Community Spotlight
New date for virtual caregiving listening session
The Diverse Elders Coalition, National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, and SEARAC invite you to register for our virtual listening session to discuss caregiving challenges during COVID-19. All participants will receive a $25 gift card.

Event Details: 
  • Date: Thursday, September 9, 2021 (note new date!)
  • Time: 6pm to 7:30pm Eastern Time
  • Location: Virtual

Thank you to The John A. Hartford Foundation for supporting this event!
Immigration
SEARAC meets with POTUS and VP, talks SEAA immigration 
On Aug. 5th, SEARAC Executive Director Quyen Dinh and other AANHPI community leaders met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris to discuss policies and issues deeply impacting our communities. The discussion ranged from voting rights to immigration reform to anti-Asian hate. SEARAC spoke specifically about Southeast Asian deportations and the need to renegotiate existing repatriation agreements between the US and Southeast Asian countries. You can read more about the meeting here.
Health
The Right to Heal: Centering Mental Health Multi-Racial Equity
The California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, in collaboration with SEARAC and the California Black Health Network, Latino Coalition for a Healthy California, and California Consortium for Urban Indian Health invite you to register for our "Right to Heal: Centering Mental Health in Multi-Racial Equity in California" statewide virtual event on Sept. 22 at 10 am PT. Attendees will be entered into a drawing to win gift cards!

The Right to Heal will be an opportunity for our partners to:
  • Share their local mental health findings with policymakers and stakeholders
  • Break down systemic barriers in mental health by centering BIPOC needs
  • Build and strengthen community
  • Inspire community members to take action and stay engaged in mental health advocacy
FDA approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
On Aug. 23, the Federal U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which was previously approved under emergency use. The emergency approval is still in effect for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals. SEARAC encourages members of our communities to vaccinate themselves and their families as the Delta variant continues to spread in the US. To learn more about the Delta variant, you can visit this post from UC Davis Health. 
Education
State ESSER school funding 
The U.S. Department of Education has approved 28 state plans to receive final funding from the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Funds. The state plans detail how states are using and intend to use ARP ESSER funds to safely reopen schools and address the student needs, including by increasing educational opportunities for students disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
Safe return to school guidance
The Department of Education is also continuing to provide guidance to states and districts on a safe return to school. The DOE’s three main priorities are student health and safety, building school communities and supporting social emotional learning, and accelerating academic achievement
Comments on school discipline and SEAAs
SEARAC submitted comments to the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) concerning the disproportionate impact of school discipline on Southeast Asian students. The letter responded to OCR’s request for information and calls on OCR to update their data collection, analysis, and reporting practices and guidelines to disaggregate data for Southeast Asian students. 
Civil Rights Data Collection to address COVID-19 inequities
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights will be administering the Civil Rights Data Collection for a second year in a row (2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years, respectively). The additional data collection will help to reveal ongoing inequities from the COVID-19 pandemic and how the new federal funding is implemented to address these challenges. 
SEARAC in the News
NBC News: Vietnamese American refugees who witnessed fall of Saigon urge U.S. to accept more Afghans
SEARAC’s Director of National Policy, Kham Moua, was quoted in an NBC News article about our obligation to provide refuge and relief to Afghan refugees as the United States exits from Afghanistan. “As Southeast Asian refugees, we have seen the kind of impact U.S. military intervention can have in our countries,” Moua said. “It goes far beyond the individuals who helped the military. It has a widespread impact on the population at large.”
Announcements
SEARAC is hiring!
We’re looking for a full-time Policy Associate to support our national policy activities through policy analysis, advocacy, community engagement, research, and administrative support. The position’s key goals include monitoring national health policy, research support for SEARAC’s immigration and education work, and administrative support for SEARAC’s national policy team. SEARAC’s policy work focuses on the unique needs and rights of Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) in education, health, and immigration. Learn more and apply by Aug. 29th for priority consideration!
CMAA searching for a new Executive Director
Our partners at the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA) are searching for a new Executive Director. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is the primary officer responsible for day-to-day operations, program development, fund development, and community relations. The ideal candidate will have a strong commitment to working for a purpose-driven organization that is positioned for continued favorable growth and national recognition; design and direct strategies that support and enhance organizational operations, improve revenue, direct business strategy, and enhance relations with the media, internal stakeholders, staff, and surrounding communities. Learn how to apply here.
Let us know about your upcoming events
If you have an event or campaign that you would like SEARAC to promote to our communities, please fill out this form to let us know! We recommend alerting us to your event at least two weeks in advance of the date to allow time for processing. If you have any questions about your submission, please email jenna@searac.org.
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