Knowing Our JoyKnowing Our Joy

"From the very beginning, SEAD has worked to collect and amplify the stories of our Southeast Asian diaspora community. When outside sources, however, ask us for our stories, they continually center our trauma, focusing on the war and the struggles we've experienced instead of our wholistic personhood. With this collection, our elders will be sharing their strength, their inner peace, and what brings them joy. This collection is for you. Whether you're third generation or first, whether you speak your heritage language or want to learn -- we celebrate your identity and the resiliency of our people. We hope these stories of joy make you feel seen, heard, recognized, and held. Almost 50 years ago, in the year 1975, droves of Southeast Asian refugees left the Mekong Delta, becoming members of a diaspora community. Sponsored by the Lutheran churches, thousands of these families ended up here in Minnesota. This collection honors our first generation elders that have settled and thrived, building their lives and raising their families away from their homelands. The traditions, histories, and memories of these places, however, is not lost. All of it lives on and thrives within our elders. Each of their stories preserves and acknowledges the experiences and lives of our people, the history and legacy of our cultures."--