“April 30, 1975 - In the early hours of the 30th, the last helicopter to evacuate US officials and some South Vietnamese allies pulled out, and not too longer after, Saigon fell to the Vietcong. So as we remember the US soldiers and the war that the US didn’t win, let’s not forget the Vietnamese refugees, the Hmong who were abandoned despite their assistance to the CIA, the rise of the Khmer Rouge because of the US bombings in Cambodia and its aftermath, etc. The Vietnam War has a huge grip on the American conscience, and what we learn in textbooks that does not do justice to the million of lives who have been impacted by war, both here and abroad.
This picture by Hubert Van Es captures a helicopter on an apartment building rooftop in downtown Saigon where CIA employees were housed. Though the setting has been mistaken to be the US Embassy in South Vietnam, it essentially gives the sense of desperation that was rampant among the South Vietnamese this time 38 years ago.”
Donate to SASC Summer Institute 2013
Please donate to SASC SI here.
The Southeast Asian Student Coalition’s (SASC) mission is:
“To unite Southeast Asian Communities, particularly those bounded by the historical context of the Viet Nam War, and to address the economic inequalities, social injustices, and political under-representation that they face.”
SI is an all-expense paid, five-day educational program hosted at UC Berkeley that connects high school students and community members nationwide. We bring 36 high school students from all over the country to address Southeast Asian underrepresentation in higher education and low recruitment and retention rates.
20% of US population DO NOT have a high school diploma
20% of Asian Americans DO NOT have a high school diploma
Compare this to
38% of Vietnamese Americans, 50% of Laotian Americans,
54% of Cambodian Americans, 60% of Hmong Americans
DO NOT HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
The US National Average for a Bachelors Degree:28.8%
US National Average for Asian Americans for a Bachelors Degree: 44%
While 7.5% of Hmong Americans and 9.4% of Laotian Americans have a Bachelor’s Degree.
By connecting students to their culture and history, we aim to foster young leaders and empower students to create social change.
Current High School Students grades 9-12,
If you identify as Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian/Khmer, Lu-Mien, Hmong, Hmoob or any other Southeast Asian ethnic, cultural identity, we welcome and encourage you to apply to this 5 day summer program opportunity!
The Southeast Asian Student Coalition Summer Institute (SASC SI) is a five-day program held at UC Berkeley that allows Southeast Asian youth to further learn and explore about their community, culture, people’s history, and self-identity.
You will also get the opportunity to meet other high school students from California and even students from out of state. You will be paired up with college mentors that will offer you guidance and support. Aside from travel-arrangements (which can be worked out), this program is an all-expense paid trip. You’ll get to live in the college dorms with other high school students, you’ll be fed delicious 3 course meals for 5 days, and you’ll get to experience what it’d be like to be a college student in a college atmosphere!
SASC Summer Institute is seeking motivated high school students with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Academic performance is not a factor in the acceptance of participants, thus, all are encouraged to apply.
SASC SI Mentee Applications have been extended and are now due at the end of this weekend Sunday; March 31, 2013!
Access the online Mentee application here: tinyurl.com/si2013app
You can also download the application off our site here.
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The Green Papaya is a community blog and online forum where the Southeast Asian community may share its stories. Its goal is to provide an online space that engages the SEA community, fosters voices within that community, and also raise awareness about that community. If you wish to submit a post,click here.
Current High School Students grades 9-12,
If you identify as Vietnamese, Laotian, Cambodian/Khmer, Lu-Mien, Hmong, Hmoob or any other Southeast Asian ethnic, cultural identity, we welcome and encourage you to apply to this 5 day summer program opportunity!
The Southeast Asian Student Coalition Summer Institute (SASC SI) is a five-day program held at UC Berkeley that allows Southeast Asian youth to further learn and explore about their community, culture, people’s history, and self-identity.
You will also get the opportunity to meet other high school students from California and even students from out of state. You will be paired up with college mentors that will offer you guidance and support. Aside from travel-arrangements (which can be worked out), this program is an all-expense paid trip. You’ll get to live in the college dorms with other high school students, you’ll be fed delicious 3 course meals for 5 days, and you’ll get to experience what it’d be like to be a college student in a college atmosphere!
SASC Summer Institute is seeking motivated high school students with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Academic performance is not a factor in the acceptance of participants, thus, all are encouraged to apply.
SASC SI Mentee Applications are due next week Friday, March 15th!
Access the online Mentee application here: tinyurl.com/si2013app
You can also download the application off our site here.
___
The Green Papaya is a community blog and online forum where the Southeast Asian community may share its stories. Its goal is to provide an online space that engages the SEA community, fosters voices within that community, and also raise awareness about that community. If you wish to submit a post, click here.
UC Berkeley, Southeast Asian Student Coalition (SASC) alumni, Laotian bboy brotha’ Binly aka Lancer featured by Strife TV’s Coupe Street team.
Lao Language Initiative
I am part of a committee that is trying to get the Lao language taught
at a university, and it would benefit the committee if you could take
the survey. The committee is composed of masters students, Ph.D.
students, and professors around the nation, so this initiative is very
important. It would give us a sense of interest in the Lao language.
If any of you know anyone around the U.S. that is interested in
learning the language and is a student at a university or college,
please forward it to them. Here is the link to the survey
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6DXW9CH. Thanks in advance!
This #Lao instrument is hard to play for a Lao-American boy #LaoProblems #Laos #Laotian (Taken with Instagram)
#laoproblems
Southeast Asian Restoring Community Hope of Rhode Island.
I’ve attended the first 3 sessions for SEARCH (if you count the retreat a session). The retreat was very informative. There were questions that were asked that help the women in the room reflect on our own roots a little better.
What do we know about Southeast Asian history?
- Khmer Rouge
- The Hmong People
- Secret War on Laos
- Vietnam War
The first slide that was presented on the slide show was about a Chinese American named Vincent Chin. He was beaten to death in 1982 for being Asian. In Detroit at the time there was a decline in the American auto industry and many jobs were lost to the Japanese. His death was based on false accusations. Those who killed him assumed he was Japanese because he was Asian.
The second slide was about the Viet Vote. There was a Viet community in Dorchester that was completely ignored. Only 100 people at the time voted-no vote no power.
Mee Moua is the first Hmong American State Senator in the US. She currently is the president and executive director of Asian American Justice Center.
Joseph Cao is the first US Vietnamese American to serve in US Congress. He served on congress from 2009-2011.
Thavisouk Phrasavath is the first Laotian American to be Oscar-nominated first to win Emmy for directing. (Betrayal)
Loung Ung wrote a personal account of her experience of the killings during the Khmer Rouge.
Learning about Southeast Asian history definitely opened my eyes more to what I can do in my community. Being a female, Asian, and young are 3 disadvantages in the leadership world, but that why I embarked on the SEARCH journey.
The 1st session we all met the mayor of Providence RI, Cranston RI, and Fitchburg MA. They were all very informative and inspiring. I like the mayor of Fitchburg the most. She herself is an Asian American woman. She had a lot to tell us and told us first hand stories about her experiences as a leader (good and bad).
Today’s session was about registering to vote. I would get into detail about it but there is just way too much to talk about. Basically to sum it all up. Defend yourself. Being a Southeast Asian female, you have to constantly defend yourself. You have to speak up and say what’s on your mind. What are you going to be like in 10 years? Will things change if you say something? You’ll never know unless you try. The Southeast Asian community in Rhode Island is very under represented, heck I think the Southeast Asian community in New England is underrepresented. My colleagues and I have the same passion to be that momentum to get things going in our area. Get them to vote, help them become citizens, inform them about our government, educate them!
The next session will be about fundraising for the first National SEARCH Conference held in RI. This is going to be big. This is the first conference held in the New England area. Invites for Asian leaders, (especially females ones) will be sent all across the U.S ranging from Minnesota, California, D.C, etc. We will all come together and hold this conference to empower more Asian women to take lead.
One of the guest speakers from today’s session told us that today’s society is rough on women. It’s true. What are you going to do if you are too dependent? What if you get married and then the guy decides to leave you? What are you going to do if all you want to do is search for love. Seek your independence and walk that road those before you paved. It’s your job to put the cement on. You need to rely on yourself nowadays. Get yourself established first before doing something stupid. I think that personal desires (money, love, etc.) will make it’s way to you once you are stable.
National Papaya Salad Contest
To take place at the International Lao New Year’s Festival at the Civic Center in San Francisco, CA. Brought to you by LaoAmericans.com online magazine. Prizes for top three winners. All ages welcome! For more information visit www.laonewyear.com.
