“I am excited to be accepted into the 2019 Leadership & Advocacy Training (LAT) hosted by SEARAC, from June 19-21, 2019, in Washington D.C.,” said Juleeah Vang, Policy-Advocacy Assistant at ASIA, Inc. “As a descendant of Southeast Asian heritage, this training speaks to me. As a Hmong-American in the Midwest and living in the suburbs of Akron, Ohio, I struggled with my identity. I know that through this training I will become a better advocate and leader for my community, and learn more about my Southeast Asian American identity.”

“Serving as the Policy-Advocacy Assistant at ASIA, Inc. leading the organization’s statewide civic engagement efforts I’ve had the opportunity to network and build relationships with like-minded leaders all across the nation and begin to explore what it means to be Hmong-American to me. The policy field is always changing and evolving. There is never a dull moment, and because of that, we need to always continue our education and knowledge to improve our efforts. You have to be on your feet to provide the best for your community, your volunteers, and yourself,” said Vang.

“The training includes practice with communications for advocacy and policy solutions for Southeast Asian communities and legislative visits with Congressional representatives and/or their staff on Capitol Hill. I learned about LAT through my supervisor, Kimlee Sureemee. She was a past alumnus of the 2015 cohort and shared how her experiences at LAT shaped who she is today as an advocate of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and as a Thai-American.”

The LAT program is a three-day training intended for connecting advocates from Southeast Asian American communities to uplift their stories, explore the collective Southeast Asian American (SEAA) identity, and build collective power as they learn how to become advocates for policy change.

If you are seeking more information about ASIA, Inc.’s Policy-Advocacy & Development Department please visit the website www.asiaohio.org/civicengagement.