Laotian Americans Form National Organization

Laotian ethnic groups were courageous, loyal allies to the U.S. during the Vietnam War. After the war, they fled political persecution, lost everything, and had to begin new lives in this country. Some have been successful in their transition, and are living the American dream. Others, however, continue to grieve their losses, suffer from war traumas, and experience stress from adjusting to the complexities and challenges of this fast-paced society.

Now, activists from across the nation have founded a new national non-profit organization, the Laotian American National Alliance (LANA). The organization's mission is to mobilize Laotian Americans by promoting social and economic advancement through civic participation and public policy advocacy.

The idea for a Laotian national organization was born at the National Association for the Education and Advancement of Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese (NAFEA) conference in 1997. After two years of planning, with technical assistance from the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC), a strategic plan and selection of an interim board of directors were the precursors to the formal launching of the LANA.

KaYing Yang, executive director of SEARAC, stated, "LANA will serve as a vehicle to disseminate critical information such as federal policies, funding opportunities, legislative action alerts, urgent community concerns and professional networking. It will also serve as a bridge to build coalitions with other Asian American organizations, as well as other immigrant and civil rights groups."

There are about 350,000 people of Laotian descent in the U.S. today, but they have no central community. At LANA's west coast launch, on December 9, in Berkeley, California, Board member Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum said, "LANA will help strengthen our communities across the country by providing a core for national empowerment." The west coast celebration was held in conjunction with a U.C. Berkeley conference focusing on 25 years of the Southeast Asian diaspora. Ms. Soudary Kittivong-Greenbaum is a founding member of SatJaDham, the internet-based literary group that uses the power of poetry and prose to build community.

A member of interim Board of Directors, Khammany Matthavongsy, of the Marin Education Fund in California, stated, "The task of community building for the people from Laos has just begun. There are many issues that need to be resolved. But if each of us shares a common vision and takes the responsibility of making that vision a reality, we can meet the challenges with confidence and success."

Mr. Puongpun Sananikone, President and CEO of PacMar, Inc., a Hawaii-based international management consulting firm, stated: "LANA is the result of the collective awareness and shared vision of a new generation of Laotian-American youth, professionals and sound-minded community leaders, who want to elevate our communities across the United States to new and higher levels of socio-economic progress."

Mr. Sananikone went on to say, "To be able to participate productively in, and not be marginalized by the increasingly globalized American economy, Laotian-Americans must find new ways to free themselves from the crippling grip of outdated cold-war issues and mindset, which has divided and paralyzed many Laotian communities in the U.S. and around the world for the past two decades. LANA is an important new building block; a new, non-partisan catalyst to promote cooperation among Laotians of all ethnic origins, and to help redirect their attention and their scarce resources to those priorities that really matter to their future as United States citizens."

LANA seeks to cross ethnic lines that may have been brought over as political or cultural remnants from Laos. LANA's policies define the term "Laotian" to encompass all people whose birthplace or ancestry can be traced to Laos, including the Hmong, Iu-Mien, Khmu, Thai Dam, Lao and others.

Board Member Mr. Dinh Van Lo, President of the Iowa-based Society of Thaidam-American Friendship, added, "LANA will recruit membership and design programs that will ensure active participation and incorporation of this rich diversity in its governance and activities."

For information visit their website at http://www.lananet.org