Eleven-year-old Luu Ly from New York City won the 2025 Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest for her poignant poem honoring her grandparents’ journey as refugees from Vietnam.
WASHINGTON, DC, June 24, 2025—The American Immigration Council has awarded Luu Ly, an 11-year-old student at the Chapin School in New York City, the prestigious 28th annual Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest award. This contest celebrates the immigrant experience through the lens of young writers.
Luu’s poem, titled “American Poem,” tells the compelling story of her grandparents’ escape from Vietnam during the war. It details their journey as refugees who eventually settled in a small town in Louisiana. Initially facing hostility and suspicion from their new community, Luu’s grandmother became one of the first Vietnamese American teachers in the area. Through her dedication and the sharing of her family’s spring roll recipe, she fostered a sense of belonging and connection among her neighbors. Luu continues to honor her grandmother’s legacy by making spring rolls and embracing her grandmother’s motto: “roll forward, always forward.”
In addition to her poetic talents, Luu describes herself as a “proud New Yorker with a foodie’s heart.” She enjoys exploring diverse cuisines and sharing culinary experiences with family and friends, reflecting the values of community and connection that her grandmother instilled in her.
The Celebrate America Creative Writing Contest invites fifth graders from across the nation to reflect on immigration and the importance of being a welcoming society. In a climate where many Americans are increasingly critical of policies that prioritize mass deportation and detention of immigrants, the American Immigration Council is committed to promoting educational initiatives that encourage a more inclusive vision for the United States.
Luu received her award during the 2025 Immigration Impact Reception, hosted by the American Immigration Council on June 20 in Aurora, Colorado. The contest is made possible through the generous support of the MurthyNAYAK Foundation.
Luu, along with her family and representatives from the American Immigration Council, are available to discuss the contest and her winning poem.
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