THATCHER, Ariz. — Arizona state Rep. Quang Nguyen drew a standing ovation from a near-capacity crowd at Eastern Arizona College on Sept. 17 after sharing how his journey from war-torn South Vietnam to American citizenship shaped his understanding of freedom and the U.S. Constitution.
EA students, faculty, staff, community members and local officials filled Lee Little Theater for the College’s annual Constitution Day celebration, where Nguyen challenged the audience to recognize that constitutional freedoms are not simply ideas found in a historic document but protections Americans exercise every day.
“Whether you’ve read it or not, we use the Constitution on a daily basis. Those rights are yours, and they are given to you by God,” Nguyen said. “Your constitutional rights happen every day.”
Using humor and stories from his life, Nguyen described how freedoms of speech, assembly and religion can operate quietly in the background of everyday life. He then asked the audience to consider what freedom means to them.
For Nguyen, the answer was shaped by a childhood spent in an active war zone.
“Freedom is the ability to criticize your government, knowing that the next day you will still be alive,” he said.
EA President Todd Haynie introduced Nguyen, highlighting both the Constitution’s place in American life and the perspective Nguyen brought to its principles.
“The Constitution is the foundation of our country and the framework that protects the rights and responsibilities of every American,” Haynie said.
“Representative Nguyen’s life has taken him from a childhood in a country at war, to a new home in the United States, to American citizenship and, ultimately, to taking an oath of office to support and defend the United States Constitution,” Haynie added. “That is quite a journey.”
Born and raised in South Vietnam, Nguyen experienced war, hunger and political instability before arriving in the United States at age 12 without speaking English. During his address, he recalled witnessing the human cost of war, including seeing people killed and watching children collapse at school because they had not eaten.
Nguyen also shared stories of his family’s experiences in South Vietnam, including his father’s military service and the imprisonment and execution of a cousin following the war. He said those experiences made political oppression deeply personal and shaped his appreciation for the freedoms he later experienced in the United States.
He urged students to study history, understand their constitutional rights and recognize the importance of protecting them.
“If you don’t know your rights, you can’t defend your rights,” Nguyen said, challenging students to go home and read the Constitution.
Nguyen also emphasized civic participation, recalling that his parents never had the opportunity to vote freely in their homeland and describing the significance he places on the right to cast a ballot.
“Your vote preserves your way of life,” he said. “If we fail to do that, where are we as Americans?”
Nguyen became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1983. He recalled taking the oath of citizenship during a ceremony in Los Angeles and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance as an American for the first time.
Although he had recited the pledge throughout elementary and high school, Nguyen said the words carried a different meaning after he became a citizen.
He later earned a college degree, worked in aerospace engineering and established a marketing and branding agency before being elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 2020.
Nguyen also encouraged students not to allow hardship to define them as victims. Instead, he urged them to see themselves as survivors, reject excuses and continue moving forward, connecting personal responsibility with the civic responsibility to understand and preserve constitutional freedoms.
Nguyen concluded his remarks by reflecting on his pride in becoming an American and reminding students that freedom requires knowledge, resilience and participation.
“God bless America,” he said.
The Constitution Day program also showcased EA students and musicians. The EA Gila Monster Marching Band, under the direction of Dillan Francis, associate director of bands, performed patriotic prelude music and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” EA Vocal Jazz performed “America the Beautiful” under the direction of Marilee Decker, EA associate professor of choral music education.
ASEAC President Brenden Anway welcomed the audience and served as master of ceremonies.
Local officials and community representatives attending the ceremony included EA Governing Board Chair Jeff Larson and board member Tina McMaster; Graham County Supervisor Paul David; Graham County Attorney Scott Bennett; Safford Vice Mayor Arnold Lopez; Fiona de Young, community liaison for U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani; and Heather Floyd of Valley Telecom, which helped sponsor the event.
