The Fisher People

They came here in search of a different life.

And that’s exactly what they found.

The Fisher People explores the immigration experiences of Vietnamese refugees on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Their stories are Mississippi’s stories – the triumphs and challenges that have defined life along the shore for the last 50 years.

As the Vietnam War enters its final days, many South Vietnamese citizens look for a path to a better life. First, they have to escape their own country. Saigon is surrounded; the only ways out are by air or by water.

Adjusting to life in a new country is hard, made harder by a language barrier, cultural differences, and a tight economy. For the Vietnamese who have settled along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, the promised land may be a mirage.

Vietnamese refugees who settled along the Mississippi Gulf Coast have found a slow acceptance, creating communities where they may freely practice their beliefs and live the American Dream. How will the dual storms of economic pressure and a changing climate threaten everything they’ve built?

xxxxx