Nick Sinsabaugh / The SWC Sun
JUST GETTING STARTED—After a relatively quiet half century in America, Laotian refugees and their descendants are stepping into the light in an exhibit at the SWC library.
By Valeria Vazquez
For 50 years Laotian immigrants in the United States have been pushed aside, lumped together with the other Southeast Asians as generically “Indochinese.”
A stunning new mobile exhibit is hoping to change that by celebrating the unique beauty of the Laotian culture.
Leaders of the sponsoring organization, Laotian American Organization of San Diego, said they hope to put Laotians on the map in Southeast Asian and the United States, said LAOSD Chairman Pida Kongphouthone.
“We want younger Lao Americans and Cambodian Americans to understand their history and their origin stories,” he said. “Only then can we preserve them for future generations.”
Laotian immigrants started to arrive in great numbers to the U.S. in 1975 as refugees fleeing the horrors of the Vietnam War and the takeover of the Vietcong. Laotians and Cambodians faced genocide, starvation and brutality for extremist regimes.
Kongphouthone said Laotians have worked hard to succeed in America but may have lost their sense of heritage along the way.
“History and education have shown that if people know their origin story – culturally, spiritually, linguistically – it gives them a sense of pride,” he said.
Curators gathered Lao history to display in public spaces, he said, and to become more “present” in American society.
Laotian artist Vika Thach said Asian Americans are not well represented in American culture.
“I remember growing up and going to school and never hearing about the Laotian community,” she said. “Most of the time what we learned was watered down Vietnam War history. Laotians were pretty much left out.”
Brianna Phinsavanh, the social media and marketing manager of LAOSD, said the exhibit is a steppingstone.
“It will help us to push our education initiative to get Laotian studies into textbooks,” she said.
A timeline of Laotian immigrants journey to San Diego County starts in 1975 with a community of Lao refugees of about 8,000 and ends with Lao American Refugee Remembrance Day on December 9, 2025.
Southwestern College Professor Joseph Allen Ruanto-Rameriz said the Asian American community has been taking big strides towards empowerment.
“I feel like we are just getting started,” he said. “This is the most representation I’ve seen to date. I am happy to see representation improve and I hope there is much more to come.”
Kongphouthone agreed.
“American needs to know that refugees and immigrants are here for a reason.”
