Healing Out Lao'd

MEET HOL GUEST: KULAP VILAYSACK

In part one of episode 21 of HOL, Kulap joins Rita for a conversation about how she created Laos Angeles, a community-based organization made up of the diaspora from Laos in Los Angeles and Orange County areas. Not only has Kulap found a passion for organizing such space, but shares about many other national Lao/tian diaspora orgs. This provides a truthful lens to one of the many layers of Lao/tian diaspora movement building work. 

In addition, Kulap shares about her tumultuous upbringing in Minnesota and how she found out her father wasn’t her real father at the age of 14 that led her to create the Origin Story documentary film. This part one of a two-part episode also dives into the various healing modalities Kulap has sought in Los Angeles to heal her inner child and break free from her own internal dialogue that reinforced her to believe she was never enough.  

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As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH KULAP:
@iamkulap on Instagram
@Laos_Angeles Instagram
Kulap Vilaysack on Facebook
@kulap on Twitter 

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Origin Story on Amazon Prime
Origin Story on Apple
Lao American Writer’s Summit
Laos In the House
Little Laos on the Prairie
Legacies of War
Kinnaly
Binly Phounsiri
Lina Luangrath
Sourita Phounsiri
Saengthong Douangdara
Steve Arounsack
Timothy Singharajah
Jane Club
Brene Brown on Vulnerability
Grinberg Method

SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and leave a positive review on the Apple Podcast app and/or iTunes to help us continue!
2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod
3. Make a one-time donation via this link.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!

Support the show

MEET HOL GUEST: LEE MUN WAH

In episode 20 of HOL, Lee Mun Wah joins Rita for a conversation about the multifaceted experiences of his journey as a Chinese American man from Oakland, CA. After losing his mother from a fatal gun shooting, Mun Wah began his journey of confronting issues of racism and social injustices through workshops/trainings and eventually founded the StirFry Seminars and Consulting in 1994. 

He has touched over 600,000 people from educational, government, corporate, and social services backgrounds with his revolutionary diversity trainings/workshops. In addition, his internationally acclaimed documentary films such as “The Color of Fear” have been seen by over millions of viewers. In 1995, the Oprah Winfrey show also produced a one-hour special that highlighted Mun Wah’s life and the impact of his work.

Today, Mun Wah is working on a few more books, hosting trainings/online webinars, and his life story will be coming out on the River of Jay! 

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

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As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH LEE MUN WAH:
StiryFry Seminar
The Color of Fear Film
If These Halls Could Talk Film

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Black Lives Matter Movement
#MeToo Movement
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Gloria Steinem Quote: The Truth Will Set You Free...
White Ghost to Describe White People in Chinese
Crazy Rich Asians Film
Greta Thunberg on The Daily Show w/Trevor Noah
Maya Angelou Quote: My mission in life is…

SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and leave a positive review on the Apple Podcast app and/or iTunes to help us continue!
2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod
3. Make a one-time donation via this link.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!

Support the show

Listen to Sharon facilitate a practice tip on exploring vegan (Lao) food and/or what it means to transition into a vegan lifestyle!!!

EPISODE OVERVIEW:
I: Practicing Gratitude
II: Tips on Veganism
III: Lao food that is already vegan
IV: More tips on vegan Lao food
V: Close

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Check out the corresponding conversation between Rita and Sharon titled: “E19: Sharon Daraphonhdeth on environmental justice and sustainability + creating access to vegan Lao food + grieving with community”

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

All costs going towards this podcast are out-of-pocket. Healing Out Lao'd is currently facilitated by one-person with amazing guests and collaborators who volunteer their time to support. Help Rita cover costs by becoming a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod OR you may make a one-time donation via this link. 

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

Follow us @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Check out HOL's brand new website as well: www.healingoutlaod.org and sign-up for the email list to receive quarterly newsletters about what's healing in our community! 

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:

Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show

MEET HOL GUEST: SHARON DARAPHONHDETH

In episode 19 of HOL, Sharon joins Rita for a conversation about her upbringing as a Lao kid in San Diego with a large Lao community and her dad as her best friend. Later, she dives deep into her work as an environmental justice and sustainability activist, which has landed her in current role as the Director of the Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) at UC Berkeley. Sharon also explores healing from personal issues of mental health and what it means for her to grieve with community, especially when it’s with student leaders and youth. 

In addition to her directorship, Sharon is also working with the Food Empowerment Project (a vegan food justice organization) to create more access to vegan Lao food!

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CONTENT WARNING:
There are mentions of sensitive topics such as depression, suicide, self-harm, and sexual assault. Please take care of yourself before deciding to listen, fam! Majority of these topics are covered around the 34 minute mark and resources are listed below for your needs.

SUICIDE HOTLINE: 1-800-273-8255
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE/SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINES: (1-800-656-HOPE/4673), and also the RAINN organization has chat services: https://hotline.rainn.org/online

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH SHARON:
@yesvegan on Instagram
Sharon on LinkedIn

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
lauren Ornelas
Food Empowerment Project
SERC UC Berkeley
Scorpio Rising
Howard Zinn’s A People's History of the United States
Janelle Monae Quote

SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and leave a positive review on the Apple Podcast app and/or iTunes to help us continue!

2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod

3. Make a one-time donation via this link.
 

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:

Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!

Support the show

MEET HOL GUEST: CAROLE CHAINON

In episode 18 of HOL, Carole joins Rita for a conversation about what it was like to grow up as part of the Lao diaspora in Paris, France and how speaking multiple languages was pretty normal for her as a kid. Later, she addresses the nuances of meeting other folx in the Asian/Lao diaspora in Hawaii that empowered her to grapple with her own Lao/tian identity and even more when she became a part of Laos Angeles. Carole speaks about her career transition from being an accountant to augmented reality and some lessons she’s learned from “playing it safe” to now seeking a life of fulfillment through practicing acceptance and gratitude. 

Today, Carole lives with her husband and business partner in Los Angeles and together, they run their own augmented reality business called: JYC AR, VR and 360 Videos Development and Production Studios! 

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH CAROLE:
@CarolePKC on Instagram and Twitter
Carole Pavina on Facebook
JYC AR, VR and 360 Videos Development and Production Studios

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Laos Angeles
Chef Saeng
Teochew People
Laos Supply “LAOS IS NEXT TO THAILAND” Tee
“WHERE ARE YOU FROM” Meme

SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and leave a positive review on the Apple Podcast app and/or iTunes to help us continue!
2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod
3. Make a one-time donation via this link.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!

Support the show

Listen to LinSun facilitate a simple breathing with intention and activating chakras meditation!!!

Check out the corresponding conversation between Rita and LinSun titled: E17: Linda “LinSun” Simthong on embodying great grandma’s spirit + educating youth of color in Belmont, NC + creating “School of Jai"

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and leave a positive review on the Apple Podcast app and/or iTunes to help us continue!

2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod

3. Make a one-time donation via this link.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show

MEET HOL GUEST: LINDA “LINSUN” SIMTHONG

In episode 17 of HOL, Linda aka “LinSun” joins Rita for a conversation about what it’s like to embody her great grandma’s spirit and speaks about her upbringing in a predominantly Black/Brown and Lao community space in Belmont, NC. Her Belmont home became a “community center” for Black/Brown youth to learn about political education and was also a site for Lao children to come to learn about Lao history and traditional dance. Later, LinSun came to found her own grassroots movement organization called “School of Jai” where she cultivates community members to find the answers inside of themselves thru “Activating Heart, Engaging Mind/Body, Inspiring Spirit thru Creative Healing, Cultural Arts, Sacred Space, & Community Upliftment.”

LinSun's future goals are to travel the world facilitating workshops on healing, cultivating food and youth empowerment that one day will become the “HEAL THE WORLD” Tour! 

---------

TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH LINSUN:
@LinsunRising on IG
School of Jai on FB
@SchoolofJai on IG
Jai Food on FB
@jaifoodclt on IG

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Legacies of War
Binly Phounsiri from HOL Episode 5
Jai Lao Foundation
Chantala Kommanivanh
Lao American Writer’s Summit in San Diego
Lao Heritage Foundation

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Join the community of HOL @healingoutlaod on Instagram & Twitter  & Facebook 

All costs going towards this podcast are out-of-pocket. Healing Out Lao'd is currently facilitated by one-person with amazing guests and collaborators who volunteer their time to support. Consider donating any funds if you are in the position to do so! Help Rita cover costs by becoming a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod OR you may make a one-time donation here.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show

Listen to Tony spit some bars thru his newly first public reading of his new poem called "Khao Mah" or "Come In" !!! 

Check out the corresponding conversation between Rita and Tony titled: E16: Tony Innouvong on being a conduit for Lao familial legacies + creating “Het Dee Dai Dee” brand + mom as inspiration

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TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

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FULL VERSE HERE: 

"Come In

I walk into my mothers kitchen, the aroma of heritage and history kicks me in the face,
Seated on a stool fit for a child, she’s hunched over a metal bowl
Her hands strong, calluses born on her palms from kneading a first generation,
There’s a certain focus as her fingers flicker through the flour
Dust sprinkled across her floral sinh
She throws a brief glance, eyes worn from being my mother and father,
And uses her lips to point at the knife she’s used for the last decade to cut noodles for Khao piek sen
These are the original pouty duck lips, just ask her and my aunties
The same lips that learned to speak just enough Lao-Lish to assimilate into a culture she was fostered into
The result of a war she never enlisted in yet still fought on the frontlines to give her seeds a chance to breathe
Shrapnel and warpaint scarred on her sleeves
puffed veins of blue blood protruding along her skin flow like the Mekong from the fold of her arm to her wrist
As clear as the line on my father’s heart monitor before he fell asleep,
She’s never seen him in her dreams she says,
And neither have I but I know he’s saved my life once or twice before,
I remember being called into her room with my younger sister and the talk of dad consumed us into tears,
We were three, holding each other until the salt crystallized on our faces,
Sometimes I wonder how many of my mother’s tears I’ve swallowed,
How they cascaded from her brown eyes into that mixing bowl,
Weaving its way into the recipes I’ve come to crave,
Khao piek sen on a sick day,
Khao niew gup guew on a lazy day,
Khao chao gup sa ew on a broke day,
But “Khao mah,”
“Khao mah” is what I really wanna say,
come here, come in, come hold,
I’m here, with you, for you,
Let’s embrace
Khao mah, Mae,
Hard times aren’t here to stay,
She knows but she’s still tired of being resilient and I can sense it in her tone,
She’s a real OG,
Immigrant in her bones,
I’d wash away her stains if I could but she’d just tell me it rains for a reason - to cleanse today for tomorrow"

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SUPPORT HOL:
1. Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave a positive review to help us continue.

2. Become a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod

3. Make a one-time donation via this link.

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show

MEET HOL GUEST: TONY INNOUVONG

In episode 16 of HOL, Tony joins Rita for a conversation about being a conduit for Lao familial legacies through his tie business-- from which he creates with Lao textiles call “sinh”. From there, Tony shares how his mom is his motivation and how he hopes to pay her back so she can live a life similar to the one she’s built for him. He drives this energy into various business ventures, including promoting his brand called “Het Dee Dai Dee” OR ”Do Good, Get Good.” 

Today, Tony travels the world with his wife and works with clients from underrepresented backgrounds to promote their brands through KitsCreativ, a co-owned website design agency.  

---------

TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

CONNECT WITH TONY:
Personal Website
@TheLaoTieGuy on Instagram + Twitter + Facebook
KitsCreativ Website
@KitsCreativ on Instagram + Twitter + Facebook

REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE:
Legacies of War
Tupac Shakur
LDS Church
Lao Sinh Textile 

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Join the community of HOL @healingoutlaod on Instagram & Twitter  & Facebook 

All costs going towards this podcast are out-of-pocket. Healing Out Lao'd is currently facilitated by one-person with amazing guests and collaborators who volunteer their time to support. Consider donating any funds if you are in the position to do so! Help Rita cover costs by becoming a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod OR you may make a one-time donation here.

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show

Suzette is a former classical ballet dancer, and was trained to understand the ways of the body and under strict tutelage from the age of 16, to practice yoga and Pilates as part of her daily schedule and has been so for over 40 years now. Suzette began teaching classical ballet using these technics while still in the middle of her performing career. Suzette has worked with diverse demographic groups and has taught her own program called “Body Awareness” that intersects the teachings of both traditional yoga + Pilates. Now, you have a chance to listen to Suzette’s practice tip on body awareness and expand your self-care toolkit!

Check out the corresponding conversation between Rita and Suzette titled: E15: Suzette Gabriel-Schoebitz on growing up Lao/French/Norwegian + cultivating an empowered Lao community thru business mindsets

---------

TAKE THE LISTENER SURVEY! (10 min) 

---------

As a brand new podcast, HOL needs your support!!! Please subscribe, give a 5-star rating, and a leave us a positive review to help us continue. KOP JAIII LAI DERRR P'NONG!!! (THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FAM!)

All costs going towards this podcast are out-of-pocket. Healing Out Lao'd is currently facilitated by one-person with amazing guests and collaborators who volunteer their time to support. Consider donating any funds if you are in the position to do so! Help Rita cover costs by becoming a monthly sustainer at patreon.com/healingoutlaod OR you may make a one-time donation here. 

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:
Follow us @healingoutlaod on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Check out HOL's brand new website as well: www.healingoutlaod.org and sign-up for the email list to receive quarterly newsletters about what's healing in our community! 

HUGE SHOUT OUTS TO:
Laos Angeles Roots Members Andrew David Vilaythong for mixing/producing the beats for HOL and "mystery person" @LaosSupply for the beautiful logo design!  

Support the show