Tot Van Pham was born in 1936 in Saigon. He worked as a manager of over 200 people in Vietnam and when he came to the United States he found work at the Epson company. He is a poet in his spare time and has had his poetry published in magazines and books. His poetry has helped him move past the ten years that he spent in a Vietnamese prison camp. He has been a consultant for the Vietnamse Community of Oregon (VNCO) and other organizations.

In this interview Pham gives an overview of his move from Vietnam to Oregon, his sponsorship and difficulties finding jobs at first, and the life of his wife and daughter, who also moved with him. Pham talks about some of his more extended family, like his cousin who initially sponsored him and his oldest daughter and granddaughter who moved to America from Vietnam in 2003. He touches on the programs and groups of people that made his transition easier, like the vietnamse church Pham frequents and the Hollywood Senior Center Vietnamese group. He describes the differences between Portland then and now as well as the way that the city has grown. Pham speaks to the public education system in Portland and how he is pleased with the education his grandchildren have received. Pham frequently voices his support of the religious and governmental programs that were helpful to himself and others like him and touches on his desire for unity within the community continuing.