Learning about community organizing from California

On November 20th, the Lao Assistance Center visited the offices of the Lao Organizing Project to learn more about their approaches and techniques to community organizing.

The Laotian community in Contra Costa County, CA lives in one of the most toxic regions in the nation. Surrounded by more then 350 industrial sites and toxic hazards, their home, school, and work environments are exposed to dangerous levels of lead, pesticides, and other chemicals on a daily basis.As refugees who entered the U.S. in the 1970's, the Laotian community is still a relatively new population with little voice about the policies affecting their lives. LOP was started in 1995 to bring together the diverse Laotian ethnic and tribal groups in Contra Costa County to respond to the needs of the community, work toward change, and provide a vehicle to build the community they envision. LOP has a membership base of 200 families and over 20 leaders.

Enter The Green Dragon with APEN in CA

On Thursday, November 19th, Lao Assistance Center staff members traveled to California to celebrate the 15 year anniversary of a leading California Asian American community organizing network, APEN. The theme of the evening was "  Enter the GREEN Dragon – APIs Winning Environmental Justice in California.”



Over 400 people from across California came to participate and to recognize the accomplishments of the low-income communities they organized.  A fun filled evening was held with their many supporters. They addressed the emerging importance of the Asian and Pacific Islander community to issues critical in CA and the US, such as climate change, as well as updating everyone about their current work.

Lao and the Environment in California

The Lao Assistance Center staff is visiting Oakland, California from November 19th-21 to visit with the wonderful folks at APEN, the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, who are celebrating their 15th year anniversary.


In particular,  the Lao Assistance Centerwill be visiting the members of the acclaimed Lao Organizing Project:

The Laotian community in Contra Costa County, CA lives in one of the most toxic regions in the nation. Surrounded by more then 350 industrial sites and toxic hazards, their home, school, and work environments are exposed to dangerous levels of lead, pesticides, and other chemicals on a daily basis.


As refugees who entered the U.S. in the 1970's, the Laotian community is still a relatively new population with little voice about the policies affecting their lives. LOP was started in 1995 to bring together the diverse Laotian ethnic and tribal groups in Contra Costa County to respond to the needs of the community, work toward change, and provide a vehicle to build the community they envision. LOP has a membership base of 200 families and over 20 leaders.

"Enter the GREEN Dragon-APIs Winning Environmental Justice In California" 
“Enter the GREEN Dragon – APIs Winning Environmental Justice in California” is going to be a milestone 15th anniversary celebration for APEN and the low-income communities they organize, and a fun filled evening with their many supporters. They will be addressing the emerging importance of the Asian and Pacific Islander community to issues critical in CA and the US, such as climate change, as well as updating everyone about their current work.Oakland Rotunda: Thursday, November 19th 6pm -9pm

North Minneapolis organizations learn about Laos and the Hmong

The Lao Assistance Center met Friday, November 13th in the Harrison Neighborhood with staff from the Harrison Neighborhood Association, Redeemer Lutheran Church, SEACC and other organizations serving North Minneapolis.

The event was organized as a holiday potluck, with cultural foods available for participants reflecting the diverse culinary traditions of the many organizations represented. Egg rolls, spring rolls, lao beef jerky, purple rice, sticky rice, fried chicken, papaya salad and pies were some of the many examples on hand.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss culture, race and community perspectives and to help expand one another's work in the coming years ahead. Over 30 people came representing diverse ways of life and interests in social change, including a visiting intern from Norway.

Sunny Chantanouvong, the Lao Assistance Center director gave a spirited presentation on Lao culture and the other members of the Lao Assistance staff gave their stories about how they became involved with the organization.

Doua Lee, executive director for the Southeast Asian Community Council spoke about the history of the Hmong and differences and similarities between other cultures around the world.

The Harrison Neighborhood Association has played a positive role in fostering community dialogues with the Lao Assistance Center. Everyone was pleased to see so many positive and progressive talents and skills being brought together to build a better community.

Habitat for Humanity conducting outreach to Lao

Staff members of the Lao Assistance Center met with Chanida Phaengdara from Habitat for Humanity on Friday, November 13th to discuss current issues interesting the Lao community, including housing, affordable living, the economy and community organizing.

Catzie Vilayphonh visits Lao Assistance Center, St. Cloud State University

Saint Cloud State University is hosting Social Justice Week and Lao American Catzie Vilayphonh of the spoken word duo Yellow Rage came to visit the Twin Cities on November 15-16th.

Using the arts, her mission was to talk with community members about the roles and history of Asian Americans and how to address issues of racism, sexism, discrimination and community injustice. Vilayphonh is a Pennsylvania-based artist who has performed nationally.

Vilayphonh had a chance to see the Hmong and Lao businesses along University Avenue in Saint Paul and met with Lao American writer Saymoukda Vongsay. She met with Asian American student leaders and addressed the potential of a Lao Writer's Summit in August, 2010.

At a very young age, Catzie chose to break the mold by refusing to conform to the stereotypes about Asians. Her popularity as a spoken word performer in Yellow Rage exploded after an appearance on Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Slam.

Today, she raises awareness issues confronting Asians by performing her spoken word poetry with humor and innovation. She has been the Fashion Director for two.one.five magazine where she also does her weekly column Catz Out The Bag with everyone from designers to directors and artists to actors. She will be returning to the Twin Cities to visit in January, 2010.

NGEC Fellows explore community voice, risk

The leadership teams of the 6 Organization Fellows of the National Gender Equity Campaign gathered on November 14th at the Neighborhood House.

The objective was to train on organization alignment within social justice work. Peggy Saika, the executive director from Asian Pacific Islanders In Philanthropy came and gave great support to the organizations efforts.

One of the pivotal training exercises of the day asked the group to understand the relationship between visionaries, communicators and implementers and to discuss effective approaches to helping people build a shared model of a community.

The groups worked together to map out plans and opportunities for 2010 to strengthen the strategic work of the organizations individually and as a cohort.

Bryan Thao Worra, a staff member of the Lao Assistance Center suggested to Mu Performing Arts that effort be made to designate the summer of 2010 a summer for Asian American Arts, citing the numerous arts and cultural festivals the Minnesota community is organizing next year including the CHAT Hmong Arts Festival, the Dragon Festival and the Lao Writers' Summit.

Chongchith Saengsudham will be taking the lead organizing with CAPI on a new coalition of refugee and immigrant women to strengthen their voices in the community in the future.

Executive director Sunny Chantanouvong offered many of his insights and perspectives in guiding the Lao Assistance Center through 2009 on issues of social justice and how there have been efforts to train and familiarize all of the different stakeholders with the issues and opportunities.

During this session, Sunny offered his direct peer advice to the staff of the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women as both organizations were asked how they deal with risk and the potential of conflicting with perceived 'traditional' values while building community.

Kevin Xiong from Shades of Yellow was continuing work to build the organization to meet the needs of GLBT Hmong, and shared some of his perspective from a recent trip to Thailand and Laos, and also a meeting with Dr. Vinya Sysamouth from the Center for Lao Studies.

This was a productive meeting with many positive reports from the other fellows and intensive peer exchange. Culture shift, risk taking and responsibility were frequently mentioned and discussed.

The participants discussed the relationship of boards, community members, staff, executive directors, funders and partner organizations in generating social schange.

LAC Attends National Children's Health Insurance Summit

LAC staff Chongchith Saengsudham returned this week from the National Children's Health Insurance Summit in Chicago where she and other members of the Minnesota SEACHIP program received training.

From 2009 to 2011, the Lao Assistance Center will be part of a coalition to implement the Southeast Asian Children’s Health Insurance Program (SEACHIP), to enroll low-income, uninsured Southeast Asian children in Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare insurance plans.
The United Cambodian Association of Minnesota, Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota, and Vietnamese Social Services will partner together on this initiative with the Lao Assistance Center.

If you are interested in getting health insurance for your children, contact Chongchith Saengsudham at chongchith@laocenter.org or call (612) 375-4967.

Lao Attend Harrison Candidate Forum

Lao American community members  from Minneapolis attended a candidate forum in the Harrison Neighborhood in October, constituting nearly 45% of the audience with a diverse representation of ages from both men and women, as well as renters and homeowners.


The community was very interested in the process as they heard debates from candidates for the city council as well as for mayor.

Lao Assistance Center trains on Social Justice, Social Change

Lao Assistance staff and board members trained with Leadership Paradigms on October 31st to discuss social justice, social change and new directions for the organization in Hinckley, Minnesota.


A new mission statement has been approved, along with an ambitious four-point plan to improve services and community development directions for our community in the years ahead! Stay tuned!

FCC researchers informed about Lao community, media equity

On Tuesday, November 10th, the Lao Assistance Center met with the Main Street Project who were hosting two researchers from the Federal Communications Commission.

The researchers were interested in hearing us talk about local issues and interests regarding the challenges and opportunities our respective communities face regarding the internet.

They're visiting cities across the U.S. and while in Minnesota they were meeting with organizations from communities of color and immigrants to get a better sense of what the everyday issues really are.

Preparing to fight Foreclosure among the Lao and Asian Americans

On November 4th, Lao Assistance Center executive director Sunny Chantanouvong and Pany Siharath met Jane Duong, the new program manager at the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development.

They briefed her on issues and concerns facing Lao Americans on housing in Minnesota.