Summit XVII Workshops

What are your core beliefs that drive your actions and decisions? How do your values shape the communities you’re a part of? In what way do you admire others?

In this interactive workshop, participants will explore and share their personal values through guided reflection and open conversation. We’ll discuss how individual values manifest through community activities and actions, and what it means to live authentically. How are you cultivating the spaces that express your values?

This workshop will talk about the history of the Vietnamese language, especially in the context of the Vietnamese diaspora and as Vietnamese Americans. What are some beautiful aspects of the Vietnamese language — and how does it inform our lives here in America? Why should any of this matter, and does it matter? This workshop, by investigating key words, proverbs, and the history of our linguistic roots, will try to draw its participants closer to the history of Vietnamese people and the importance of being in the present moment and gratitude.

As Asian Americans, our identity and culture deeply influences our relationship with mental health in invisible ways. In an environment engrained with the model minority myth, generational trauma, and stigma, our community often eschews the topic of mental health, marking it as taboo.
This workshop aims to reflect on how our cultural upbringing, academic experiences, and leadership involvement in organizations like VSA itself intersect to impact our mental wellbeing. With a brief history of our Vietnamese (American) heritage and grounded discussions, this workshop will unpack the pressures of overachievement, burnout, and imposter syndrome. But also underscore our inherited resilience, developed vulnerability, and reframe the stigma of mental health not as a weakness but to empower future leadership and authenticity within ourselves and our community.

Content warning: This workshop addresses mental health struggles and brief mentions of historical displacement. 

This workshop provides a foundational overview of the historic Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) strikes of 1968-69 at San Francisco State College (now SFSU) and the University of California, Berkeley. We will trace the political and social currents that led to this pivotal moment, where a coalition of Black, Latinx, Asian American, and Indigenous student activists demanded a curriculum centered on the experiences of marginalized people. This session will contextualize  the creation of Asian American Studies within the Bay Area and discuss the enduring legacy of the strikers' demands on contemporary university life. Together, we will also attempt to (re)imagine a continued promise towards Third World liberation amidst continued attacks on ethnic studies and higher education more broadly.

Get ready to shine on stage! Workshop participants will learn foundational dance moves with traditional Vietnamese dance props (short fans/hats). The group will start with a short warm-up and go over basic techniques and moves with the dance prop, perfect for beginners and good review for experienced dancers. After, participants will learn a short choreography combo incorporating the warm-ups, while also exploring their own movement, musicality, and expression. To end the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to collaborate in small groups to create their own short combos, encouraging creativity, teamwork, and confidence. The workshop's purpose is to introduce embracing Vietnamese culture through something simple as movement, and discover the sense of community from performing and learning with each other.

This workshop provides a foundational overview of the historic Third World Liberation Front (TWLF) strikes of 1968-69 at San Francisco State College (now SFSU) and the University of California, Berkeley. We will trace the political and social currents that led to this pivotal moment, where a coalition of Black, Latinx, Asian American, and Indigenous student activists demanded a curriculum centered on the experiences of marginalized people. This session will contextualize  the creation of Asian American Studies within the Bay Area and discuss the enduring legacy of the strikers' demands on contemporary university life. Together, we will also attempt to (re)imagine a continued promise towards Third World liberation amidst continued attacks on ethnic studies and higher education more broadly.

Innovation refers to making changes into something that's already been established, or to introduce something new entirely. Innovation is important as it is commonly mentioned in every space that you're involved in, whether it's VSA, your career, or even your local community. Anyone can come up with these new ideas or improvements, but execution is the hardest step and can be a major hurdle to those unprepared. Everyone wants to create something great, but when introducing change or improvements, you can lose sight of a successful event in pursuit of creating something better.

In this workshop, we will explore steps and ideologies on innovation. Whether it's looking back on past works and reflecting, going through ideas that you can apply to your own community, or exploring how we use purpose to shape our future creations. Participants will find topics of resonance, no matter the background or current stage of their life journey. Let's innovate your community!

With the advent of the current crises of today, we want to explore what it means to be civically engaged with your communities. Whether it be your neighborhood or your city, how can you bring your perspective to the table to shape our future and beyond. Fifty years have passed since our community was scattered across the world, and now, with our community and many others called into question -- how do we ensure that our voices are heard? 

Interested in learning more about your career? Maybe do a mock interview or get a resume review? Or how about looking to get more involed in NorCal UVSA, UNAVSA or UVSA as a whole? Sign up for the coffee chat and networking mixer where you get to work closely with a NorCal Staff or Alumni who can mentor BOTH your professional and VSA future aspirations and get a professional headshot from our Media team!Interested in learning more about your career? Maybe do a mock interview or get a resume review? Or how about looking to get more involed in NorCal UVSA, UNAVSA or UVSA as a whole? Sign up for the coffee chat and networking mixer where you get to work closely with a NorCal Staff or Alumni who can mentor BOTH your professional and VSA future aspirations and get a professional headshot from our Media team!

Matching for the Coffee Talk Mentor Mixer will be coordinated by the Programming Committee of NorCal UVSA Summit XVII. Pairings will be made based on similar career interests between attendees and mentors. While the committee will do its best to align participants with professionals in related fields, please note that exact matches by field are not guaranteed.
If you have any additional preferences or requests, please include them in the “Any other comments/concerns” section of the registration form near the end of this section.

In partnership with State Farm's Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) and UNAVSA, this workshop will cover the basics of managing finances. Our goal is for SEAA youth to gain competency in financial education and tools in an effort to begin shifting the cycle of poverty and to help SEAA youth be a cultural and language bridge for their families. This workshop will cover topics from credit cards and budgeting to banking and loans.

What does it mean to be great? Is it money? Fame? Power? Further, what does it mean to be one of a kind? Is it having all of those and more? Regardless of your answer, it likely has to do something with achievement. This workshop is about empowering people to take ownership of their growth through lessons and activities revolving around mindsets and intentional systems.
The Strive to Be One of a Kind explores how your unique mix of experiences, habits, and desires can propel you toward not just being great, but becoming becoming one of a kind. Through a blend of reflective and interactive activities, you’ll learn how to both optimize your time, as well as develop a sustainable system that will turn you into a goal machine. We’ll dive into the importance of identity, along with goal-setting with purpose. You’ll uncover how your mindset and daily habits shape your long-term success, and walk away with a personalized framework to pursue excellence on your own terms.

Whether you’re balancing work, school, fitness, or relationships, this session will empower you to prove both to the world and yourself, that you are not only capable of living the life you desire, but also that you are one of a kind.

I propose to implement focus groups at the summit. The focus groups are designed to help us learn more about Vietnamese/Vietnamese American student perspectives on intergenerational concerns and conflicts as well as needs for healing. We will begin with an introduction session with an overview for all workshop attendees. We will ask our workshop attendees to divide into groups of 7-10 students each, depending on attendance and room availability. We will implement discussion questions that ask students their thoughts about need for and solutions to healing of intergenerational conflicts within Vietnamese families. IRB approval has been obtained, with one or more facilitators per focus group. No student names will be included in any publication or presentation, unless they provide explicit permission. The researcher, Dr. Loan Le, is a professor at San Francisco State University conducting research in the Department of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University. Participants are being asked to participate in this study because they identify as Vietnamese/Vietnamese American. Research Assistants who will help to run these focus groups include FL Christopher Bui (Summit FL) and other SFSU students/alumni.

In a community shaped by resilience, it’s easy to feel like just another face, especially after facing rejection again and again. Whether it's a job interview or a missed opportunity, imposter syndrome can creep in. But what if those setbacks are actually what make you stand out?

In this workshop, participants will explore how rejection can lead to personal growth and a stronger sense of identity. Participants will reflect on their own journeys, uncover their unique strengths, and learn how to build tenacity and grit. Together, we’ll reframe setbacks as essential steps in becoming who you are both personally, professionally, and as part of the VSA community and beyond.

We (Myan Ngo and Matthew Nguyen) will be teaching the dance set that MLH performed with Minh Tuyết in SJ's 2024 Lunar New Year festival! We'll be dancing with both veiled and short fans. No experience required! We'll teach it step-by-step :D

This workshop is an introduction to the foundational skills of a traditional Lion Dance performance. Attendees will learn the essential elements that bring this art form to life:

Musical Basics: Learn the primary rhythms and counts used in Lion Dance. You'll get hands-on experience with one of the key percussion instruments, focusing on cymbal playing techniques.

Dance & Movement: Discover the martial arts foundations and stances that power the lion's movements. You'll get practical, hands-on experience learning how to wear and manipulate the lion head costume, covering the basic footwork and choreography required for both the head and tail roles.        

April 30, 2025, marks the 50th Commemoration of the Fall of Saigon, when the largest exodus of Vietnamese people fled their homeland in search of freedom, safety, and resettlement around the world. Many found new beginnings in the United States, where they have since built communities, homes, and families — creating opportunities that have uplifted generations since 1975.

The Vietnamese American Nongovernmental Organization (VANGO) Network—with the slogan “Strength of Many, Heart of One”—has been a collaborative hub for nonprofit organizations and community leaders for the past 20 years. Together, we have worked to address the developmental and humanitarian needs of Vietnam through partnerships that also provide diverse cultural and leadership opportunities for young people ages 18 to 24 to engage in meaningful work in Vietnam.

Beyond sharing cultural and community engagement experiences at the workshop, we strive to elevate the dialogue with emerging young leaders—to explore your aspirations, understand your goals, and together map pathways for growth, leadership, and impact in the years ahead.

As we honor this historic milestone and look toward the next 20 years, we invite you to join us on this journey—to carry forward the legacy of resilience, compassion, and community that defines who we are.

Interested in learning more about your career? Maybe do a mock interview or get a resume review? Or how about looking to get more involed in NorCal UVSA, UNAVSA or UVSA as a whole? Sign up for the coffee chat and networking mixer where you get to work closely with a NorCal Staff or Alumni who can mentor BOTH your professional and VSA future aspirations and get a professional headshot from our Media team!

Matching for the Coffee Talk Mentor Mixer will be coordinated by the Programming Committee of NorCal UVSA Summit XVII. Read more here: [Summit XVII] Coffee Chat + Networking Mixer Mentor Description Doc Pairings will be made based on similar career interests between attendees and mentors. While the committee will do its best to align participants with professionals in related fields, please note that exact matches by field are not guaranteed.

If you have any additional preferences or requests, please include them in the “Any other comments/concerns” section of the registration form near the end of this section.