About 80 percent of Vietnamese-Americans in the affected area have ties to the seafood industry.

A CNN article and slideshow demonstrates how Vietnamese-Americans involved in the fishing and seafood industry are suffering from the Gulf oil spill. Along with the tangible problems faced by all those in the sector, some members of this population are also dealing with language and cultural barriers.

“The lengthy documents they initially were asked to sign used language even a native English speaker would struggle to understand,” writes Jessica Ravitz on June 25, 2010. “The Vietnamese interpreters BP first brought in for safety and cleanup training stirred painful memories and suspicions because they spoke to the elders with a North Vietnamese dialect and used what some described as ‘Communist terminology.’”

According to the article, about a third of the Gulf’s fishermen are of Vietnamese origin, so communicating effectively to this population is crucial.

But even when effective linguistic communication takes place, cultural barriers come into play. In the wake of the oil spill, anyone who makes a living from fishing and seafood clearly needs help – but accepting it can be difficult for members of this community. Tuan Nguyen, a local activist for Vietnamese-Americans, points out that “he can't persuade some of his own relatives to get the help they so desperately need.”

Language Translation, Inc salutes and supports all Americans who are suffering, or will suffer, from the effects of the Gulf oil spill.

Betty Carlson