Catalyst Foundation

about the book

In April 1975, as Saigon fell, four-year-old Caroline and her family fled Vietnam. They started over as refugees in Minnesota.

Twenty-three years later, she went back to adopt her twin daughters. That return changed the direction of her life. The following year she founded Catalyst Foundation. It has since spent more than two decades working with communities in rural Vietnam to prevent human trafficking, and building spaces like Vietnam Culture Camp where adoptees and their families can connect with Vietnamese heritage.

A Catalyst for Hope traces the whole arc: a family history reaching back generations, a refugee childhood, the adoption that reshaped everything, and a quarter century of work in two countries. Caroline writes honestly about what went right and what didn't: the mistakes, the strain of fundraising, the fears, and the joy.

It is a book about identity and belonging, and about staying with work that turns out to be more complicated than it first looked. It was written for adoptees and adoptive families, for the Vietnamese diaspora, and for anyone trying to do good work with integrity.

What readers are saying

"In A Catalyst for Hope, Caroline Nguyễn Ticarro's story touches the hearts of all but in a very special way her 'Catalyst kids,' adoptees, and the Vietnamese diaspora. Identity, triumphs, challenges, and failures are all woven through her inspiring narrative of fleeing Vietnam, starting a family in America, fighting human trafficking, and uplifting adoptees through her beloved Catalyst Foundation. Ultimately, Caroline reassures us that true hope is understanding every part of our story and ourselves matters and makes us bloom like a lotus."

- Nicholas Grant, Vietnamese Adoptee

"I finished this book and just sat with it for a while before I could do anything else. She doesn't soften the hard parts or wrap them in a bow. She just tells you what happened, plainly, and lets you sit in it with her. I never once felt like I was being taught a lesson even though I walked away with one anyway."

Kristin Clark — Founder & CEO, Elite Content Creation

"This book is proof that you can know someone for 20 years and there will always be mysteries left to uncover. Caroline's fascinating life is rooted in community, some of it inherited, like the branches of her family tree, and some of it grown by her own hands, seed by seed. Her story is a testament in being the kindness you want to see in a flawed world."

- Eric La Nguyen, Volunteer and Culture Camp Counselor

"Caroline opens her heart and invites us into a deeply personal journey: one of spiritual discovery and a lifelong commitment to others, all while overcoming extraordinary challenges. Her story moves between joy and grief, hope and struggle. Above all, it leaves us reflecting on our own journeys, and on how we choose to care for ourselves, each other and the world around us. A compelling story, beautifully told."

- Michael Brosowski AM, Founder & Strategic Director, Blue Dragon Children's Foundation

About the author

Caroline Nguyen Ticarro is the founder and director of Catalyst Foundation, a dual-registered U.S.–Vietnam nonprofit that works with communities in rural Vietnam to prevent human trafficking.

Born in Vietnam, she came to the United States as a refugee in 1975 and grew up in Minnesota. She founded Catalyst in 1999 after adopting her twin daughters from Vietnam, and has led Vietnam Culture Camp for adoptive families for more than twenty years.

Her work has been featured in a three-part CNN Freedom Project series, on NPR, and in the New York Times Magazine and the Washington Post, and she has given a TEDx Talk. She is fluent in English and Vietnamese and divides her time between Portland, Oregon and Ho Chi Minh City.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at hello@catalystfoundation.org if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What is "A Catalyst for Hope" about?

A Catalyst for Hope is a memoir by Caroline Nguyen Ticarro. It follows her family's escape from Vietnam in 1975, her refugee childhood in Minnesota, her return to Vietnam to adopt her twin daughters, and her founding of Catalyst Foundation in 1999

Who is the book for?

The book was written with adoptees and adoptive families, the Vietnamese diaspora, and people working in humanitarian and community development in mind. It is also for any reader interested in identity, belonging, and the realities of nonprofit work.

Do book sales support Catalyst Foundation?

ALL proceeds from A Catalyst for Hope support Catalyst Foundation's work in Vietnam.

Can Caroline speak at my book club, school, or event?

Yes. Caroline Nguyen Ticarro speaks on the memoir, refugee and adoption identity, and community-led development. Contact hello@catalystfoundation.org or visit here.

Our mission is to support communities in rural Vietnam to prevent human trafficking.

For the safety, dignity and well-being of our community, we do not allow members of the public to randomly “visit” our community; however, we will be happy to arrange a meeting or phone call with you and our Founder and Executive Director to discuss our programs and work. Our “project sites” are the homes and schools of those we serve, not tourist attractions.

501c3 Tax ID #31-1674605 - 11918 SE Division St. #1022 Portland, OR 97266 USA