The census is the largest publicly available dataset with SEAA data. It directly influences political representation and funding for our communities.
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Hmong Leaders Meet with Census Director on Hmong Misclassification
On Thursday, May 23, 16 Hmong and Asian American advocates met with Director Robert L. Santos of the US Census Bureau to discuss the need to reclassify the Hmong as Southeast Asian. The meeting comes as a result of a letter and petition with over 1,700 signatures to Director Santos asking the Bureau to address the issue and meet with community leaders.
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“We talk about how it is so important for us as a group of people to participate in the census, so we show up in the data. Once that data comes out, we will have information about ourselves. Right now, we don’t know how many of us live in the Bay Area, or even the city of Richmond.”
Director, Asian Senior/Adult Daycare Center
“I want to help Cambodians and other minorities be counted in the 2020 Census. We are a minority of a minority group. We are Asians, but we’re also Cambodians. There are only 260,000 of us in the United States according to the 2010 Census, so having everyone counted is important.”
Technical engineer
“It’s vital for us to know each other as a community, locally and nationally. Where are we, how many of us are there, and how can we use our collective numbers to be changemakers? These are questions I find myself asking when I’m planning my dance classes or looking out to a crowd during a performance.”
Director, Cambodian American Girls Empowering
“I’m the son, nephew, and grandson of Vietnamese refugees who benefited from ESL education and other social programs, and I feel like we’ve come full circle now that I’m a first-generation college graduate and ESL teacher. I know that the type of services my school district and I are able to provide relies on data from the Census, so it is so important that educators encourage their community members to complete it.”
ESL Teacher
“When individuals are invisible in data, they remain invisible in policy conversations. To understand how groups within the AAPI community fare in higher education and the specific challenges each face, we must disaggregate data along racial and ethnic lines. Doing so will reveal where inequities exist and, in turn, unlock the full power of postsecondary education to spur social mobility, economic health, and a stronger society.”
Institute for Higher Education Policy
“Without data disaggregation, this system makes students like me invisible, our needs are downplayed, and resources aren’t offered. Data disaggregation allows for students like me to be seen, to get the resources we need, and to reach our fullest potential.”
Minnesota student
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Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
May 2
Thank you for joining us during this Week of Commemoration. We remain committed to honoring and uplifting the voices of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States.
Our fight for visibility, equity, and justice does not end with this 50th commemoration. It is a milestone in a much longer journey. We invite you to join us in reimagining a more just future for all — during these next 50 years and beyond.
Today, we honor the story of Lao Americans. From demanding the cleanup of unexploded ordnance to advocating for the protection of SEAAs from unjust detention and deportation, Lao American leadership embodies the power and persistence of the Southeast Asian American diaspora — the will to survive, resist, and thrive against all odds.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
May 1
Today, SEARAC honors the 50th commemoration of Hmong American refugee resettlement and the incredible legacy the Hmong community has built over five decades.
As we mark this 50-year milestone, we reflect on a history shaped by loss, resilience, and hard-won progress. The Hmong community continues to navigate the challenges of displacement and systemic barriers, even as it builds power across generations. SEARAC remains committed to amplifying Hmong voices and ensuring that their contributions continue to be recognized and valued.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio.
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
Apr 30
On this day 50 years ago, Saigon fell and the lives of millions of people who called Vietnam home were forever changed. April 1975 marked a chapter of profound loss and mass displacement for Vietnamese families, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland in search of safety and a new future. Against all odds, communities from Vietnam have survived the trauma of war; and five decades later continue to fight for a vision of abundance, not just survival. But this is not just the story of the Vietnamese, it is also the story for the Mien, Tai Dam, Montagnard, and other Southeast Asian refugees who fled.
As the largest Southeast Asian community, Vietnamese Americans carry our responsibility to stand together with all communities living under threat. We must protect each other, our dreams, and our democracy. And we must remind this Congress, this administration, and this country that we not only belong here but are woven into the American fabric. Our story is not one just of escape, it is also a story of resilience, of love, and of hope. For 50 years, we have transformed trauma into power.
Read our full letter at the link in our bio!
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!
Apr 29
This month, Cambodian American communities across the country observed days of remembrance as a time of solemn reflection for victims and survivors of the Cambodian Genocide, which claimed the lives of about a quarter of the country’s population (an estimated two million people) between 1975 and 1979 under Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge regime.
For loved ones lost in Cambodia, we mourn and hold their spirits close to our hearts. In their memory, we uphold our commitment to confront injustice wherever it emerges.
Today, we also celebrate the incredible will of the Cambodian American people, many of whom continue to heal from the trauma and have rebuilt their communities with courage and grace. Their stories are a testament to human strength and the enduring spirit of survival.
Let this day serve as a reminder of our shared humanity, as inspiration to speak out against hatred and violence in all their forms.
Learn more at the link in our bio!
Congress is pushing a budget plan that would slash food and healthcare programs for children and families — just to fund tax cuts for billionaires and ramp up immigration enforcement that will harm immigrant and refugee communities, including Southeast Asian Americans.
The stakes couldn’t be higher and we need your help. Join us in urging Congress to keep families together, protect access to lifesaving care, and support education opportunities. Take action today!
👉 Go to the link in our bio or visit bit.ly/CareOverCuts (case sensitive) and tell Congress to vote NO on the reconciliation bill.
Apr 28
Congress is pushing a budget plan that would slash food and healthcare programs for children and families — just to fund tax cuts for billionaires and ramp up immigration enforcement that will harm immigrant and refugee communities, including Southeast Asian Americans.
The stakes couldn’t be higher and we need your help. Join us in urging Congress to keep families together, protect access to lifesaving care, and support education opportunities. Take action today!
👉 Go to the link in our bio or visit bit.ly/CareOverCuts (case sensitive) and tell Congress to vote NO on the reconciliation bill.