Speaker · Author · Refugee · Operation Babylift Survivor

The Power of
Knocking.

I lost my mother at two years old. I have spent thirty years knocking. I have never stopped telling people what I found.

See Speaking Programs Read My Story

Not a story about leaving. A story about arriving.

Who She Is

Not a survivor giving a talk. A survivor giving a way through.

Kim Delevett is a refugee whose life became the curriculum. She fled Saigon as a toddler as part of Operation Babylift. She lost her mother. She navigated decades of identity erasure, rediscovered her roots as an adult, and built a 24-year career without losing herself in the process.

Then she spent thirty years walking back into rooms — K–12 students, college audiences, corporate stages, veteran gatherings — to tell that story directly.

The proof is in the testimonials. Young adults who went back to Vietnam. Students who finally talked to their fathers. Grandchildren who came home and asked grandpa what really happened in the war.

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Kim Delevett

Kim Delevett

Speaker · Author · Mrs. Global Ambassador

Kim Delevett

Full Biography

Kim Delevett dedicated over 24 years to Southwest Airlines, building relationships with nonprofit, business, and civic leaders to support education, economic development, disaster response and human trafficking initiatives.

Kim was the company's first corporate affairs manager focused on the AANHPI community. From spearheading aid to Southeast Asian fishermen following the 2010 Gulf Coast oil spill, to leading delegations to meet children in Vietnam whose heart surgeries the company helped fund, to laying the foundation for Southwest's expansion to Hawaii, Kim championed the needs of more than 100 AANHPI organizations.

As part of Operation Babylift, she fled Vietnam in April 1975 at age two. She is not a speaker who talks about the refugee experience — she is a refugee whose life became the curriculum. Her immigrant story was chronicled in a joint project with StoryCorps and PBS. She received a History Channel award for her oral history.

In 2025, Kim's efforts to thank Vietnam Veterans were featured in local and national media. She received the "Mrs. Global Ambassador" title and graduated cum laude from Loyola University of New Orleans. Based in San Jose, CA, she is currently writing a memoir to foster intergenerational healing.

The Work

Rooted and Rising

Identity, Resilience, and the Courage to Knock — tailored to the room, never watered down. From school assemblies to corporate stages, this is the story that changes people.

Kim speaks to anyone who has quietly wished to be someone else — not because something is wrong with them, but because no one has shown them the power of owning their own story.

She brings into the room what no textbook can replicate: the human weight of war, identity, displacement, and belonging. Her presentation can be paired with the Emmy-nominated ABC 20/20 documentary for the 50th anniversary of Operation Babylift, connecting personal narrative with living history.

Grades K–12 College & University Corporate Veterans & Community

The Communities I Serve

01
Young Adults & Students

Those navigating family pressure, cultural expectation, and the exhaustion of performing a self that doesn't match the one inside.

02
Veterans & Volunteers

Those who showed up in 1975 and have never been properly thanked — the unsung heroes who processed refugees and changed lives.

03
Families Across Generations

Families who love each other but have never found language to talk about what the war, displacement, or silence did to them.

04
Educators & Schools

Teachers who shape children at formative ages and have never been shown what the wrong word at the wrong moment costs a kid over a lifetime.

"Her courage planted the seed of healing that, ten years later, allowed me to build a heartfelt relationship with my dad before he passed."
— Anthony Le, Entrepreneur & Life Empowerment Practitioner
From the Field

The words that keep Kim knocking.

"When Kim spoke about identity and finding her relatives in Vietnam, my heart pounded — because here was someone reaching toward family across an ocean while I felt neither American nor Vietnamese enough to even face my own home. Her courage planted the seed of healing that, ten years later, allowed me to build a heartfelt relationship with my dad before he passed."

— Anthony Le, Entrepreneur & Life Empowerment Practitioner, former APALI Deputy Director

"For decades, I carried the stress of those grueling 16-hour days and a lingering worry about whether we had done enough. Seeing everyone's incredible success and feeling their genuine acceptance at the reunion finally settled those old anxieties, replacing fifty years of uncertainty with a profound sense of peace. I immensely thank Kim for the incredible care she put in to make this healing experience happen."

— Terry Heptinstall, PsyD, LMFT · Former Air Force Airman First Class, Eglin AFB 1975

"I invited Kim to speak at our youth conference at UNLV, where she shared her story with young Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students. It was one of the most powerful and memorable presentations I had ever experienced. Many of the students had never heard such a personal story about sacrifice, resilience, and the immigrant journey behind success in America. Her words helped them better understand what their own parents and families may have endured."

— Vida Lin, President & Founder of the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC), Las Vegas, NV

"After learning Kim's refugee story, I invited her to co-facilitate an identity workshop at the annual OCA National Convention for two consecutive years. Collaborating on Perspectives on APA Identity & Self-Awareness nearly 16 years ago was more than just a conversation — it was a formative experience for me both personally and professionally. The inclusive space we created for honest dialogue around identity, belonging, and self-awareness continues to influence how I approach leadership, advocacy, and community-centered work today."

— Victoria Rumsey Barros, Director of Communications & Stewardship, The Bedford Falls Foundation · Former Director of Development, OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates

"I was the Indian-American girl who talked about what a struggle it has been for me to accept my identity and find community. You are one of those people who really impacted me and made me think a lot about my life. This summer really, really changed me — I grew so much more than I did in any of the past 3 years in college. You have no idea how much your life has touched me and helped me heal."

— Krupa Patel, University of Illinois at Chicago, 2011 OCA National Convention

"You made me want to go talk to my grandpa about the Vietnam War."

— High school student, Rooted and Rising assembly
Kim Delevett at Pensacola Beach in yellow couture gown
A Personal Statement

Owning Yellow

I remember my adoptive mother dressing me in a yellow turtleneck and an Asian-inspired top for my kindergarten school pictures. I was too shy and scared to tell her I hated my outfit. I was the only Asian child in my class and forced a smile at the photographer. I dreaded the taunts for being "different" and for resembling the people wearing conical hats printed on my shirt.

I despised the color yellow after experiencing "yellow" epithets in my hometown.

A few months before the multicultural pageant I participated in, I met global fashion designer Kenneth Barlis in Los Angeles. He selected a dress for my Pensacola Beach photo shoot, and I immediately had reservations about the color. He beamed with excitement, and I didn't want to disappoint him.

As my photographer and I rushed to catch the sunset, I couldn't fully comprehend the surreal, full-circle moment. I was back where I first experienced racism and learned to dislike the color. Even more mind-blowing, I was having a photo shoot as a proud "Mrs. Vietnam" delegate, ensconced in a gorgeous yellow couture gown.

The muggy air felt like a sauna, and I was nervous about wearing the color again. This time, however, I only feared ruining the rental with my dripping sweat and makeup. I wore the dress for only a few minutes, but I smiled from my soul and hugged the hidden little girl. We captured a pivotal moment.

After a long identity journey and more than five decades of life, I am proud to affirm:

I am Vietnamese American. I am different. I am comfortable in my skin and appreciate how it turns caramel brown with sunshine. I am grateful for the loving community that has supported me, then and now. I embrace yellow.

I believe a dress can truly be transformative — owning yellow is now part of my legacy.

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K12

Schools & Universities

K–12 assemblies, college keynotes, and SEL-aligned workshops tailored to your student community.

KEY

Conferences & Galas

Keynotes and panel appearances for corporate events, community organizations, and nonprofits.

VET

Veterans & Community Events

A deeply personal thank-you from one of the people your service made possible.

MED

Memoir & Media

Interview requests, podcast appearances, and media inquiries welcome.

So. Let's knock.

The right door is the one you've been standing in front of.

Book Kim Now