3.23.18 - 3.29.18

• Watch the US Drop 2.5 Million Tons of Bombs on Laos.

• ATTENTION: 23 and Me is giving out free genetic tests if all four of your grandparents were born in Laos!

• The Guardian: Why are white people expats when the rest of us are immigrants?

• #RepresentationMatters:

  • Miya Cech cast in The Darkest Minds directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson.

  • Phillip from You Offend Me You Offend My Family discusses Asian representation in American film industry and documents Asian Americans at the Los Angeles Gun March: #MarchForOurLives.

  • Diversity is dominating the 2018 box office.

  • Pixar's next short film 'Bao' explores an empty-nesting Chinese mother - directed by Domee Shi.

• In motherland news:

  • We are witnessing the motherland developing quicker than ever before.

  • Nobphalat Sikaiphak crowned Miss Grand Laos 2018

  • Borneo Bulletin explores the hidden waterfalls in the land of 4,000 islands

  • Lao government looks to solidify ties with neighboring states and major powers like Russia.

  • Laos ties with Bangladesh 2-2 in soccer.

  • Lao Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith wants to make the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party more transparent.

  • The Rosewood opens second Southeast Asian location in Luang Prabang.

  • Visitor attraction now open at the Vientiane City Wall.

• #LaoFoodMovement:

  • Vanh Sengaphone & Thip Athakhanh open up Snackboxe Bistro in Atlanta.

  • Laos in the House hosting 3rd Annual Pop Up Dinner in Philly.

  • Observer Dispatch spotlights Taste of Laos in Utica.

• #ImmigrantsMakeAmericaGreat:

  • Amphone Phetsisouk, definition of a refugee who risked everything to come to America, laid to rest at 63 years old.

  • Clarkston Community Center hosts first International Spring Festival with Lao culture featured.

  • Bounlorm Soumetho (family member to many Laos Angeles Roots Members)  acknowledged for his leadership in the Lao American Community of Minnesota.

3.9.18 - 3.15.18

• Lam Vong Dance to be nominated for UNESCO World Heritage Status.

• #ImmigrationMakesAmericaGreat - The Washington Post features Jennifer Mendelsohn, shining a light on the hypocrites and launching ‘resistance genealogy’

• #AAPIActors Christine Ko Joins CW’s ‘Dead Inside’ & Vinny Chhibber Joins CBS’ ‘Red Line’

• Christina Choe of Sundance-Winning ‘Nancy’ signs with WME.

• MTV’s Decoded breaks down the common argument of the Model Minority.

• Laos Angeles member, Thip Soulisak, creates fundraiser with mission of preserving Lao culture and promoting Lao American community prosperity.

• #LaoFoodMovement’s Chef Seng joins Heritage Radio Network’s Episode 31 to spread the Lao food gospel.

• Glamour Magazine: Now Trending on TV - The Sexy Asian Hunk

• It's #nationalwomensday every day. Laos named best in terms of females in parliament.

• PopSugar highlighted a Lao-Cambodian wedding. 

• For your listening pleasure: Story of brother & sister emigrating from Luang Prabang in 1998 on This is Love Podcast.

• Michelin-starred chef, James Syhabout, wants to bring the food of his native Laos to the masses.

• Featured on the Columbus Dispatch, Noi and Vongseng Luangraj of Orrville celebrate their 60th anniversary!

• New Lao Restaurant Alert: "The Lao Kitchen" in Greensboro!

• Singapore’s Augustman Magazine: 5 Things You Should Know About Vientiane and Laos

• Farm training proves key to helping reintegrate Lao human trafficking survivors.

3.2.18 - 3.8.18

- Little Laos on the Prairie: 10 Lao Diaspora Women You Should Know in 2018 

-  Fashion Icon & Founder of the Moda Box, Monica Phromsavanh, speaks about her hurdles and discoveries of becoming an innovative entrepreneur. 

- 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. 

2.23.18 - 3.1.18

- 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!