Thank You, Community!
In celebration of your generosity during our Week of Giving
WOW! SEARAC just wrapped up our annual Week of Giving, and we are so grateful for the generosity of our donors. With your help, we raised $15,240 to support SEARAC’s policy advocacy and leadership development work. Our work is only possible through the power of community, and we are honored that you showed up for Southeast Asian American equity and resilience in this inspiring way.
California Spotlight
SEARAC staff and CA partners together. Photo courtesy of Phun H
SEARAC hosts CA partner covening
Last month, SEARAC convened over 10 partners serving Southeast Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities across California! SEARAC staff and partners gathered at Crissy Field Center in San Francisco to hold conversations that helped provide a basis for both California and national advocacy strategy. These discussions outlined the challenges we face, the needs required, and the areas of collaboration that are possible as our communities seek to thrive and not just survive. The convening also served as a community-building opportunity that included a monk blessing, reflection activities, and a community dinner at local restaurant Lao Table. SEARAC thanks all our partners who attended, and we look forward to continuing to build our collective power! 
Education
Student loan repayment extends to June 30, 2023
The Department of Education has extended the deadline for loan payments to resume after June 30, 2023. This extension comes as the Supreme Court reviews lower court orders that currently prevent the Biden Administration’s Student Debt Relief Plan. A pause on loan repayment provides a relief while borrowers await a decision on student debt forgiveness. 
SEARAC Online Store
Get limited-edition new merch from artist Yer Vang
In case you missed it, we've refressed SEARAC’s online store with all new items and a limited-edition “Made by Refugees” and “Made by Immigrants” design created by Hmong American artist Yer Vang

About her design, Yer writes: “As a Southeast Asian child of a refugee, I have ties to water that feels spiritually and ancestrally inherited. To create through my lens, as many other SEAsian makers do, is to remember our story of resiliency to accessing the opportunities our ancestors would never have dreamed of.”

We have T-shirts, tote bags, and mugs in multiple colors, and these will only be available to purchase until early next year! Give yourself or a loved one a one-of-a-kind gift AND support SEARAC.
SEARAC in the News
Credit: ABC10 staff, Lora Painter
ABC News affiliate highlights SEARAC data
This month, a California-based news outlet highlighted the growing number of Hmong students at Sacramento State University. According to the article, within a decade, Hmong student enrollment grew from several dozen students to more than a thousand students; Hmong students are now the second largest Asian subgroup on campus. Citing SEARAC data about the Southeast Asian American refugee community, the article includes an interview with Dr. Chao "Danny" Vang, director of education equity access and equity strategist at the university, who describes how critical scholarships are to building the SEAA leadership pipeline.

Read more from ABC10 here.
Community Stories
SEARAC staff share personal stories to highlight our work
During our annual Week of Giving, several members of the SEARAC family shared their powerful personal stories to highlight the impact that SEARAC has had on them and their communities. In case you missed these stories in your inbox, we wanted to share them again here:

  • Phun H: “From translating our deportation PSAs into five Southeast Asian languages, to preparing for the introduction of the All Students Count Act and bringing visibility to the unique experiences of Southeast Asian American students, SEARAC is shining a spotlight on our Southeast Asian community.
  • Danny Doan: “I traveled to DC for the first time and, in the bustling, chaotic halls of Congress, I learned how to overcome my nerves and share with my legislators my experience of working with people impacted by incarceration and deportation. I developed skills and relationships that I will carry with me forever.
  • Anna Dang: At SEARAC, I saw an environment where we upheld justice-related values both externally in our advocacy and internally within our staff. My supervisors prioritized my wellness, whether I was learning professional skills or how policies impact SEAA communities.”
  • Nary Rath: “I’m proud to be part of an organization that not only is working so hard to normalize seeking out mental health care but which also prioritizes the mental health of its own staff. In fact, I was able to take a medical leave earlier this year and return to work as the best and strongest version of myself, so that I can give back to my community.
  • Anthony Nguyen: “As SEARAC's Board Treasurer, I bring a unique perspective as the son of refugees and now the father of a second generation Southeast Asian American. I have a responsibility to ensure that our children and future generations will not have to endure the same struggles, challenges, and barriers that our refugee and immigrant parents had to overcome.
Announcements
Study seeks SEAA participants
A study based out of Arizona State University will explore the association of intergenerational trauma and depressive symptoms among adult descendants of Vietnamese, Laotian, and Cambodian refugees. Participants will be asked to complete a 15-20 minute survey and will have the choice to enter a raffle for a $75 Amazon e-gift card. Those interested can contact lead investigator Michael Nguyen at mnguye54@asu.edu.
Tell SEARAC your health, education, and/or immigration story
Our stories are our strength. Southeast Asian American communities have shared histories and experiences that form the basis for SEARAC’s advocacy work. We center our community members’ stories of accessing healthcare and education, navigating the immigration system, caring for older adults and loved ones, and expressing our joy through food, music, art, and culture. It is through these stories that we make powerful, lasting change.

SEARAC wants to hear from you! If you have a story about your family’s refugee journey, your experiences with our policy priority areas (health, education, and/or immigration), or your engagement with SEARAC at our summits and training programs, fill out this form and we may use your story in our advocacy on Capitol Hill.
SEARAC is a national civil rights organization that empowers Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese American communities to create a socially just and equitable society. As representatives of the largest refugee community ever resettled in the United States, SEARAC stands together with other refugee communities, communities of color, and social justice movements in pursuit of social equity. 

Find out more at www.searac.org