During the lecture, Nguyen immediately delved into the duality of what it means to grow up as an “other” in a country defined by a majority group. Was I the American doing the killing, or was I the Vietnamese being killed?” Nguyen said. He explained how this suffering was the norm for Vietnamese refugees, perpetuated by their place in the American system. Quoting his book, “The Sympathizer,” Nguyen outlined immigrants’ systemic otherness in America. For Nguyen, such stories are vital, not just for representation, but for recognizing the way in which minorities are systematically marginalized in America.