FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Erroneous Reporting of VietAID’s Event Commemorating April 30th Corrected
Dorchester, Massachusetts –May 1st, 2018 – The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development (VietAID) in Fields Corner hosted a commemoration of April 30th (also known as ‘Black April’ or ‘The Fall of Saigon’) on Saturday, April 28th, 2018 from 6pm-8pm at the Vietnamese American Community Center. Several media outlets reported on the event, including the Dorchester Reporter, Seattle Times, and the Associated Press, and erroneously reported on the event, titling it ‘Black Friday’ rather than ‘Black April.’
The Vietnamese American Initiative for Development was founded in 1994 by community leaders and residents who believed that a community development corporation would provide comprehensive economic development programs and services to alleviate poverty and advance civic participation in the Fields Corner Vietnamese community of Dorchester. VietAID’s mission is to build a strong Vietnamese community and a vibrant Fields Corner through the following measures: promoting civic engagement and community building; developing affordable housing and commercial space; providing small business technical assistance and micro-enterprise development; and offering high quality child care and youth services. In 2002, VietAID opened the Vietnamese Community Center at 42 Charles Street to house its operations and offer space to the community for its activities.
The media outlets were immediately contacted by VietAID and the reporting has since been corrected for accuracy. The event was entitled “Remembering Black April,” referring to the capture of South Vietnam’s capital, Saigon, by the North Vietnamese army on April 30, 1975 and the last day American troops left Vietnam.
VietAID released a statement on April 30th to commemorate the day, “Today, we commemorate April 30th as the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. For the Vietnamese community, there are different experiences and meanings of and about this historical day.
Executive Director, Lisette Le reflects, “My father was an Officer with the South Vietnam Corp of Engineers and after the Fall of Saigon, spent years in a reeducation camp. During these years, my mom was raising two small children. The impact of the war’s ripples are still felt many years later. Today, I remember the sacrifices and loss that my parents and generations before me made for their belief in freedom.”
For us here at VietAID, this day is a reminder of the community we serve and the ongoing commitment we have to the Vietnamese American diaspora, and specifically to those in the greater Boston area. We thank our community for their resilience and strength and hope to pave the way towards a brighter future together.”
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