National Organization for Vietnamese American Leadership

03/04/2026

On Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 7:30 pm, the Avalon Theatre in DC will host a screening of the Vietnamese-Czech film Summer School, 2001 followed by a post-screening Q&A with the director, Dužan Duong.

NOVAL-DC was offered discounted group rate for tickets ($12.25). Please comment and DM us by March 4 if you are interested in seeing the film with us and we can add you to our group block. More details below.

Film Synopsis
Set in the summer of 2001, seventeen-year-old Kien returns to his Vietnamese family in the Czech border town of Cheb after ten years in Vietnam. Instead of a warm welcome, he finds an estranged father, a worried mother, and a younger brother who isn’t ready to forgive or forget. Between heat-pressing Pokémon onto T-shirts, learning Czech grammar, and lakeside flirtations, a buried secret surfaces.

Told with lightness and humor, Summer School, 2001 offers a poignant coming-of-age story from inside the Vietnamese community in the Czech Republic. The film runs 102 minutes and is presented in Vietnamese and Czech with English subtitles.

Please note that this film is not rated and contains mature content.

Recognition
The film was nominated at the 2026 Czech Film Critics’ Awards for: Best Screenplay and Discovery of the Year

About the Director
Dužan Duong is a director and cinematographer of Vietnamese origin whose work explores identity and cultural memory. He debuted at the Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival with Mat Goc and gained recognition with Bo Hai, screened at FAMUfest, Finále Plzeň, Prague Shorts, SGIFF, and Cottbus IFF. He is also active in advertising cinematography under the brand Novák+Nguyen.

Event Details

Date/Time: Wednesday, March 11, 2026, at 7:30 pm

Location: Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Avenue, Washington, DC 20015

Tickets: https://www.theavalon.org/films/summer-school-2001/

Film Trailer: https://filmfreeway.com/SummerSchool2001

Summer, 2001. Seventeen-year-old Kien, with his bright red hair, returns to his family at the Cheb market after spending ten years in Vietnam. But instead of a warm welcome, a buried secret surfaces—one that will turn life at the market upside down.

03/03/2026

If you missed the New Wave documentary by Elizabeth Ai the last time it was screening in town, then tomorrow is your chance! The film will be screening at the Arlo Hotel on Wednesday, March 4 at 5:15pm. More details below.

02/09/2026

Join NOVAL-DC as we support our friends at DC Independent Film Festival and check out the screening/Q&A of Children of Dust (Bụi đời), a documentary about Sang, one of hundreds of thousands of unwanted children of American soldiers left behind after the Vietnam War who is on a journey to meet his ailing dad and break the cycle of war trauma that has plagued generations. DCIFF has generously provided NOVAL-DC with discounted $6 tickets to the Sunday, February 15, 12:30pm-3:30pm screening at Regal Gallery Place/Chinatown. Please comment below and send us message or email ([email protected]) if you are interested in any discounted tickets. Let us know soon as we only have a limited amount.

https://facebook.com/events/s/child-of-dust-qa-wdirector-sun/4331193120481936/

02/09/2026

The Walk for Peace comes to DC this week. Join NOVAL-DC as we participate in some of the upcoming events.

🙏 Join Us in Washington, D.C. and Maryland | Feb 10–12, 2026
We are deeply honored to invite everyone to join us in Washington, D.C. and Maryland as we approach the final destination of this 2,300-mile Walk for Peace. After more than 108 days and countless steps through many states, we will arrive in our nation's capital with hearts full of gratitude. We warmly welcome all who wish to be part of these final, sacred moments of our journey.

📅 Confirmed Schedule (Updated on February 8, 2026. All times listed are in EST):

* Monday, February 9 (Day 107):
Night Rest Stop: Marymount University (Private Event)

* Tuesday, February 10 (Day 108):
- 7:00 AM: Walk begins
- 9:30–10:45 AM: Public Event at Bender Arena
- Lunch stop: National United Methodist Church (Invitees only)
- 1:00–2:30 PM: Interfaith Ceremony at Washington National Cathedral
- 2:30 PM: Unity Walk on Embassy Row
- Night Stop: George Washington University (Private Event)

* Wednesday, February 11 (Day 109):
- 9:30 AM: Walk to Peace Monument / Capitol Hill begins
- Lunch stop: St. Mark’s Capitol Hill Church (Invitees only)
- 1:30 PM: Walk to Lincoln Memorial begins
- 2:30–4:00 PM: Peace Gathering and Concluding Ceremony at Lincoln Memorial
- 4:30–7:30 PM: Meditation Session with Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara at George Washington University Smith Center

* Thursday, February 12 (Day 110):
- 9:00 AM: Walk for Peace continues in Maryland (The walk starts from Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium)
- 10:00–10:45 AM: Peace Gathering at the steps of the Maryland State Capitol
- 12:30 PM: Departure for Fort Worth, TX

📌 We also cordially invite all venerable monks and nuns from all traditions to join us on this path of peace. If you are able to join, please visit our website to sign up so we may prepare for your arrival.

🎥 We will have live streams on our page for most of the events listed above so that everyone can join us in spirit from anywhere.

🗺️We will also provide daily updates on our walking route. Please check the Live Map pinned at the top of our page to track the journey in near real-time. We still post nightly updates every day for the following day on our page and our website. We encourage you to stay tuned to both platforms to ensure you have the most current information. The website link is pinned at the top of our page or in the comment section below this post.

We look forward to welcoming you with open hearts. Your presence would be a blessing and a gift to us all.

May you and all beings be well, happy and at peace. 🙏

01/26/2026

Join NOVAL-DC as we support our friends at Young Asian Americans of Washington, DC (YAAW) for their Lunar New Year Party.

We have purchased a block of tickets to the event and members/friends of NOVAL-DC can go as part of our group and get a 20% discount. Email us at [email protected] for more information on getting the discounted tickets.

https://www.tickettailor.com/events/youngasianamericansofwashingtondc/2023649

YEE-YAAW Lunar New Year Party! – Eighteenth Street Lounge, Fri Feb 27, 2026 - Gallop into the Year of the Fire Horse with our “YEE-YAAW” Lunar New Year dance celebration hosted by Young Asian Americans of Washington (YAAW) 🔥🐎The Fire Horse only comes once every 60 years and it’s known ...

12/08/2025

Join NOVAL-DC as we attend a special congressional film screening next Wednesday, Dec 10, 6pm for "Đất lành chim đậu" a Vietnamese documentary under consideration for Best Documentary Short. Afterwards there will be a discussion with Congressman Derek Tran & Director Naja Pham Lockwood.

RSVP at [email protected].

12/07/2025

Hey NOVAL-DC Fam, please be on the lookout!

Quang Hang, who suffers from memory loss, is believed to have taken a wrong turn and gotten lost on Monday, Dec. 1, his daughter said.

12/04/2025

We are accepting nominations for positions on our Executive Board and Board of Directors for the term beginning in 2026! Open positions include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Board Member at Large. You may nominate yourself or other individuals (please submit separate nomination forms per nominee).

Nomination form link: https://forms.gle/AyANWjwrwE2MRCwB9

Elections will be held at 7:00PM EST on December 18, 2025, location TBD. Nominees are expected to give a speech addressing their qualifications and answer questions as needed. Virtual attendance is permitted. Nominees who are newer to the organization may be expected to interview with a committee of existing NOVAL-DC Board members prior to elections. Interviews will be coordinated upon nomination acceptance.

An individual is eligible to vote in a NOVAL-DC election if they have attended a NOVAL-DC-sponsored event in the past year and are in good standing with the organization.

Please feel free to reach out with questions or concerns to [email protected].

11/17/2025

Congratulations to Vietnamese American Jaedyn Shaw for scoring the game-winning goal for Gotham FC to send them to the National Women's Soccer League Finals!

10/23/2025

On Monday, October 27 Kramers Bookstore in Washington, DC is hosting Vietnamese-German journalist Khuê Pham for an author talk as she introduces her new book "Brothers and Ghosts". Join us there!

09/27/2025

Our friends at Eden Center are celebrating Tết Trung Thu – The Mid-Autumn Festival on October 4! Join us for food, games, and entertainment for the entire family. In addition there will be an essay competition for students for the chance to win scholarships. More details below!

09/11/2025

Join NOVAL-DC on September 20 as we come out and support our friends at Vagabond Zine and Philippa Pham Hughes for a show featuring local artists and celebrating Vietnamese art and culture. More info at the link.

COME SEE THE SHOW THE KENNEDY CENTER DIDN’T WANT YOU TO SEE! The Kennedy Center banned our show when we refused to take out the drag performance.