Vĩ Sơn Trinh

Contributor
Vi Son Trinh

Vĩ Sơn Trinh is a Vietnamese-American visual storyteller. Born in a refugee camp in Galang, Indonesia, and currently based in the Bay Area, California, Vĩ Sơn explores personal narratives of fellow refugee and immigrant community members. Vĩ Sơn is currently working on two projects, “Stories We Carry” a photo installation that empowers individuals from immigrant and refugee experiences, and “Silk Rise” a photo series that explores the intersectionality of Vietnamese tradition and contemporary through ao dai. He has photographed for publications and organizations such as Banana Magazine, SF Chronicle, Hyphen Magazine, Asian American Donor Program, and VSCO.

While not out in the field capturing stories, he currently works as a registered nurse in Southern Oregon. 

"COVID-19 is a Wake Up Call"

In 2020, COVID-19 tore through the United States and killed more people here than reportedly any other country in the world by huge margins. No community was spared. The pandemic revealed government ineffectiveness at managing a health crisis, as cases and fatalities were exacerbated by the public's lack of trust in public institutions and advice on how to stay safe.