Join a cross-cultural classroom with Hmong Culture Camp |
Bouasvanh Lor is the founder of Hmong Culture Camp, Inc., an organization rooted in preserving the Hmong language and culture. It serves as one of the only Hmong-English dual-language early education programs in the United States. To create a greater reach, she has co-created, alongside Hmong youth and Merced community members, a virtual program called “Hmong Made Simple.” The virtual program is targeted at all educators (Hmong and Non-Hmong) teaching children ages 3 to 11 who want to engrain cross-cultural learning and dual language learning in their classrooms.
Hmong Made Simple launches on Sept 16. They are now looking for beta testers and advocates for their program. For more information, contact Bouasvanh at hmongculturecamp@gmail.com or visit their site to join their email list.
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Sou (center) and LAT 2023 participants strike a pose during the program.
(Photo courtesy of Les Talusan)
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SEARAC Summer Intern Sou Saechao reflects on his time at LAT |
“I came into SEARAC’s Leadership and Advocacy Training (LAT) program with little to no experience with meeting legislators. I just knew that my goal was to gain skills to advocate for my underserved Iu Mien community.”
In this new blog, SEARAC’s Summer Communications Intern, Sou Saechao, writes about his experience at our Leadership and Advocacy Training (LAT) in Washington, DC, back in July, and how he uncovered his superpower during the program.
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The SEAA Collaborative has launched a brand new website |
Last week, SEARAC proudly launched our Southeast Asian American (SEAA) Collaborative website, a digital space that showcases the work of the SEAA Collaborative. The SEAA Collaborative is made up of 12 Southeast Asian American-serving organizations across California, working together to ensure a collective SEAA voice on local and statewide advocacy toward education, health, and immigrant and refugee rights for all SEAA communities.
The website is now live and visitors can learn about the Collaborative's mission and values, meet the members, and get involved with the coalition. Our new site also uplifts the important work that the SEAA Collaborative has been doing since our founding in 2018.
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SEADRA reintroduced into the 118th Congress |
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Last week, SEARAC and our partners at the Southeast Asian Freedom Network (SEAFN) hosted a joint press conference with Rep. Judy Chu and two impacted community leaders, Lan Le and Sophea Phea, to reintroduce the Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act (SEADRA) in the US House of Representatives. SEADRA is historic federal legislation that would free Southeast Asian American refugee and immigrant families from the continuous fear and trauma of being torn apart from their loved ones and communities. We are grateful to our community partners for their decades of advocacy and to the Congressional sponsors of this groundbreaking legislation, including Reps. Judy Chu (CA-28), Pramila Jayapal (WA-7), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-7). Watch the livestream of our press conference on YouTube here.
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SEARAC bill on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) guidance advances in California |
SEARAC is sponsoring AB 1110 (Arambula) in California, which directs the state Surgeon General and Dept. of Health Care Services to produce guidance on conducting culturally & linguistically competent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) screenings and review best practices for disaggregating ACEs data by race or ethnicity. If you or your organization are interested in our work addressing the impacts of childhood trauma in our communities, please email andrew@searac.org to get involved.
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Biden Administration launches a new student loan relief program |
Following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn President Biden’s proposed loan cancellation program, the Administration has launched a new student loan repayment program, known as Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE). Millions of people with student loan debt – including those with higher incomes – will see some of their debt forgiven under this plan. The administration estimates that under SAVE more than a million borrowers will qualify for $0 monthly payments, while the average borrower will save about $1,000 a year. Learn more and apply at studentaid.gov/SAVE. |
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Guidance on how higher education can increase student diversity |
After the Supreme Court ended affirmative action in June, the Department of Education and the Department of Justice are now providing guidance and an FAQ on how institutes of higher education can still promote race-conscious recruitment and increase diversity efforts for students of color to attend college.
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Emma Moua (center) practices a traditional Hmong jumping dance during rehearsal
on November 7, 2022, in Tracy, Minnesota. (Credit: Ben Hovland | MPR News)
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Census Bureau’s classification of Asian ethnic groups is harmful |
SEARAC was featured in this Sahan Journal article by Abe Asher regarding the upcoming release of 2020 Census data by the US Census Bureau. Some Southeast Asian American groups have been misclassified as East Asian, which will obscure disparities and community narratives. “What we are seeing is a real threat in seeing our communities being institutionally erased and divested in as a result of this miscoding and misclassification,” said Quyên Đinh, SEARAC Executive Director. SEARAC is currently working with elected officials, community leaders, and partner organizations to assess and respond to this situation.
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Research opportunity for Asian American caregivers of young children |
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial and ethnic minority group in the US and projected to become the largest immigrant group by 2055. And yet, they have the lowest utilization rates of mental health services among all racial and ethnic minority groups. Researchers at Hofstra University are seeking participation from parents/caregivers of youth ages 6 to 17 who identify as Asian or Asian-American and live in the US. Participants will be asked to complete a series of surveys (15-30 minutes) and be compensated with a $10 Amazon gift card for their time.
The study can be accessed here. For any questions about the study, please contact Dr. Amy Hyoeun Lee at: amy.h.lee@hofstra.edu
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SEARAC is a national civil rights organization that builds power with diverse communities from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam to create a socially just and equitable society. As representatives of the largest refugee community ever resettled in the United States, SEARAC stands together with other refugee communities, communities of color, and social justice movements in pursuit of social equity.
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