The Queen from Virginia: The Jackie Bong Wright Story

Director's Statement
As a girl-crazy teenager, I always wanted to meet a beauty queen, but I never thought she
would be my 64-year-old aunt.

Growing up, all I really knew about Jackie Bong Wright was that she was my aunt from
Virginia. When she visited us in California every couple of years, my interactions with her
were generally as follows: I’d come out of my room, bow and say “Chào Bác” to her, and
return to my room. Later, as a teenager, I would add a few extra phrases to this exchange
such as “School’s fine,” “I’m (insert age) now,” or “I’m (insert height) tall.” It’s funny how
you can know a person your entire life, but not actually know them at all. I never really
knew who my Aunt Jackie was, until I decided to document her one-week experience at
the Ms. Senior America pageant.

Through the process of making The Queen from Virginia, I was fortunate enough to
discover the depth of the human experience. Although I refer to Jackie Bong Wright as my
aunt, I soon realized that she was known to others as a war survivor, former refugee,
journalist, community activist, and now a state beauty queen. For Aunt Jackie, the Ms.
Senior America pageant was more than a competition. Instead, it symbolized the
complexity of her life which I never fully realized; a complexity that is shared by her fellow
state queens. The 27 state queens who competed alongside Aunt Jackie at the Ms.
Senior America pageant all have a diverse array of roles they have played in their lives.
With each role, these women approach their experiences with an energetic spirit that is
infectious and inspiring.

As Ms. D.C. told us during the shoot, “I don’t see myself as old, just older.” The effects of
aging upon Jackie Bong Wright and her peers at the pageant have only increased their
zest to live actively. Despite the various trials and tribulations in their histories, these
women live in the present and continually add to the depth of their already rich lives.

I was lucky enough to assemble a team of talented filmmakers, all of whom hope to share
the intriguing journey of Jackie Bong Wright and her experience at the Ms. Senior America
pageant with audiences all across America.

-David Ngo
Writer/Director

irector's Statement

"The Vietnam War refugee who became a beauty queen, at 64."