Most of the 1.2 million Vietnamese Americans in the United States came as refugees after the Vietnam War, and in the past thirty years, the community has shifted dramatically. Today, Vietnamese Americans occupy diverse social classes, work sectors, and political parties. Vietnamese American ethnic communities have formed across the country in places like California, Texas, Washington, Boston, and the D.C. Metro area. This community has excelled in many fields, and today there are Vietnamese American athletes in a number of sports, entrepreneurs in varied industries, politicians in different parties, as well as employees in the service industry and retail. These are only a few areas where Vietnamese Americans contribute to society. This ethnic group is an integral part of America's national fabric.

Moreover, the Vietnamese American community has maintained and formed international contacts within the Vietnamese diaspora. Last year alone, Vietnamese Americans remitted well over $2 billion dollars to Vietnam, and an increasing number return to maintain family ties and engage in commerce. This community's interactions abroad demonstrate that its influence extends beyond national boundaries and that the Vietnamese American experience shapes, and is shaped by, international forces.