Thanks to everyone for the nice feedback on my Narratively story! If you’re interested in learning more about Don or supporting some of the organizations he works with in Vietnam, I recommend buying his books of poetry, “Into the Heart” and “All You Have Given.”
The Chicago Tribune published an article about me and my work on veterans in Vietnam this week. It’s nice to receive some press in my hometown after living abroad for so long. You can read the article here.
The homecoming continues next week when I speak to middle school students at Quest Academy in Palatine — my alma mater — on Veteran’s Day. I love the energy I get from speaking with young people about peace and reconciliation issues, so I’m really looking forward to the visit.
“Why?” by Frank Romeo, displayed at the NVAM in Chicago. On August 2, 1969 Romeo was shot seven times in the jungles of central Vietnam when his platoon was ambushed by Vietcong. He now meets with the men who saved him, his “blood brothers,” once a year to “try to understand what happened to our youth.” He says: “We talk, we laugh, we cry, but most of all we question WHY?”
In honor of today’s anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, here are some photos I took in New Orleans of the relief effort that was still going on seven months after the storm hit the city.
Nissa Rhee 