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SushiManifesto

Sushi Manifesto

Published: 2005 Jan 17
Categories: Speeches

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. The UCLA Vietnamese Student Union is honored to have your presence at its 25th Annual Cultural Night, not only to celebrate the Vietnamese heritage, but also to honor the memory of our late leader, mentor, and friend, Steven Quốc-Thắng Lê, who passed away two months ago. I would like to pay tribute to him with this prose entitled, “The Sushi Manifesto.”

Last Summer, Steven and I had our last supper together at a sushi bar, sharing our experiences with each other since our last encounter a year ago. This is what we ordered:

I’d like to order several plates of California rolls please.

Steven and I met at an audition for Vietnamese Culture Night, “Stranded Twilight.” Actually he and I were called back to the same role: a father character named Phuoc. Steven was given the role instead of me. It wasn’t because he was a better actor though. Phuoc’s character was one of incessant worrying, gray hairs, a need for order, driven to be understood, and having a genuine care for those whom he takes under his wing. When I found out that Phuoc’s characteristics were indeed also Steven’s traits, I thought to myself, “He didn’t have to act at all!” But I suppose it is these traits that compelled us to choose him as our President later on. How interesting it is, that we would choose an actor to be our leader.

I’d like to order some spicy tuna rolls please. Thanks.

Steven has these idiosyncrasies that make him a fascinating photographic subject. We caught him in different poses, moods, hairstyles, and behaviors, such that by looking at the pictures, you could tell he was a very complex person. I didn’t just know him behind the camera, but I knew him personally as well. It was often enriching to hear his frustrations and adoration with his own interns, his “aww” cooing while watching sappy Chinese films, or singing among the chorus to honor another one of our fallen VSU brothers, Culture Night Director Tai Phan. He has endured much, and has walked many miles. Even now I still walk in search of that destination that Steven has tried to show all of us.

Can I have some sashimi please?

At one of our staff retreats, Steven was in charge of the agenda. He scheduled physical exercise at 7:00AM! Of course, the next morning, at around 8:15AM, he was still in bed, still snoring. What a role model. But few recall that he held two positions in VSU that year: one as Internal Vice President, who was responsible for the health and development of his staff and interns. And the other was Retention Coordinator, who was responsible for overseeing that UCLA students would graduate. He bore such great weight upon his shoulder, that seeing him oversleep was the least we could do for someone who refused to let apathy win.

On some nights, since we were neighbors, we would try to study, reading for 15 minutes and then taking a 2 hour break. Listening to his MP3s of Sarah Brightman and his complaints for the day, sometimes I wanted to yell at him, “Damnit Steven! You gotta take care of yourself first before others!” But he was stubborn. It had to be his way. Even though I haven’t seen him for over a year when I moved back to San Jose, he still called me up, and treated me out for sushi. He was still looking after me even then. I tried to decline the favor of him paying for me, but he is stubborn. So I said I’d treat him out to the best sushi bar in Northern California if he ever had a chance to visit. But I guess now I can’t fulfill that promise.

However, it dawned on me that I could probably carry on his memory and fulfill that promise by treating those who are going through difficulties in life out to sushi. This is my ode to you Steven. This is my Sushi Manifesto.