- This year’s Oscar nominees are more diverse. Is Hollywood shifting in a new direction for gender parity and racial diversity? Oscar winner, Frances McDormand, ended her speech by calling for more actors to have inclusion riders in their contracts.

- This year has brought some victories for Asian Americans behind-the-scenes. Kazuhiro Tsuji is the first Asian American to win an Oscar for Best Makeup & Hairstyling!

- Asian American actors Jake Choi and Henry Golding both book big network mainstream media tv shows and movies.

- #LaoFoodMovement Chef Seng listed as one of the semifinalists in the 2018 James Beard Awards. James Syhabout continues his press tour with Food & Wine discussing his end goal with Lao Food.

- Narintohn Luangrath shares her take on the current events along with her families immigration journey on Baltimore Sun.

- Clare Ramirez, discusses how she has more in common with undocumented immigrants than other Americans.

- Congressman Jim Costa continues his advocacy for securing recognition and honor for Lao American veterans serving alongside American armed forces during the "Secret War"

- All-China Women's Federation gave equipment and supplies to the Lao Women's Union to further improve the conditions at all levels.

- New satellite installed to supplement existing telecommunications infrastructure in Laos.

- The Lao government took steps to reverse illegal wildlife trafficking and environmental crimes.

- For your listening or viewing pleasure: Kulap Vilaysack guests on Unladylike Podcast, "Lao Diaspora" DJ Vannasnone Keodara guests on Here & Now's DJ Sessions, Seraphina Lotkhamnga created a Spotify Playlist, and Ruby Ibarra dropped her most recent music video.

Kulap Vilaysack

March 2, 2018

2.23.18 - 3.1.18

Kulap Vilaysack

March 2, 2018

- The SEAD Project: Spring Language Courses to Learn Lao now open for registration!

- Community leader Nor Sanavongsay is donating his birthday to, Sahtu Press, one of the nation’s first Lao American-owned and staffed literary publishers.

- James Syhabout continues his press tour to promote his cookbook and autobiography, Hawker Fare. He visits The Splendid Table and LA news source KTLA.

- Exploring the Asian American model minority in two ways, the different relationship with politics than other racial minorities and the Southeast Asian community, a population born from refugees and resettlement.

- Jared Leto stars as a white man who becomes head of the Yakuza. Oh, brother.

- President Trump threatens to remove ICE from the state of California. Go ahead.

- Artist Sisavanh Houghton is exhibiting now at the Lauren Rogers Museum Of Art.

- Asian-American Women In Hollywood Say It’s Twice As Hard For Them To Say #MeToo

- At least three global surveys disclosed their findings recently, with all three indicating that Laos is going backwards in term of in global development rankings.

- A TECH firm chief temporarily swapped his day job for the dusty roads and soaring mountains of Laos in a bid to clear unexploded landmines.

- Despite working with limited funds, state censorship, and only having three working cinemas in the country - local directors are creating a thriving film industry in Laos.

- Recognizing the potential and prospect to develop tourism, the Lao government is determined to bring the tourist rate up exponentially.

- Laos is pushing hard to meet United Nations (UN) development targets. The government risks bankrupting the nation in the process.

- UNILAD Adventure captures the beauty of Laos with drone footage.

- Two restaurants are open, "ma der, ma der!" Zaap Kitchen in Dallas, TX and Lao Bar in Seattle, Washington.

- New Business Alert: Online retailer Talaat Sao!