Learning about the histories, culture, and experiences of our diverse communities, including SEAAs, benefits all students.
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Model Curricula on Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Hmong Experiences Now Available
Sacramento, CA – SEARAC is thrilled to announce that the website on the California Department of Education’s ethnic studies model curricula on Cambodian American Studies, Hmong History and Cultural…
Learn more“I’m constantly telling people about our history, or some of the struggles we are going through, because they don’t get to learn about it. [Teachers] don’t teach it in school. I have to educate people about us, and that’s hard.”
From our “Can You See Me” report
“Next year, it will be 50 years since our Hmong families left their homeland to escape war and come to America, and yet many people still don’t know why we are here and who we are.”
AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin
“Recognizing the Laotian refugee experience in our schools not only provides Southeast Asian American youth with the visibility, acknowledgment, and celebration they deserve but also enriches the education of all students by deepening their understanding around a subject that is historically overlooked.”
Laotian American National Alliance
“Ethnic studies is particularly important for Asian Americans because the racialization of Asian Americans is deeply haunted by American and European military intervention and imperialism in Asia and the foundations of settler-colonialism and anti-Blackness in the United States.”
SEARAC intern
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Latest related posts
On the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Sarah Burtner reflects on her family’s journey—from her grandmother and five children finding refuge with the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in 1975, to the enduring truth that women and refugees continue to build futures rooted in dignity, compassion, and courage against harmful ideologies.
Read Sarah and Kathy`s full #OurRootsOurPower blogpost at the link in our bio!
Aug 26
The United States continues to detain and deport Southeast Asians — tearing loved ones away from their families without a second chance. In these turbulent times, we must lean on one another and fight for a future rooted in justice and care.
Manoutham Phommachan and Vanhhatdy Souvannaxa both arrived in the US as children with refugee status after their families fled the violence in Laos following the Vietnam War. Both were unjustly deported, separated from the Rhode Island communities they helped build.
As @thepublicsradio reports, their wives, Cassie Souvannaxa and Tina Phommachan, have found strength in each other as they navigate this painful reality. Their resilience is a reminder that Southeast Asian communities will continue to rise and demand an immigration system grounded in humanity, dignity, and love. Shoutout to @prysmfam, who has been providing deportation defense for Southeast Asian families in Rhode Island through mutual aid, legal support, community organizing, and direct action.
Read the full article at the link in our bio!
Aug 25
August is National Immunization Awareness Month and it`s not too late to protect yourself and your loved ones by staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccination. Adults 50+ face a higher risk from the virus, and getting vaccinated is a simple way to stay protected. Discover more with @cveepsocial: cveep.org/stayupdated
Aug 22
Southeast Asian American Journeys (@seaajourneys_doc), a docuseries produced alongside @caamedia, honors the journey of Southeast Asian American communities across the United States. Premiering at CAAMFest earlier this year, this series is an act of remembrance, reclamation, and resistance. The behind the scenes conversation with our filmmakers is now live for all to enjoy!
In conversation with fellow filmmaker Van Tran Nguyen, director of THE MOTHERLOAD, Joua Lee Grande (Director, TEB CHAW), @oanhnhi.nguyen (Director, THE MARKET), and @smellydurianface (Director, THREADS) reflect on the years-long journey of building trust within refugee immigrant communities and the care it takes to authentically tell their stories of resettlement. Tune in to the conversation at the link in our bio!
Photo credit: Treehouse Vista Studio
Aug 20
Southeast Asian refugee communities from Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia have carried the weight of war, displacement, and loss. Today, unjust detention and deportation continue to tear families apart and reopen old wounds.
Recent reporting from @minnesotareformer spotlights local leaders, advocates, and community organizations including our friends at @releasemn8 who are organizing, resisting, and demanding dignity, compassion, and a future free from the threat of deportation.
Read the full article at the link in our bio!
Aug 19
