All posts tagged: The SEAD Project

SEAD to release book of Southeast Asian-authored narratives

Published by littlelaosontheprairie

Photo credit to The SEAD Project The Southeast Asian Diaspora (SEAD) Project is celebrating Minnesota’s first-ever Southeast Asian-authored anthology Saturday, Nov. 10 at the Indigenous Roots Cultural Arts Center in St. Paul.  “Planting SEADs: Southeast Asian Diaspora Stories” will feature stories, poetry and artwork from Hmong, Khmer, Lao and Vietnamese Minnesotans, whose narratives reflect the entirety of the refugee experience. Trauma is often intertwined with our shared backgrounds as Southeast Asians, and the experiences that come along with that can be scattered, disjointed or simply not talked about. Through this collection of 20 stories, art and poetry, we can begin to connect the histories that link our diaspora cultures together. “More than 100,000 Hmong, Khmer, Lao, and Viet diaspora call Minnesota home,” Chanida Phaendara Potter, executive director of SEAD, said. “Storytelling is necessary to make sense of who we are as a people and the living and breathing memories we share as Southeast Asians. We hope fellow Minnesotans find hope, understanding and see their neighbors in these beautiful stories.” The book launch and signing will …

AHHA Education: Teaching English is a Community Recycling Endeavor

Published by A Ou

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela When was the last time you thought to yourself, “I’m so grateful to be able to use and understand English.” If like me, probably never. Well, as Rocket Raccoon put it, not everyone “know talking good like me and you.” The inability to use English severely limits a person’s prospects in many areas of life. Imagine all the great stuff you’d miss out on: something as simple as googling an answer to a vapid question, at worse, and a pressing matter, at best. Forget writing that convoluted love letter to the cute host working at the Thai restaurant at National Harbor. Too specific? Anyhow, life would just be a little bit harder, don’t you think? So yes, English proficiency is an essential skill required to function in our modern world. Unfortunately, not everyone has the opportunity to learn and develop their English skills. Coming from Laos, growing up around the education business with my father owning and operating …