The mission of Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center (Au Co) is to promote and preserve the language and the broad-minded humanistic culture of
the Vietnamese people through educational, cultural and social activities and programs. “Au Co,” refers to the mythical “mother of Vietnam,” a fairy
married to a dragon, whose 100-egg sac led to the founding of Vietnam. The reference to Au Co was adopted by the organization to inspire
Vietnamese in San Francisco to remember their cultural roots.

Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center is a 33-year old organization with deep roots in SF’s Vietnamese American community. Au Co’s origins trace
back to the Vietnamese Language Classes established by the Vietnamese Elderly Mutual Assistance Association of S.F. (VEMAA) in 1983, one of
the first Vietnamese language classes in Northern California, eventually becoming the Au Co Vietnamese Language School. Following a strategic
planning process in 2005 Au Co changed its name to the Au Co Vietnamese Cultural Center.