Local Hmong-American women, Legacies of War board members, to speak about their first visit to Laos

Board Members of Legacies of War, an organization that educates the public about the American Secret War in Laos and advocates for the removal of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) still impacting lives today in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, are hosting a special event in Berkeley on February 24, 6:00-8:00 p.m., In Our Footsteps: Our First Trip to Laos. Families of Bay Area based board members, Pajouablai Monica Lee and Renee Ya, were directly impacted by the Secret War in Laos, forcing them to resettle in America in the 1970s and 1980s. The U.S. dropped more bombs on Laos than all of the bombs dropped over Germany and Japan in WWII combined. This event will feature a special panel discussion from board members Pajouablai Monica Lee & Renee Ya’s recent tour to Laos, their experience witnessing the removal of UXO, and advocacy work to continue their mission of providing a mine-free Laos. It will be moderated by Adam Thongsavat, another Board Member of Legacies of War who is also based in the Bay Area. With poetry reading performances by members of the community. It will be held on the U.C. Berkeley campus, Dwinelle Hall, Room 219, Berkeley, CA 94720. The public is welcome. Guests are asked to R.S.V.P for the free event although a suggested donation of $5 will enter each guest into a chance to receive a Legacies of War t-shirt. Speaker backgrounds: Pajouablai Monica Lee, a resident of Berkeley, is a proud Hmong American daughter of refugees from St. Paul, Minnesota. Most recently, Monica spent a year of grant making to support COVID-19 vaccination outreach in BIPOC communities. While there, she managed a portfolio of grantees focused on increasing vaccinations among particularly Native and Indigenous communities. Prior to that, Monica managed and implemented national programs at a national Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) civil rights organization, where she implemented professional and leadership development programs for AAPI leaders and youth. Monica is also a co-founder of a podcast that focuses on empowering the voices of Hmong American women and elevating progressive issues relevant to the Southeast Asian American community. In the long term, she hopes to remove barriers to success for low-income youth and communities of color through grantmaking, inclusive policies, and BIPOC-led community programs. Monica holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of California Berkeley and a Bachelor degree in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. “Last fall I had to unique opportunity to visit Laos for the first time ever, and as expected, it changed my life. Xieng Khouang, the province with the highest concentration of Hmong people in Laos, was alsothe most heavily bombed province in Laos per capita. Visiting Xieng Khouang and meeting our Hmong people who live and work there cemented for me why it’s so important to have representation and perspectives from all diaspora groups in the work of clearing the land,” explained Lee. Renee Ya (she/her/they/them/nws), a resident of Antioch, is Hmong American, born and raised in the Central Valley of California hailing from the city of Fresno. She has worked in the video game and tech industry for over 18 years. Co-founder of Tiger Byte Studios, a technology and media company founded in 2015, a full-service technology company actualizing products and games. A firm believer in connecting community through self-advocacy and storytelling. A Product Manager by trade and mother to the next feisty generation of women warriors. “Visiting my family's birthplace in Laos for the first time was an unforgettable experience. It was meaningful to connect with my heritage as a Hmong American and to witness firsthand the impact of unexploded ordnances (UXOs) on the local communities. From detonating UXOs to visiting villages that transform scrap metal into beautiful jewelry, I was humbled by the resilience and creativity of the Lao people. This trip has left a lasting impression on me and I am grateful for the opportunity to give back to my motherland,” explained Ya. It is a critical and emotional year for Legacies of War (LoW). 2023 marks a critical year for LoW’s mission as it is the 50th year since the last American bombs were dropped on Laos (August 14th, 1973) as well as the 50th year since the signing of the Paris Peace Accords (January 27th, 1973). Their hope is to be able to convene a community gathering in at least 8 - 10 strategic cities across the United States to mark the significance of the 50th Year, which they are calling the "Forget-Me-Not 50th Year Tour". This is an homage to all the lives that were lost during the war, the current victims of UXO/landmine accidents, and future victims of UXO accidents if these indiscriminate weapons are not found and removed first. This is their way of showing the promise that the people of Laos will not be forgotten as they continue their fight for funding and education.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/1576866-0

Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/1576866-2

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