Ocean Vuong Speaks on Writing, Identity, and Representation at Washington University

The acclaimed author and poet discussed the intersection of queer Asian American identity and the power of storytelling.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 6:49am

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A softly blurred, abstract photograph in warm, muted tones depicting a group of people gathered in a dimly lit auditorium, their faces obscured but their body language and posture conveying a sense of rapt attention and engagement with the speaker.The audience at Washington University in St. Louis listens intently as acclaimed author Ocean Vuong shares his insights on the power of storytelling and the complexities of Asian American identity.Hartford Today

More than 400 attendees filled Graham Chapel to hear acclaimed author and poet Ocean Vuong speak about the intersection of writing and queer Asian American identity on April 2. The event, hosted by the Asian Multicultural Collective (AMC) in collaboration with other campus groups, featured Vuong reflecting on how his family's stories shaped his view of identity and the importance of telling one's own narrative.

Why it matters

Vuong's talk addressed the complexities of Asian American identity and the need to move beyond stereotypes and 'correcting misunderstandings.' His emphasis on the power of storytelling and documenting the 'emotional history' of an era resonated with attendees, who saw the event as part of broader campus efforts to have open dialogues about mental health and substance abuse issues.

The details

During the event, Vuong shared anecdotes from his Vietnamese immigrant family that instilled in him the belief that his story was 'central, not marginal.' He cautioned against always 'correcting stereotypes' and instead encouraged the audience to focus on telling their own authentic narratives. Vuong also read an excerpt from his recent novel 'The Emperor of Gladness,' which explores the relationships formed through 'circumstantial family' in the workplace.

  • The event took place on April 2, 2026 at Washington University in St. Louis.
  • AMC had been working to bring Vuong to campus for over a year prior to the event.

The players

Ocean Vuong

A writer, photographer, and professor from Hartford, Connecticut, known for his lyricism and autofictional style. Vuong's writing has been featured on the New York Times best-seller list and has won prestigious awards such as the American Book Award and the T.S. Eliot prize.

Sonal Churiwal

A co-moderator of the event and previous president of the Asian Multicultural Collective (AMC).

Subratha Araselvan

A co-moderator of the event and previous president of the Asian Multicultural Collective (AMC).

Joanne Sung

A senior who first read Vuong's work in high school and attended the event because she still remembered how much she enjoyed his writing.

Asian Multicultural Collective (AMC)

The student organization that hosted the event in collaboration with other campus groups, as part of their broader educational programming on substance abuse and mental health.

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What they’re saying

“You have to ask, well, marginal to whom? I am not marginal to myself. My family, my community, is not marginal to me. I put them in the center of the page. I'm writing about the center.”

— Ocean Vuong, Author and Poet

“I would caution against always correcting the stereotype because you're correcting a conversation that probably is rigged and stacked against you. The more powerful question is, what would you say? … If you could speak first, what would you speak? What would you say if you didn't have to correct someone's misunderstanding of you?”

— Ocean Vuong, Author and Poet

“It's our turn, and our task is to make sense of it so that it's felt. The history books can tell us what happened. The timeline can tell us what happened, but literature and poetry can tell us what it was like, how it felt to be alive.”

— Ocean Vuong, Author and Poet

“So much of our time's spent working to support the people we love — we stand with strangers we end up loving. There's this kind of special space that's very liminal but very true to work because there's enough anonymity and enough kinship to say things to your co-workers that you might never say to your partner, your brother, your best friend, [or] your wife.”

— Ocean Vuong, Author and Poet

“I think it's actually much more interesting, and, even on a craft level, difficult to stay with a reader. How do you stay with a reader weeks later, when the book is done? Years later? Decades later? And I think to me, the most memorable works of literature are the ones that stay in us.”

— Ocean Vuong, Author and Poet

What’s next

The Asian Multicultural Collective (AMC) plans to continue their educational programming on mental health and substance abuse issues, building on the momentum from Vuong's talk.

The takeaway

Vuong's emphasis on the power of storytelling and the need to move beyond stereotypes resonated with the audience, highlighting the importance of creating space for diverse narratives and perspectives. The event was part of AMC's broader efforts to foster open dialogues about the complexities of Asian American identity and experiences.