Today we’d like to introduce you to Ai Vuong.
Hi Ai, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story is an immigrant story – My parents, older brother, and I came to the United States through the Humanitarian Resettlement Program when I was five years old. Recently, I was asked what my earliest memory was, and all I could remember, in blurry images, was the month we spent in Thailand, waiting with hundreds of other families, sleeping in a large room, until our flight to the US. The funny thing about stories is there are multiple beginnings, and they are, in fact, not linear. Part of my story came full circle when I moved back to Vietnam after graduating from the University of Texas, much to the chagrin of my family. What started as a one-year commitment turned into approximately eight years in Southeast Asia, learning what it truly meant to be bi-cultural and bi-lingual. For me, those pivotal story nodes are just as important as how I began my career as a full-time volunteer living working at a children’s shelter to where I am now in my career: a filmmaker and small business owner.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I would say my biggest challenge first and foremost was the belief that all roads should be straight one. I’ve learned to love and embrace a meandering path. This may mean that the destination points may take a little longer, especially if I do the dangerous task of comparing myself to others (and it’s very hard not to), but I truly think I had to meander to get to where I am now. The biggest challenge of that was, to be honest, a mixture of self-doubt (“Can I make it?”) and impatience (Why am I not there yet?”).
Aside from the internal obstacles, the exterior ones are hard, too. When I moved to Austin in 2018 from Southeast Asia, it felt like starting from scratch again. I had to relearn how to navigate the US American institutions, from finding an apartment to opening a business banking account. Starting your own small business is always an uphill climb, but starting one alongside a big move was full of challenges. It took two years to feel like we were finding consistency in income, and then of course the pandemic threw all projections and security out the window. Within all of that, the biggest struggle was really finding true community with people who care about you – and can help you find the ample resources that already exist.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about TAPI Story?
TÁPI Story is a human-centered, trauma-informed video production company that creates humanizing media focused on stories for social impact. We use creativity to help dignify communities, extend the reach of local changemakers, and amplify the sound of people envisioning something better for their villages and cities. We have helped share the work of large global players like UNDP, ILO, USAID, World YMCA, World YWCA, WHO, and APEC. We are equally proud of the work we have done with local and regional NGOs such as MamaBaby Haiti, Blind Link, Justice and Soul Foundation, Good Return and the Asia Foundation amongst others.
We are a small production company which values a humanizing, dignifying process and product. Our vision for TÁPI Story is to amplify the work of community-based organizations and research institutions through mindful, compelling, humanizing media that explore the cross sections of social justice, identity, culture, and climate.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was artful and an avid reader, but my parents were more serious so I think I inherited a serious disposition as a kid. One of my favorite activities was the weekly trip to our local library branch in Garland. Each week, I would check out dozens of books and return them all the next week, eager to find other works. I also remember cutting all of my dolls’ clothes and hair and creating arts and crafts projects with my own clothes or whatever materials I had on hand. It was only in sixth grade, when we had to decide which extracurricular fine arts path we wanted that I realized I loved the stage. I watched a short sketch and immediately signed up for the theatre path right afterward. It was the first time I saw permission to be silly and goofy in public, and I ate it up – and now I am asked to be more serious in public 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tapi-story.com
- Instagram: @tapi_story
Image Credits
Headshot – Meghan Shuptar Stills – Samuel Diaz Fernandez
