All posts tagged: Lao community

Thanking The Year of The Lao Community

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In case you haven’t noticed, it’s already Thanksgiving week. Here at LLOTP, we’re thankful for many things that have made our first year as a blog one heck of an exciting writing venture. It’s an experience that has enriched my sense of Lao American culture and I couldn’t do it without my co-bloggers Danny and Bryan. Let’s look back at what a year has meant for us. We made a platform for our voices not only in the Midwest but for Lao Americans across the states, we covered stories when the Lao made headlines, we were mentioned and featured in the Star Tribune and Twin Cities Daily Planet, and with 143 Facebook fans and growing—we really can’t ‘jom’ (complain) at all. So this week looking back, I’m thankful for the small and big steps we’ve taken to show that the Lao community is still alive and thriving in Minnesota. SMALL STEPS We showed how our thinking has changed the Lao Minnesotan voter mentality this election year like never before. The Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota …

It’s a Sunny Day for Lao Assistance Center’s Sunny Chanthanouvong

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It’s not always exciting news when I get a call from Sunny Chanthanouvong, the Executive Director of Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota. But this time it was great news. He got the letter that he was selected as a 2012 leadership Fellow through the Bush Foundation. “Finally”, I told him. I’ve known Sunny since I was 8-years-old, when I followed my big brother to a meeting at Lao Center. That’s why I wasn’t surprised as much as I was relieved because it’s overdue recognition. Out of the 30 years that the Lao community has been in Minnesota, only two other Lao Minnesotans have won the Bush Fellowship: textile weaver, Bounxou Chanthraphone and digital artist, Malichansouk Kouanchao. These are achievements to be proud of. If you’ve ever worked with the Lao Minnesotan community, you already know who Sunny is. He’s one of the only few influential community leaders who will help a fellow Lao person fill out his Medicare forms one day and the next day bring in the masses to a community gathering. His personality …