This Spring marked fifty years since the fall of Saigon ended the Vietnam War and ten years since Yemen descended into a civil war that continues today. Beyond these milestones are quieter stories of generations who left everything behind so that their children could grow up in places of safety and possibility.
Fifty years ago, Linda Do’s parents boarded a small boat in Saigon, sailing silently into the darkness, guided only by the stars. They did not know that their desperate act of courage would ripple across oceans and generations, gradually shaping one corner of California into a thriving enclave.
Today, San Jose’s Little Saigon is home to approximately 145,000 Vietnamese Americans. At Blossom Nails, on a bustling Saturday afternoon, Do moves purposefully between her team and clients, pausing to offer encouragement gently or to greet familiar faces. Her salon serves as a sanctuary where immigrant women, many of whom are navigating language barriers and unfamiliar customs, build skills, confidence and community.
Across the Bay, Oakland is experiencing the steady emergence of another community shaped by Yemen’s ongoing civil war. Roughly 2,000 Yemenis have established roots here, forming the beginnings of an unofficial enclave anchored by spaces such as Delah Coffee. Omar Jahamee, who arrived in America at age nine speaking no English, opened the café at eighteen with his uncle Majed Jahamee. Initially established on Fourth Street in San Francisco, Delah Coffee soon expanded to Oakland and Berkeley.
Delah Coffee opens with the sunrise and closes under starlight, with Jahamee often behind the counter, carefully blending spices he personally selected and introducing customers to Yemeni traditions. He and his team welcome each visitor with sincerity and warmth, turning ordinary interactions into genuine connections and drawing people from all corners of the Bay Area.
