From Vietnam Refugee to Executive Director | Liana Adrong, Montagnard Woman Leader

Liana Adrong is a Vietnam refugee who became the first Montagnard woman to serve as Executive Director of the Montagnard Association of North Carolina (MANC). In this powerful refugee success story, she shares her family’s survival after the Vietnam War, her father’s imprisonment in a re-education camp, and their journey to the United States in 1996 under the HO refugee program.

In this interview, Liana reflects on her personal journey—from growing up in a refugee family, to her early goal of becoming a nurse, to finding her true calling in social work. After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from UNC Greensboro (UNCG), she chose to serve her community through nonprofit leadership and cultural preservation.

Since joining the Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) in 2017, Liana worked as a caseworker, vocational instructor, and administrator. In 2021, she became Executive Director and helped transform the organization into what is now known as the Montagnard Association of North Carolina (MANC), expanding services across the entire state.

Today, MANC provides critical services including:
Refugee support services
Mental health and caregiver support
Youth leadership and education programs
Civic engagement and voter education
Cultural preservation through language, music, and dance
Health, sports, and arts programs

MANC also partners with other refugee communities such as the Karenni Community of Winston-Salem, Bhutanese Community Health Workers, and Mundeke Gospel Mission serving East African communities.

Liana also shares her long-term vision of building a Montagnard Community Wellness Center—an anchor for future generations. The community is currently raising $500,000 to secure land for this center.

🙏 Support the Montagnard Community Wellness Center here:
👉 https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-...

If this story inspires you, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE to the Montagnard Channel to support Montagnard voices, refugee stories, and cultural preservation.

CREDIT:
Images and video courtesy of Liana Adrong; Montagnard Association of North Carolina (MANC); Montagnard American Organization (MAO); Karenni Community of Winston-Salem; Bhutanese Community Health Workers; and Mundeke Gospel Mission (MGM). Music used in this video is provided by Stephen Phillips and the Jarai Youth RTK Group.

#VietnamRefugee
#Montagnard
#RefugeeSuccessStory
#LianaAdrong
#MontagnardCommunity
#MontagnardRefugees
#VietnamWarHistory
#NorthCarolinaRefugees
#WomenInLeadership
#SocialWorkLeadership
#CommunityLeadership
#MANC
#MontagnardChannel
#CommunityWellness