Vietnamese American communities
Established and newly arrived families, multi-generational households, and regional diaspora hubs across North America.
Wave Public Media (WPM) is a nonprofit public media organization and registered 501(c)(3) dedicated to producing and distributing educational, cultural, and heritage-based programming that documents, preserves, and celebrates Vietnamese arts, traditions, and diaspora identity. WPM operates as an independent digital public media platform serving Vietnamese American and global Vietnamese diaspora communities.
WAVE Public Media's mission is to educate, inspire, and engage communities through accessible, non-commercial media that preserves and advances Vietnamese cultural heritage, artistic expression, and diaspora narratives for present and future generations.
Cultural literacy is a long-term public good. WPM treats it that way — by producing, preserving, and freely sharing the media that carries Vietnamese story across generations.
WPM functions as a community-based digital public media distributor and content producer, providing free access to educational and cultural programming across widely used digital platforms. The organization prioritizes storytelling that supports cultural literacy, identity development, and historical awareness within the Vietnamese diaspora.
Through partnerships with independent artists, scholars, filmmakers, and cultural practitioners, WPM amplifies underrepresented voices and strengthens public access to Vietnamese cultural knowledge. Our role is twofold: we produce original public-interest programming in-house, and we extend distribution, audience, and editorial support to independent creators whose work belongs in the public record but rarely enters commercial media systems.
Because WPM operates outside commercial advertising structures, our editorial choices are shaped by educational and cultural value — not by ad revenue, algorithmic engagement, or the constraints of any single platform. That independence is what makes us public media.
WPM is structured to deliver concrete public benefit in six interlocking ways — each one treated as a long-term obligation rather than a campaign.
Documentary and educational media that captures traditional arts, food, language, performance, and memory — building a public archive future generations can return to.
Distribution, audience-building, and platform support for artists, filmmakers, scholars, and cultural practitioners whose work shapes the Vietnamese cultural record.
Programming designed to reach second-generation and emerging audiences — meeting them on the platforms they already use, in formats they actually watch.
Bilingual, age-aware programming that helps elders teach and youth learn — keeping knowledge moving across generations rather than thinning out between them.
Raising the public profile of Vietnamese cultural and artistic contributions within American and global cultural landscapes.
All content is distributed free of charge to ensure accessibility regardless of socioeconomic background — no paywalls, no subscriptions, no ad gating.
WPM is built for the full breadth of the Vietnamese diaspora and the cross-cultural audiences encountering our story.
Established and newly arrived families, multi-generational households, and regional diaspora hubs across North America.
Vietnamese communities outside Vietnam — including Europe, Australia, and across Asia — connecting around shared heritage and language.
Younger audiences building cultural literacy, language fluency, and identity through media made for the platforms they live on.
Teachers, language schools, museums, and community organizations that need culturally grounded media they can share freely.
Scholars and arts viewers engaging with Vietnamese cultural production, history, and contemporary creative practice.
General public media audiences interested in Southeast Asian heritage, diaspora stories, and underrepresented cultural narratives.
WPM aims to become a leading digital public media archive and storytelling platform for Vietnamese diaspora culture — expanding access to historically underrepresented narratives while supporting the next generation of Vietnamese cultural creators. We are building for the long arc: an archive that grows in value as the diaspora's story continues to widen.
WPM is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors that provides strategic oversight supporting our cultural preservation mission and public media service role.
Sets organizational strategy and represents WPM in its public-media and partnership relationships.
Thai Nguyen (pronounced Tie-Win) is a Vietnamese American fashion designer based in Orange County, California. Thai pursued his passion for fashion and graduated from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in 2002. Known for his modern-feminine aesthetic and exquisite detailing, Thai applies his signature mantra of the Three F's — fabrics, fit, and feels — to each creation, crafting bespoke garments that are luxurious, personal, and runway-worthy. His designs have been worn by celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, Kelly Marie Tran, Ali Wong, Katherine McPhee, and Cindy Crawford, appearing in major fashion publications and on the red carpets of the Met Gala, Oscars, Grammys, and other high-profile events.
A central inspiration in Thai's work is the áo dài, Vietnam's traditional dress. Thai is widely recognized for his contemporary reinvention of the áo dài, elevating this iconic garment with couture craftsmanship, premium materials, and modern comfort. Designed with the client's personality in mind, Thai's áo dài creations blend cultural heritage with high fashion, removing outdated elements like awkward fasteners and replacing them with seamless elegance. In addition to his work in fashion, Thai is also a published author. His debut picture book, Mai's Áo Dài, celebrates the cultural and emotional significance of the áo dài, underscoring his ongoing commitment to honoring his Vietnamese roots through art and design. Outside the atelier, Thai is also a familiar face on television, most notably as a co-host and designer on Netflix's Say I Do, where he creates custom wedding gowns for deserving brides with moving personal stories. From red carpets to picture books, Thai Nguyen continues to redefine modern fashion with heart, heritage, and haute couture precision.
Stewards board governance, organizational record-keeping, and corporate compliance for WPM.
Tina Do is a California Certified Court Interpreter and Translator with extensive experience in community engagement, public affairs, and government relations. She currently serves as the City of Santa Ana's first-ever Vietnamese Community Liaison, a historic role created to strengthen communication, outreach, and civic participation within the Vietnamese community. Tina holds a Master's Degree in Human Resources Management and a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature. She is a passionate advocate for language access, cultural preservation, and inclusive community engagement. Deeply committed to uplifting the Vietnamese language and culture, Tina works to amplify Vietnamese voices, preserve cultural heritage, and share the stories, experiences, and contributions of the Vietnamese community for future generations.
Oversees financial stewardship, public-interest funding administration, and 501(c)(3) reporting.
Kevin Do is a sales consultant at Glidewell Dental, one of the largest dental laboratories in the United States, where he has worked for over 20 years. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business from California State University, Fullerton. Kevin is a passionate advocate for Vietnamese arts and cultural preservation. Deeply committed to uplifting and celebrating Vietnamese culture alongside Thai Nguyen at Wave Public Media, he works to amplify Vietnamese voices, preserve cultural heritage, and share the stories, experiences, and contributions of the Vietnamese community for future generations.