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.
The story of Lao American refugee resettlement is one of resilience in the darkest of times.
Between 1964 and 1973, the United States dropped more than 2.5 million tons of ordnance on Laos — equivalent to a planeload of bombs every eight minutes, 24 hours a day, for nine consecutive years.* More than 50 years after the last bomb was dropped in Laos by the United States, Lao Americans continue to carry the weight of that history while transforming it into a source of strength. They remind us that we must never forget our histories in our collective pursuit of healing, justice, and peace.
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.
Today, more than 175,000 Lao Americans have rooted themselves in cities across the United States, building flourishing communities in places like California, Texas, and Minnesota.** SEARAC is inspired by the spirit of our Lao elders, youth, and families who continue to teach us to embrace our histories, challenge present injustices, and hope for a brighter future for all.
*Source: Legacies of War
**Source: AAPI Data Community Data Explorer
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During her internship with SEARAC, Kylie Volavongsa penned a blog “I don’t know that much about Laos, but I can tell you about the ghosts,” on how phi (Lao spirits) intersect with her family’s immigrant history, feelings of personal displacement, and the complexities of living between two worlds.
“And from there, I can see what those phi remind me of:
the things I would like to reconnect with,
and the things I would like to begin to comprehend
They remind me of displacement,
not belonging here, nor there,
but made to be anyway.
They remind me of those strange dreams
in strange places my family tells me about,
because being the way that I am (Lao)
with a history the way that it is (American),
I consider almost everything
a strange dream in a strange place.”
Read Kylie’s post here. For more reflections from Southeast Asian Americans on the 50th commemoration, check out our new Our Roots, Our Power website here.