Brandeis Southeast Asia Club hosts fundraiser for SEARAC |
At AYALA 2022: Jam Biru, Brandeis University’s Southeast Asia Club’s annual culture show and biggest event of the year, students hosted a raffle and photobooth fundraiser for SEARAC, raising $531. Performers included student dancers, a traditional Cambodian dance from the Angkor Dance Troupe, and a performance by Jeff Bernat. “Jam biru” means “blue hour” in Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia, and describes a period of time just before sunrise, as we anticipate the arrival of dawn and new beginnings. SEARAC is so grateful to the students of Brandeis University for including us in this annual event!
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President Biden releases FY2023 Budget proposal |
On March 28, President Biden released his fiscal year 2023 budget proposal. SEARAC’s team is currently reviewing and analyzing the documents relevant to our organization’s priorities and our communities' needs, and we will release a response as soon as we finish our analysis. In the meantime, you can find the proposal here and the appendix here. For more detailed information regarding each agency, please check their respective websites.
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SEARAC welcomes the anniversary of the Affordable Care Act |
Twelve years ago, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. The ACA led to historic improvements in health coverage for many Americans and cut uninsured rates for Southeast Asian Americans in half. This law remains incredibly important, especially as the Administration moves to provide support for mental and behavioral health in line with traditional health care. In 2017, SEARAC collected over 350 comments from our community members about the importance of the Affordable Care Act and published them in a report, "Southeast Asian Americans Speak Out to Protect the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid."
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FDA authorizes second COVID-19 booster for adults 50+ and immunocompromised individuals |
The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine boosters for those age 50 and older and for individuals who are immunocompromised. A second booster can be administered after four months of the first booster. Because the COVID-19 vaccine is not a permanent solution to the virus, SEARAC continues to encourage our community members to get vaccinated and boosted if able. You can read more about this announcement here.
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Philadelphia Inquirer: “Civil-rights group condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine” |
Southeast Asian Americans know first-hand that the irrevocable harm and trauma of war spans generations and borders. Our history obligates us to speak out, and SEARAC was grateful to be included in a Philadelphia Inquirer article about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. SEARAC Executive Director Quyen Dinh stated, “Our hearts ache seeing the same images of war that took the lives of our families.” Read the article here.
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SEARAC reflects on work/life balance and workplace culture |
Throughout the month of March, SEARAC’s staff and board members have written blogs for our new #WorkplaceWellness series, published in honor of Employee Appreciation Day and International Women’s Day. These pieces explore SEARAC’s workplace culture, the support that is needed for working parents, the struggle for children of immigrants and refugees to break away from the work hustle, and more. Check out the blog post from Executive Director Quyen Dinh that discusses why SEARAC made the intentional shift to a four-day work week for our health and wellness, and find all of the #WorkplaceWellness blogs here.
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Join RCUSA's 2022 Virtual Refugee Advocacy Days! |
Refugee Council USA (RCUSA), its members, and partners will convene to host a special refugee virtual advocacy week from May 9 to May 13. This virtual advocacy week will occur at a pivotal moment for the US refugee resettlement program, and we need your help in championing pro-refugee legislation, support for arriving Afghans, federal funding for the resettlement and other humanitarian programs, and oversight over the administration’s rebuilding of the program. In addition to meetings with members of Congress, participants will have the opportunity to attend a number of special sessions to build relationships with other advocates and organizers, and learn new skills to help expand their advocacy. Register here.
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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.
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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.
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