SEAAs and other immigrant and refugee communities want a fair chance to thrive, but we cannot do so while we are subject to a dehumanizing, unjust immigration system.
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The New Way Forward’s Impact on Southeast Asian Americans
There are 15,000 Southeast Asian Americans with a final order of removal. About 80% of removable Southeast Asian Americans have a criminal conviction. Many of these individuals were refugees who have never lived in their countries of origin and no longer have any family ties to Cambodia, Laos, or Vietnam.
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“It felt like I was being double punished. A terrible crime that I committed when I was a youth would eventually lead to my deportation to a country that I had no ties to. I felt like I was unworthy, not valued, that all that I’d done to change my life, to build community while I was inside, doesn’t matter.”
featured in our anti-deportation PSAs
“If I can change back the hands of time, education and knowledge would be the best for any young person trying to figure themself out. Please be aware that I am still human even though I made a mistake in the past. I do have family that loves me, and I love them, too.
featured in our anti-deportation PSAs
“If we were deported, our family wouldn’t be as happy as they are now. We draw them together and the positive mindset we bring—that heals them and heals our community. I believe deportation is really double punishment for our family, for us, and for our community.”
featured together with impacted community member Tith Ton in our anti-deportation PSAs
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This year, Vyvian from our partners at @vietrainbowoc shared a reflection that we want to leave you with as we close out June:
“One day, I hope that LGBTQIA+ Southeast Asian Americans, young and old alike, are able to fully express their identity as an homage to our rich histories of Queerness… I know there is endless potential in the Southeast Asian American community for love, action, and justice and my hope is that we come together to maximize it.”
Happy Pride Month 🌈 To our LGBTQIA+ Southeast Asian American community: your history is rich, your joy is resistance, and your community is bigger than you know.
Jun 29
“Queer Southeast Asian Americans have always existed, even if our experiences are not always represented in media or in community spaces. Sharing our voices allows others with similar identities to feel seen, valued, and empowered.”
Showing up as our true selves allows others to feel safe being themselves, too. We are proud to celebrate alongside the LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month and uplift the stories of our queer Southeast Asian American community.
Jun 27
LGBTQ+ trailblazers marched, organized, and fought so that we are able to show up fully as ourselves today. This Pride Month, we honor their legacy and stand together in pursuit of social equity for all. Hunny Hach from @uccoflongbeach shares their hope that pathways continue to open up for queer Southeast Asian Americans!
Jun 25
This Pride Month, we’re celebrating the beautiful intersection of queer identity and Southeast Asian American culture. Ravi Seng from @thecambodianfamily shares: “Being Southeast Asian American adds a unique layer of joy to being queer, and it’s been wonderful to see it play out.” Ravi reminds us that our identities don’t compete for space and we can embrace all of who we are!
Jun 23
June is a month of exemplifying intersectionality: SEAA communities are celebrating Pride Month, Immigrant Heritage Month, and World Refugee Day! It’s a time to embrace all aspects of our identities and take pride in who we are and where we come from. Thank you to @nataliepbui, SEARAC’s first-ever artist-in-residence, for beautifully capturing the joy and vibrancy of our communities through her art.
June reminds us that there is space for the fullness of who we are to exist. We celebrate the refugee legacy of our Southeast Asian American community and honor those who paved the way for us to celebrate Pride.
#pride #pridemonth #RefugeePride #ImmigrantPride #WorldRefugeeDay
Jun 20
