FSC - Kids on the Block

Nam, who is Vietnamese American is upset because people mess up his name. He asks Valerie to help him pick out a new American name. Have you ever changed something about yourself so you would fit in?

Nam

Hi, my name is Nguyen Huy Nam. It sounds like "N-win Wee Nam". In Vietnam we write our last name before our first names. I'm 11 years old and my family moved to the U.S. before I was born. My parents and grandfather do not speak English as well as I do and sometimes I have to tell them what some words mean. Sometimes I want to be like all my friends at school, and sometimes I want to be like my parents.

Do you ever feel that way?

Valerie

I'm Valerie Perkins and I'm 14 years old. I have two sisters and three brothers. I'm very proud of my African-American heritage. I think that we all have more than one culture that we belong to. I was born with spina bifida and use crutches and leg braces to help me walk. That is just one small part of who I am. I also enjoy being a cheerleader and working in the student government.

What sort of things do you like to do?