The Hmong community is an integral part of the Southeast Asian American refugee legacy but has recently been misclassified as ‘East Asian’ rather than ‘Southeast Asian’ by the US Census Bureau. This mistake erases our Hmong community’s identity and conceals the inequities we experience as refugees from Southeast Asia. Hmong voices and stories matter and the US Census Bureau must honor the Hmong community’s self-identification as Southeast Asian Americans.
We’re mobilizing our communities to tell the US Census Bureau that it must correct its mistake.
Take Action
Demand Congress to Align with the Census Bureau’s Commitment to Inclusivity and Fairness
We are holding Minnesota communities close after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent in South Minneapolis. Her killing reflects the continued violence ICE carries out against immigrants and refugees.
Jan 8
"Healing requires both honoring the past and taking deliberate steps in the present. Many of us were taught, either directly or through unspoken messages that our emotional struggles and vulnerabilities should be hidden. Yet, healing requires us to honor how pain impacts both mind and body."
Read Tina`s full blog at the link in our bio.
Jan 6
"As I’ve learned more about the country of my ancestors, I’ve come to admire the centuries of resistance against foreign invaders to safeguard our heritage and identity."
Read Tyler`s full blogpost at the link in our bio.
Jan 5
SEARAC community: let`s start 2026 by showing Congress our collective power!
Take a few minutes to sign our open letter at the link in our bio.
Reshare the form with your networks, add this post to your stories, and/or tag your friends in the comments below.
Jan 2
As we close out 2025, SEARAC expresses our deepest gratitude to our community for building power alongside us. Here is an end of year message from Quyên Đinh, SEARAC Executive Director:
"Our roots aren`t just history, they are our power: our power to protect our families; power to tell our own stories; power to imagine and build a future where our communities can truly thrive.
In this 50th anniversary, we`ve defended democracy — not just for this year, not just for Southeast Asian Americans, but for all Americans for the next 50 years.
I think often about what this year means for the generation that follows. Fifty years from now, my kids will be adults, older than I am today.
My hope is that they will know who they are and where they came from. That they`ll be equipped to navigate life`s deep sorrows and unfathomable joys.
That they`ll inherit an America, where Southeast Asian Americans and all communities are seen, heard, and valued. An America that exceeds even our boldest dreams.
An America we`re proud to call home for generations to come."
Dec 31
“While the Census Bureau has made tremendous progress in making Southeast Asian refugee communities visible in the 2020 Census, misclassifying the Hmong community is a significant step back with major policy, identity, and cultural ramifications.”
SEARAC Executive Director
If she’s not napping, you can often find Phun at a cafe, on a trailhead, or at an airport gate.
Communications Associate
