John Nguyen
Staff Reporter
Author Archive
FICTION: The Rubber Band Test

At the seafood section of Buddha Amazing Market, the reek of death was especially prominent. The lobster tanks spellbound Trời and Lá. In one glass […]

NONFICTION: Watery Vignettes of Where We’ve Been, of Where We’re Headed

Nước: the Vietnamese word for country and water.   Nước mắt chảy xuống. Tears flow down, my mother tells me. By which she means: a […]

PROFILE: Basil

On the corner of Howe Street and Whalley Avenue, close to the Broadway Triangle, stands Basil Restaurant. While strolling beneath the stars, one might mistake […]

Stop Asian Hate: School of Architecture Exhibit Showcases Activism Through Art

Forsythia Ornaments

Bodies are beautiful like flowers, though unlike many flowers, they are not perennial. This simile may seem obvious. The greatest distinction between these two organisms, […]

LEGOs Versus Nail Salon

If I and a little kid were both equally enthralled by the last LEGO set on the Target shelf, I’d snatch it gleefully. Without batting […]

What Doesn’t Kill Us Makes Us Closer

In times of struggle, we each have our own ways of coping. Some of us cry with a small group of friends, others with a […]

Black Friday at the Largest Mall in the USA

I’ve been going to the Mall of America (MOA) ever since my primary school years, and it’s usually the only place my family visits on […]

At the Wooden Table: Making Up for Lost Time

I’ve never had to think twice before singing. I don’t have to learn how to match certain musical notes each time I hear them on […]

An Unveiling: Rainbows in the Gray

I make a weekly trek from Davenport to start my shift in the gray brick building at Prospect and Sachem Street. The establishment, which faces […]

Her Son’s Mền Hoa

“Why’re you bringing the mền hoa?” má asked in Vietnamese. It was August 17th— one week before I flew out of Minnesota and moved into […]