Beginning in the 1980s, Southeast and East Asian refugees and immigrants transformed a pocket of Denver into a vibrant hub of culture, commerce, and belonging. From bustling markets offering a taste of home to restaurants introducing phở and other beloved dishes to Colorado, the Little Saigon Business District serves a place where traditions thrive, families gather, and new opportunities take root. Festivals, fashion, music, and nightlife keep the district buzzing with energy, making it both a home for the community and a destination for all.

[Big Dreams in Little Saigon] showcases the experiences and memories that make the neighborhood unique. Visitors can explore the sights, sounds, and smells that define Little Saigon and see how this vibrant community continues to inspire, delight, and bring people together.

My contribution to this exhibit was a triptych titled Street Fortune. The imagery of the work pays homage to the businesses and community of Little Saigon. A depiction of Federal Boulevard anchors the work as it runs between the mountains of the West and downtown Denver. The intended vision of this work was to highlight the resourcefulness and adaptability of the Little Saigon community and to pull in blessings for continued prosperity. Joss paper detailing will be used to embue the work with an energy of prosperity for the future.  Text from the Little Saigon Memory Project oral histories were used throughout the work in the borders, linework and shading.  The patterns along the border were researched through Ethnicity and were selected by their relevance to the theme of Street Fortune (rice fields for abundance, and mountains for overcoming adversity).

To view the full finished work, please visit the Big Dreams in Little Saigon exhibit at History Colorado.