Wayne W. Huang

Brian Doan, 40, was born August 22nd 1968 towards the end of the Tet Offensive in the Central Vietnam city of Quang Ngai. The Tet Offensive was a turning point in Vietnamese history as it marked the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of what would be a new kind of struggle for an entire generation of war-weary South Vietnamese refugees. Doan and his family remained in Vietnam while his father suffered through ten brutal years in a Communist reeducation camp. Their struggle was one of trying to cope with living under a regime that regarded them as second-class citizens.

A new generation of Tibetan youths in exile has emerged and are willingly continuing on the struggle for a free Tibet. However, as they become increasingly immersed in the culture of their host country, the struggle to maintain their ethnic identity becomes another challenge Tibetans-in-exile face as a whole. Tibetans in Southern California are confronting this issue and have been making an effort to ensure the survival of their ancient culture and traditions.

When Tsering Dolma first arrived in New York City in 2004, she barely spoke a word of English. She came only with a determination to survive and support her family still living in the Tibetan refugee villages of India. This is the story of the struggles and hopes of a Tibetan-in-exile.