Minnesota Remembers Vietnam
Remember. Honor. Understand.
The Vietnam War defined a generation. It changed the lives of people who fought in it and who fought against it. Minnesota Remembers Vietnam, a year-long, multi-platform, statewide story-gathering initiative led by Twin Cities PBS, invited Minnesotans to remember stories, recognize bravery, express their reasons for dissent, and foster understanding around the lasting impact of the war. The initiative was a collaboration of Minnesota’s 6 PBS stations and launched in conjunction with the national broadcast of Ken Burns and Lynn Novick’s documentary, THE VIETNAM WAR.
As Project Lead for Minnesota Remembers Vietnam, I designed and led the initiative’s overall creative content strategy, impact planning, branding, community engagement and story-gathering experiences. In this role, I led a statewide team of 6 PBS stations as well a cross-departmental team at Twin Cities PBS (TPT), that produced a rich collection of content for the initiative.
I led the design & development of a custom digital Story Wall website. The interactive platform displays over 1,000 unique personal stories about the Vietnam War Era.
I led an advisory team that helped to shape the initiative and developed multiple partnerships with community groups that deepened engagement around the initiative in different communities. In collaboration with our fundraising and legislative teams, we raised over $2M to bring to life, the initiative’s ambitious vision for engagement.
This role was rewarding because I was able to witness history being preserved for future generations, and how healing it was to share stories and to be heard.
Over 1,000 stories shared on The Story Wall
With the goal of including as many local voices as possible in this initiative, we designed a one-of a kind website - The Story Wall- to gather and preserve Minnesota’s Vietnam War stories. Inspired by the Vietnam Wall in D.C., this living, breathing memorial is an evolving narrative, created by community; a rich archive of our history that can be explored for generations to come.
Over 1,000 stories are represented This inclusive space invited the remembering, sharing and exploration of personal memories preserved through portraits, narratives, videos, interviews, snapshots, artwork, poetry audio and objects shared by Minnesotans who fought in Southeast Asia and those whose lives it changed at home.
“It is a healing process to tell your story. Thank you for the opportunity.”
— Vietnam veteran who shared their story on the Story Wall
“The Story Wall is a living, breathing history.”
— Hmong English Literature educator in St. Paul who uses the Story Wall in her classroom
Deepening Understanding
In addition to The Story Wall, TPT’s series of Minnesota-focused documentaries and digital shorts present untold histories of the Vietnam War and build multigenerational understanding. The Minnesota Remembers Vietnam collection is utilized by educators across the state in their classrooms, and professional development trained teachers about how to teach this complex history.
Essential Shorts - animated educational series on motivations & milestones that defined the Vietnam War era
The Telling Project - five Vietnam veterans & family members shape their experiences into a powerful stage performance with the help of The Telling Project
The People’s Protectors - honors the bravery and stories of Native American Vietnam veterans who served in the Vietnam War
Perspectives - personal narratives of those who stood on the front lines of one of the most unsettling chapters in American history.
America’s Secret War - tells the hidden story of the CIA’s secret war in Laos that relied on Hmong soldiers to prevent the threat of communism from spreading deeper into Southeast Asia.
(Stills from Essential Shorts pictured above, illustrated by David Geister)
25,000 people attended over 100 events statewide
Community events within the initiative provided unique opportunities for connection, participation, storytelling and building new relationships. It was powerful to see. TPT-led events included:
Conversation between Vietnam veteran and author of "The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien, and Director of THE VIETNAM WAR, Lynn Novick
2 Veterans Day rock concerts celebrating the soundtrack of the Vietnam War
Theatrical production of Vietnam War stories created in partnership with The Telling Project
Pop-up Hmong history museum and film screenings of America’s Secret War
Series of roundtable discussions with veterans, refugees and anti-war activists
Stage performance of music and moving stories that were shared within the project
The Wall That Heals, a traveling replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in D.C.
Photos from the We Gotta Get Out of This Place Veteran’s Day Concerts at TPT
“This was the welcome home celebration I never had.”
Over 15,000 visited The Wall That Heals in Saint Paul
TPT was honored to partner with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to host The Wall That Heals in St. Paul, a 3/4-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Over 15,000 people attended the long weekend of events including a pop-up museum, veteran discussions, interactive artwork, music, stage performance of Minnesota Remembers Vietnam stories, and a flyover of vintage Vietnam War era aircraft - including a Huey Helicopter- flown by Vietnam veterans… all designed to help us remember, honor and understand.
The Impact
It was incredible to hear that so many shared their stories for the first time and that sharing their story was healing for them. Many shared that they felt welcomed home and that they felt honored and heard for the first time.
“I can’t thank you enough for your commitment to preserving our piece of history. You have made every person who lived during that time feel special and welcomed home. PEACE!”
Multimedia content credit:
The Minnesota Remembers Vietnam initiative at Twin Cities PBS
HONORS
2018 Upper Midwest Emmy Award for Excellence in Community Service
2019 National Educational Television Association Award for Excellence in Community Engagement in Public Media
““It made my heart remember.””