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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Latest related posts
SEARAC celebrates the passage of California SCR 96, which honors 50 years since Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States. This resolution, introduced by state Sen. Dr. Aisha Wahab aishabbwahab, uplifts the resilience and leadership of Southeast Asian American communities and reaffirms the need for equity in data, language access, health, education, and healing.
We’re grateful to Sen. Wahab and our partners across California for advancing this historic recognition of our community’s strength, contributions, and vision for the future. Read the full press release at the link in our bio.
Oct 29
Join @searac, @firmunity, and @stonesoup.fresno for a screening of @seaajourneys_doc in Fresno, CA on Nov. 7. We are thrilled to share this evening of celebration and power with our community. RSVP through the QR code or at the link in our bio!
Oct 29
The US deportation machine continues to unjustly detain and deport communities across the country, including Southeast Asian communities. Our friends at @vietlead are helping to ensure community members living with final orders of removal and their loved ones are supported through their new resource which features emergency planning support, guides, and information for families to be as prepared as possible. SEARAC remains steadfast in our commitment to fighting for dignity and humanity in our immigration system. Check out the resource at vietlead.org/deportation. Get @reshare_app • @vietlead Our new Immigration Resources pages are now live on our website (in both English and tiếng Việt)! These are resources specific to Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Lao Philadelphians facing deportation due to criminal convictions, written by our team with years of experience working with our community members living with final orders of removal.
With ICE raids in full throttle in our community, we are receiving more outreaches to our small team during a period of organizational changes. However, we are committed to supporting you and your family as best we can with these resources and our new Community Defense office hours, where we can answer any questions you may have about these resources or the immigration landscape. Also keep an eye out for our videos going over the resource pages that we’ll release by the end of the month!
Swipe to also find our graphics in Vietnamese. Please share widely!
Resources in English: vietlead.org/deportation
Tài Nguyên bằng tiếng Việt: vietlead.org/deportation-viet
Links in our bio!
Oct 28
Repost from @legaciesofwar: It was an incredible honor to kick off our Fall Advocacy Week on the Hill in DC with a 5th Anniversary Celebration of The Saigon Sisters!
Legacies co-hosted this special book talk alongside our friends at the @warlegaciesproject (WLP) and in collaboration with @searac , @peacetreesvietnam , (PTVN), and @article_22 Author Patricia D. Norland (Kit) was joined by panelists Susan Hammond, Founder and Executive Director of WLP, and @_khamsone_ Sirimanivong, Vice Chair of Legacies, to amplify the voices and stories of Southeast Asian women and their communities — voices often excluded from conversations in the US surrounding western occupation and war in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in the 20th century.
Special thank you to our dear friend, Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of SEARAC, for leading our discussion and to our Advocacy Ambassador, Allie Hansen, for opening the even and grounding our conversation, and to Rebecca Giovannozzi, Congressional Liaison with PTVN, for closing our special event with powerful remarks. We are grateful for the many dedicated attendees and our Rockstar volunteers who supported the event and brought diverse perspectives and energy to today’s conversations.
This year is not only the 50th year of the end of the American Wars in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, but also marks the 50th year since the largest refugee resettlement in U.S. history as people fled the war. As we move into a chapter of history where atrocities are accelerating worldwide, we have so much to learn from the stories of resistance, resilience, and leadership from the Saigon Sisters — and from the women on this panel.
This discussion reminds us that history is not only about battles and borders, it’s about people, and especially women, whose stories are too often left untold. These voices help us to better understand the courage it takes to act on one’s convictions in times of uncertainty. We are grateful for works like The Saigon Sisters for challenging all of us to think about what reconciliation truly means — not as a single moment, but as an ongoing process of listening, understanding, and rebuilding trust.
Oct 27
As the government shutdown drags on, we call on Congress to protect the best interests of the people they serve. SEARAC wants to hear from you! Share how the government shutdown is impacting you, your families, and your communities with SEARAC at bit.ly/SEARACShutdownSurvey or at the link in our bio.
Oct 23
