Small and invisible, yet strong and impactful: North Carolina's Montagnard community responds to COVID-19

As COVID-19's impact disproportionately affects minority communities, North Carolina's Montagnard refugee and immigrant community has been no exception. Montagnards, a multi-tribal group, were resettled to the United States from the Vietnam highlands after suffering retribution for supporting American troops during the Vietnam war. The Montagnard Dega Association (MDA) and its youth branch, the Montagnard American Organization (MAO), estimated 50 COVID-19 positive cases by September 10, 2020 (Montagnard Dega Association, email communication, September 10, 2020). But community cases could well be higher (more than 100+) at the writing of this correspondence, since not all affected Montagnards have contacted MDA/MAO regarding infection.