To My Brother Keon
Dear Keon, Today, I am finding the strength to write this so that I may honor your life. I knew you only as my dearest brother, my Irish Twin. You lived your life through your convictions and didn’t care what anyone thought of you. I had no idea, the extent in which your writing impacted the Asian American community. I remembered how excited you were to start blogging and discussing political and social issues. You felt underrepresented as a Laotian American male. You spoke for our community for years, flying under the radar, without them ever knowing it was you. Getting credit was never important to you but I want people to know who you were. You started out as a troubled Lao teenager, who turned his life around to become an outspoken activist, writer, and teacher. I wish I could’ve gone to your graduation when you received your Master’s degree in Teaching. You left this world too soon. You are with the angels now. There was so much you had to offer to the world. …