NBC's Vicky Nguyen Visits St. Louis to Inspire Students and Celebrate American Stories with Boat Baby: A Memoir

ST. LOUIS, MO (April 2025) — NBC News award-winning journalist Vicky Nguyen will visit St. Louis on Friday, April 11, as part of The May Book Project, a national Asian American youth literature project for all readers.

Vicky Nguyen by Deborah Feingold

Made possible by a MO Humanities grant and the Very Asian Foundation, the day-long visit will include classroom conversations and book giveaways of Boat Baby: A Memoir. It is Nguyen’s debut book about her family’s daring escape from communist Vietnam and her unlikely journey from refugee to reporter. This day of service leads up to Nguyen’s reason for coming to St. Louis – to promote her new book at the St. Louis County Library’s Clark Branch at 7 p.m. with conversation partner and KSDK anchor, Michelle Li. 

Several St. Louis Asian American non-profits will also support Nguyen in a community reception, including OCA-St. Louis, Gateway Korea Foundation, and the St. Louis Vietnamese Community.

Asian American high school students in St. Louis inspired the May Book Project, which has now impacted 100,000 students across 15 states and the Philippines. It is a free resource that includes a book list, an academic rubric, and a community guide, and it was also honored by the FBI for an innovative way to fight anti-Asian hate. 

The Day’s Highlights Include:

• St. Frances Cabrini Elementary School - 12 p.m.
  Nguyen will meet with 8th grade students, where more than 30 percent of the student population is Asian American.

  Webster Groves High School - 1:20 p.m.
  Over 130 students from APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American), history, and journalism classes will participate in a moderated dialogue with Nguyen.

“Each student that walks through our doors carries a story,” said Dr. Grace Lee, May Book Project committee co-chair, Webster Groves elected school board member, and MICDS Dean of Faculty. “Events like this author visit from Vicky Nguyen are important for our kids to experience so they feel connected to others in our greater community. They have an opportunity to hear someone else's story, make connections and share their own stories.”

For more information about The May Book Project, visit www.veryasianfoundation.org.