A Mississippi Story: MPB airs MSU documentary on Vietnamese immigrants ‘The Fisher People’
Contact: Mary Pollitz
STARKVILLE, Miss.—From attending church services and celebrating the Lunar New Year to spending nights aboard shrimp boats off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Mississippi State University’s Television Center staff immersed themselves in the lives of Vietnamese immigrants to document stories of resilience, community and triumph. “The Fisher People,” a four-part documentary series, airs on Mississippi Public Broadcasting Oct. 2 at 8:30 p.m., running weekly through Oct. 23.
Documentary Video Producer Olivia Aylsworth and Senior Documentary and Special Projects Producer James Parker approached the project by building trust with their subjects, and the series reflects their total immersion within the coastal Vietnamese community.
“We spent a lot of time embedding into their community,” Aylsworth said. “It was only because we got close that they opened up about their stories. We needed to develop that relationship first.”
“The Fisher People” traces the journeys of Vietnamese refugees from fleeing communism in Vietnam to rebuilding their lives along the Mississippi Coast, where many found work and stability in the fishing industry. Parker said the scope of the project broadened and became more impactful as it moved forward.
“This story spans from the beginning of the Vietnam War to present day,” Parker said. “What we believe is all of America’s story can be found in Mississippi. These stories are important. They were trying to find a new and better life. It’s a story of the American Dream.”
MSU TV Director David Garraway said the series arrives at a critical moment in the national conversation.
“There have been very few times in our country’s history when it’s more important to tell stories of immigration and cultural acceptance than today,” he said. “This country was built on waves of immigrants who have come to the U.S. seeking a better life for themselves and bettering their new home in the process.
“The Vietnamese Americans on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are a fantastic example of a group of people that has created a better life for their families and have made our country better and stronger,” Garraway added.
This project is made possible in part by a grant from the Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area. MGCNHA Director Rhonda Price said “The Fisher People” accurately portrays a coastal story of the “heritage, resilience and economic and cultural importance of commercial fishing.”
“This documentary speaks directly to the Mississippi Coast National Heritage Area’s mission of preserving and sharing the stories that define the Gulf Coast,” she said. “The thoughtful storytelling and focus on community made it a natural choice for support.
“This project is a great example of what public-private partnerships can accomplish, by combining grant support with creative talent and community voices, we’re able to turn local stories into projects that reach far beyond the coast,” Price added.
MSU Films’ recent project, which earned two Southeastern Emmys in the photography-long form content and topical documentary categories, underscores a growing need for authentic, localized storytelling.
MSU Films, an extension of MSU’s Television Center, is a nationally recognized leader in documentary and short film production. Founded in 2020 as a creative initiative of the university’s award-winning production unit, MSU Films brings powerful, source-driven narratives to millions of homes across the country. Through authentic, first-person storytelling, its work has earned more than 100 regional and national honors—including 28 Southeast Emmy Awards, a National Edward R. Murrow Award and a James Beard Foundation nomination.
Visit utc.msstate.edu to learn more about the MSU Television Center. To watch MSU-produced documentaries and other media, visit www.films.msstate.edu.
Mississippi State University is taking care of what matters. Learn more at www.msstate.edu.