Washington, DC and Long Beach, CA—SEARAC and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) proudly announce the East and West Coast premieres of Southeast Asian American Journeys, the groundbreaking documentary series now available in its entirety with all five episodes.
These milestone events marked the first time audiences on both coasts experienced the full scope of this landmark series, which uplifts intergenerational voices of Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, Mien, Montagnard, and Vietnamese communities across the country. Southeast Asian American Journeys was produced by award-winning filmmaker Quyên Nguyen-Le, in association with SEARAC and CAAM. It is part of SEARAC’s Our Roots, Our Power campaign, which commemorates 50 years since Southeast Asian refugees first began rebuilding their lives in the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, bombings of Laos, and Khmer Rouge genocide.
Episodes were directed by Quyên Nguyen-Le, Joua Lee Grande, and Oanh-Nhi Nguyen and include:
The Market
The journey to the Southeast Asian Market in south Philadelphia’s FDR Park, founded by refugees who carved out their own space of nourishment and belonging.
Threads
A sprawling portrait of indigenous Montagnard refugee community in North Carolina, threading intergenerational storytelling and history-making in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.
Teb Chaw (Land)
An immersive portrait of Hmong refugee farmers transforming local foodways in a diversified Minnesota–home to one of the largest populations of the Hmong diaspora built in the aftermath of the Secret War in Laos.
Muoz-doic Mixtape
Muoz-doic Mixtape (pronounced: moo-ah thoy) is an offering of intergenerational storytelling from the Mien community of Portland, Oregon: a brief glimpse into the collective work of culture-keeping in the face of historical displacement.
Between Us
Between Us follows the multilayered stories of LGBTQIA+ Khmer and Vietnamese cultural workers in southern California as they contemplate the in-betweenness of belonging, healing, and carving out spaces of their own.
“We are proud to share these intergenerational stories and dialogues as catalysts for deeper conversations within and between our refugee communities. The approach to these films was personal, much like an extended conversation between family members—fragmented, imperfect, and full of language barriers—but at its core, deeply felt,” said Quyên Nguyen-Le, Director and Producer of Southeast Asian American Journeys.
“We’re thrilled to share Southeast Asian American Journeys for this 50th year anniversary. These films uniquely place our communities and different generations in conversation with each other with care, specificity, and space for challenging discussions. Our hope is that this series can build new connections and deepen existing ones,” said Nancy Nguyen, Editor and Co-Producer of Southeast Asian American Journeys.
“Southeast Asian American Journeys shines a powerful light on Southeast Asian American stories that are too often ignored in mainstream media. It is deeply healing to see experiences like my own honored on screen. I hope these episodes become a lasting resource and shared in classrooms, community spaces, and even the halls of Congress. The docuseries celebrates the resilience of Southeast Asian American communities and the homes we have built in a country where we were never meant to survive, much less thrive,” said Phun H, Communications Manager at SEARAC and Executive Producer of Southeast Asian American Journeys.
“Founded over 48 years ago, the United Cambodian Community was established to support the integration of Cambodian refugees and immigrants into the city of Long Beach. Today, we are proud to uplift the intergenerational voices of the Cambodian diaspora and celebrate the profound impact they continue to have on our community,” said Hunny Hach, Program Manager at United Cambodian Community, featured in Between Us.
“Our Roots, Our Power represents how Southeast Asian American stories must be invested in and presented in key communities around the United States. For CAAM, working with the team behind the camera was transformative and inspiring,” said Donald Young, CAAM Executive Director and Executive Producer of Southeast Asian American Journeys.
“The docuseries bridges coasts and communities with the power of storytelling in this 50th year anniversary. The series is a love letter to our communities, made by Southeast Asian Americans, about Southeast Asian Americans, for Southeast Asian Americans. It amplifies the beauty and strength of Southeast Asian American and American stories that are too often overlooked. It is both a reflection of our collective past and a call to action for a just and inclusive future in a beautiful multiracial America,” said Quyên Đinh, Executive Director of SEARAC and Executive Producer of Southeast Asian American Journeys.
For more information about screenings and upcoming community events, please visit the Southeast Asian American Journeys website.
Media contact:
Elaine Sanchez Wilson, elaine@searac.org