The Huskies are proud to celebrate Asian Heritage Month through profiling the diverse and inspiring backgrounds of some of our Asian student-athletes. Below we hear from Huskie Women's Soccer player Nammi Nguyen on her Vietnamese heritage, culture, family, traditions and how it's shaped the person she is today.

What is your family heritage?

My family is Vietnamese. 

When did your family come to Canada?

My parents immigrated to Canada in 1997, in their mid-20s. After starting their family here, they also sponsored my grandparents to live here for periods of time. My aunt and her family have moved here now too.
 
Why did they come to Canada?

My dad came to Canada to do his PhD in Electrical Engineering. This led him and my mum to settle in Saskatoon and start a family. My dad became a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and my mum became an accountant after graduating from the Edwards School of Business.

How do you celebrate your heritage?

I celebrate my heritage in many ways. My family is very proud of being Vietnamese and we have built a beautiful community here. We often have potlucks and BBQs with other Vietnamese families and friends. Vietnamese food is seriously the best and I'll stand by that! We also celebrate Vietnamese holidays such as Tết and get together for Giỗ, which is to honour a family member's death anniversary.

I grew up speaking Vietnamese, but throughout elementary and high school, lost the language a bit as I wasn't using it as much. In the past few years, and thanks to going back to Vietnam more, I've been more diligent in relearning the language. I even enrolled in a class to learn how to properly read and write. It was amazing and I surprised myself by how quickly I picked it up. I listen to lots of Vietnamese music and try to keep up with the online culture in Vietnam too.

I also had the honour of training with the Vietnamese National team and playing for a professional team in Vietnam last summer. The experience was unforgettable — I learned so much about my culture through the lens of the sport I love. I made so many amazing new friends and was welcomed like a sister. This experience also opened my eyes to how different life is for athletes in different countries. The sport they play is their livelihood and we are so privileged here in Canada. I hope to return to Vietnam and play soccer in the future!

How did your culture, heritage and upbringing shape you into who you are today?

My heritage and upbringing played a huge part in who I am today. I am so proud to be Vietnamese. Asian players especially are few and far between and I hope to be a role model for younger players.

Being Vietnamese has made me a more empathetic, compassionate and curious person thanks to my alignment with Buddhism. It has also just made me extremely grateful for the sacrifices my parents made to move here, and the similar sacrifices so many other immigrant families have made.