgent situations.
• 😀 I questioned local emergency services about their preparedness for non-English speakers and found they had some systems in place, but improvements could be made.
• 😀 Immigrants often face challenges in healthcare and other services, such as language barriers when setting appointments or dealing with medical staff.
• 😀 To improve communication and access for immigrants, we can use tools like Google Translate, be more patient, and help others in small ways that make a big difference.

Q & A

Why did the speaker begin their talk in Vietnamese?

The speaker began in Vietnamese to highlight the communication barriers that many immigrants face, specifically pointing out that 97% of people in Oklahoma might not have understood what was being said, emphasizing the need for better communication tools and resources for non-English speakers.

What is the significance of the speaker’s father’s escape from Vietnam?

The story of the speaker's father escaping Vietnam in 1980 illustrates the struggles and resilience of refugees, shedding light on the hardships they face when starting a new life in a foreign country, and it sets the stage for the speaker’s message about communication and community support.

How did Catholic Charities play a role in the speaker’s family’s story?

Catholic Charities helped the speaker’s father by sponsoring his resettlement to the United States, providing vital resettlement services for refugees. This organization also helped the speaker’s mother reunite with her family, furthering the narrative of how community organizations assist immigrants in their transition.

What did the speaker’s mother do to serve the Vietnamese community in Oklahoma?

The speaker’s mother opened a small video store to provide Vietnamese entertainment, filling a cultural gap in the community. She later expanded the store to offer money transfer services, acting as a local hub for Vietnamese immigrants who were unfamiliar with or unable to use English-language services.

What is the cultural significance of 'Vietlish' mentioned by the speaker?

Vietlish is a term the speaker uses to describe the bilingual nature of their upbringing, where Vietnamese was spoken at home, but English was mixed in, reflecting the challenges and blending of cultures that immigrant children often experience in the United States.

How did the speaker’s perception of their parents' work change over time?

Initially, the speaker resented their parents for working too much and never being home, especially when they opened a sandwich shop. However, after joining the family business years later, the speaker gained a deeper understanding of their parents' commitment to their community and the importance of their work.

What incident made the speaker realize the importance of communication in emergencies?

The speaker realized the importance of communication in emergencies when a regular customer, whom the speaker called 'Uncle', fainted in the restaurant. The paramedics arrived and relied on the speaker to translate medical questions, highlighting the challenges non-English speakers face in urgent situations.

What solution did the speaker propose for improving emergency communication for non-English speakers?

The speaker proposed a system where 9-1-1 could have language-specific extensions, allowing callers to select their language (e.g., dial 6-3 for Spanish, 8-6 for Vietnamese) to connect with interpreters more quickly and efficiently during emergencies.

What challenges did the speaker’s Spanish-speaking employee face at a doctor’s office?

The speaker’s Spanish-speaking employee struggled to make an appointment and navigate the phone tree at a doctor's office. When he finally arrived for his appointment, he was told there was no interpreter available, leaving him frustrated and without answers, illustrating the lack of accessible language services in healthcare.

What are the three actions the speaker encourages people to take to bridge communication gaps?

The speaker encourages three actions: (1) Be resourceful by using tools like Google Translate to facilitate in-person communication, (2) Be courageous and willing to help others in need, whether in daily interactions or emergencies, and (3) Be patient and kind, using nonverbal communication if necessary to bridge language barriers.