“Remembering where we come from is so much more than holding onto the remnants of the past. It’s about how we move forward with intention, turn our pride into purpose, and our responsibility into action.” These are the words of Marilyn Phan, a beloved member of Thủy Vân Dance Company and the 2026 Rose Pageant queen.
On January 17, 15 women showed to the community their love and dedication to their Vietnamese heritage with tremendous grace and mindfulness. Amidst flowing silk fans, glittering smiles, and áo dài rippling with purpose, Marilyn stepped forward to demonstrate the vastness of her ambitions. This led her from TVDC’s practices and performances, where she cultivated her boundless professionalism and talent, to this year’s Rose Pageant stage, where she displayed the culmination of her efforts with elegance.
Dances were not all Marilyn did—she also shared her thoughts on how to help the Vietnamese community, with an emphasis on bridging generational gaps with intention, whether it be through language or action. But, before seeking change in her surroundings, she first idealized change in herself.
“I sought out spaces to reconnect in ways that felt most authentic to who I was and what I could offer: through the arts and service,” Marilyn says in her speech. She explores how her time promoting the Vietnamese performing arts through showcases and leadership roles provided a sense of responsibility that broadened from small audiences to the larger community. With the knowledge built from traditional dance, her education, and community engagement, Marilyn realized what she desired. “I [want] to become a bilingual, culturally competent social worker,” she announces, “someone capable of bridging language, culture, and care to serve and support the communities that need it.”
With support from friends, family, her fellow Roses, and TVDC, Marilyn will dutifully carry such ambitions into her fall semester of graduate studies in social work, and work to fulfill her goal of “uplifting families and communities through compassion, cultural humility, and care” both on and off the stage.
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