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South Philadelphia has become home to many groups of immigrants, all searching for a better life. When Hanna Do traveled to Philadelphia from Vietnam, she never knew a little more than a decade later she’d be easing others’ assimilations.
"During the time working at SEAMAAC, I am excited and proud to be a SEAMAAC employee," Do said of her job as an outreach worker for the South East Asian Mutual Assistance Associations Coalition at 1711 S. Broad St. "I am really enjoying my job because most of my clients, they are refugees and immigrants and I understood what they faced with language barriers and they faced a lot of hardship, too."
Do’s 13-year commitment to SEAMAAC’s Refugee Program, as well as her teaching of hepatitis B and HIV awareness workshops, earned her recognition at Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Initiative at an Oct. 27 ceremony.
"I’m very pleasantly surprised when my executive director told me that I was selected a Local Hero by Bank of America," the 21st-street-and-Passyunk-Avenue resident said. "I’m really happy to be a Local Hero because my work was recognized."
One of eight children to emigrate to the U.S. in 1991 after her father spent a decade building a home for his Vietnam-based family to come to, Do set up shop at Fourth and Tasker streets.
"I suffered many hardships such as language barriers, culture differences, transportation and difficulty trying to find my way around the city. However, I tried overcoming that difficulty," the 51-year-old said.
Overcome she did — teaching herself English through reading books and a dictionary — and eventually committing her life’s work to helping others do the same.
"I am responsible for a few programs such as Refugee Outreach Program, Intergenerational Program, New Routes ‘Our Stories Our Health’ and Elders Gathering," Do said. "I help the elders to become U.S. citizens and provide translation/interpretation."
Thirteen years of commitment to SEAMAAC caught the eye of the national bank’s community service branch and brought Do in the company of two local nonprofits, four other Local Heroes and a group of student leaders for the annual honor that will bring a total of $450,000 into the local community.
The award comes with a $5,000 unrestricted gift Do can give to a charity of her choice. Her recipient is obvious.
"I will donate to SEAMAAC because SEAMAAC needs the money right now," Do said. "I work with the people doing the program, and I need my program [to have more funding]."
The South Philly-based nonprofit, which was established 25 years ago, aids immigrants and refugees with their transition into American life. Do’s work is mainly done in her native tongue and, after she carved out a better life for herself, she is rewarded every day by the promise she is making the adjustments for others go more smoothly.
"Doing this job effectively requires working very well and it’s a pleasure to help people," Do, who has lived at her Point Breeze home since 2004, said. "I know I must always be aware of their culture, their habits and their traditions to understand what they need and why."
Do’s father began his family’s move westward to escape Communism in Vietnam. He spent four months living in Pilipino refugee camps before landing on American soil in ’81. A decade after, Do set foot in the U.S. and went to work in a factory that made decorations. The Wolf Street plant required hard labor, and her time there was short-lived.
"At first, I worked in a factory for five years and had no benefits at all and got laid off," Do, who would walk 20 blocks to work, said. "I collected unemployment and it expired after six months."
With no income, Do needed something to fill the void, but she found something that also would fill her heart.
"I needed assistance to support a family and I had a young child, so I enrolled in welfare," Do, who has a son, Samuel, now 27, said. "I told myself that I want to empower myself to search for employment. I asked my caseworker to look for me a job. After three months of welfare, my caseworker introduced me to SEAMAAC."
Do placed a call to the nonprofit inquiring about open positions. It seemed her luck had finally changed.
"Luckily, a position was open and I went for an interview and was offered a job as a social outreach worker. I have been with SEAMAAC ever since," Do said.
Her job has grown over time with her hand in multiple initiatives, but her most rewarding work has come with hepatitis B and HIV education.
"I go to talk to the people in the community," Do said. "The hepatitis B program — I work with the community and I run workshops about hepatitis B education. I work with children, but I contact the parents, also. I contact the parents and make sure the children get enough shots."
Having recently run the gamut of obstacles faced by a Vietnamese immigrant, Do approaches her work through a very personal perspective.
"It was a long struggle, but I created new opportunities and improved my life in America. I really love Philly because there is a large Vietnamese community living in South Philly," Do said. "I just dislike one thing: Philadelphia still has a lot of criminals."
Despite the permanence of her new U.S. home, her connection to Vietnam never will be severed.
"I still maintain my Vietnamese culture while living in the United States," Do, who has encouraged her son never to forget his heritage, said. "I can adapt while keeping my own culture."
Her position is full-time and she hopes her work can grow to touch even more lives, something the $5,000 grant will be put towards, though she notes, only half-joking, "it’s not enough."
"I work every day and I know a lot of people need me and a lot of people are waiting for me," Do said. "I spend my time to provide the services to my community to help the community members be stronger and stand up for themselves.
"In my mind the community should always come first. I’m not a perfect person, I just try to do my job as best as I can."
