You know, America spoils me with freedom. Because even when I was in Vietnam, I always hungered for freedom…You see America gave me the freedom to be who I am and also gave me the resources so that I can get what I want. Also, American people gave me an amazing example of giving themselves to others.
Co (Mrs.) Anh Vu Sawyer was born Vu Thi Ngoc Anh in 1953 and raised in Saigon, South Vietnam. Upon entering medical school in the early ‘70s, the Vietnam War would be the catalyst for her journey to the West. A dreamer at heart, upon arriving in the United States, Co Anh set her sights on achieving those dreams and goals. Graduating from Calvin College with a B.S. in Mathematics & Economics, her extensive work resume ranges from marketing, business ventures, to being a motivational speaker for ambitious achievers. An author in her own right, Co Anh’s autobiography, A Song for Saigon: One Woman’s Journey of Freedom, is a love letter to those who helped make her “dreams come true.” As Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts (SEACMA) in Worcester, MA and along with undertaking humanitarian projects in Vietnam, this connection between the east and west completes her identity in what she confidently declares herself a “daughter of the world.” Today, she resides in Providence, Rhode Island with her husband of over twenty years, fashion designer Philip Sawyer.