Reflections from the pews: Navigating faith, heritage, and cultural loss

by Diverse Elders | May 31, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Community Supports, Cultural & Linguistic Adaptation, Cultural Adaptation, Diverse Communities, Diverse Elders Coalition Stories, History, Individual Stories, POC Communities, Policy and Advocacy Issues, Public Policy, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Phun H. This article originally appeared on SEARAC's blog. My older sister and I stand at the entrance to the sanctuary, the harmonious singing of the congregation beckoning us in. Sun scans the backs of heads for mom while I pull and tug at my skirt to ensure it...

Finding home through community

by Diverse Elders | May 31, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Diverse Communities, Diverse Elders Coalition Stories, Individual Stories, POC Communities, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Lisa Le. This article originally appeared on SEARAC's blog. The season of Tết, the Vietnamese New Year, is my favorite time of the year. For me, Tết encapsulates not only the weeks of preparation leading up to the days (or even weeks!) of celebration, it embraces...

Dual identity

by Diverse Elders | May 31, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Aging with Dignity, Community Supports, Cultural & Linguistic Adaptation, History, Individual Stories, Language Access, POC Communities, Policy and Advocacy Issues, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Katrina Dizon Mariategue. This article originally appeared on SEARAC's blog. As we celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, I reflect deeply on what it means to be both Asian and American. I identify as 1.5 generation immigrant from the Philippines....

Family-style meals and a community-centered movement

by Diverse Elders | May 23, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Aging and Ageism, Caregiving, Civic Engagement, Community Supports, Cultural & Linguistic Adaptation, Cultural Adaptation, DEC, Diverse Communities, History, Individual Stories, Justice, POC Communities, Policy and Advocacy Issues, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Jazmin Garett. This article originally appeared on the SEARAC blog. I’m sitting around the floor mat surrounded by my mother, grandmother, aunties, uncles, and cousins. I scan the spread laid out in front of me and I determine that a pork rib and a ball of sticky...

I remember that Hmong means free

by Diverse Elders | May 18, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Aging and Ageism, DEC, Diverse Communities, Diverse Elders Coalition Stories, History, Individual Stories, POC Communities, Policy and Advocacy Issues, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Kham Moua. This article originally appeared on SEARAC's blog. The night was filled with the heat of a blazing fire and the sight of countless sparks of paper swirling in the air. The darkness slowly faded into the first light of dawn, marking the final evening of...

Sharing joy and tradition as kon Khmer

by Diverse Elders | May 16, 2023 | Advancing Equity, Aging and Ageism, Caregiving, DEC, Diverse Elders Coalition Stories, History, Individual Stories, POC Communities, Policy and Advocacy Issues, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC)

By Nary Rath. This article originally appeared on SEARAC's blog. It’s a frigid day, the air is dry, and snow is falling like pillowy stardust piling high on the streets of my small town in Connecticut. There is something always so peaceful to me about the silence that...