The 2005 Southeast Asian Heritage Series began Monday night at 7 p.m. in List Art 120 with "Seasons of Migration: War, Displacement, Migration, Deportation" - a program composed of student voices, performances and local guest speakers.
The month's Southeast Asian event organizers, Cindy Beavon '07 and Pam Techapaibul '07, introduced the series to a crowd of about 50 by describing some of the complexities of Southeast Asian identity while also calling for unity in the community.
"To us, the phrase 'seasons of migration' emphasizes the plight of recent immigrants and refugees to the United States. Many of these immigrants and refugees have not just moved from their country of birth to the U.S. but, because of wars in Southeast Asia, have been forced to move from place to place," Beavon said.
"We hope to bring a sense of Southeast Asian community to Brown and Providence because, despite our differences, whatever our struggles are, we are all proud of our heritage," Techapaibul added.
Rahul Keerthi '09 spoke about his expectations for the coming years as a "third culture kid" who was born in India and raised in Germany with Singaporean heritage.
"I wanted to come here with my parents' blessings, not to pursue the immigrant's American Dream, but to experience the American reality - a bustling world full of robust individuals with their own dreams, desires and difficulties," he said.
Cami Benedicto '05.5 reflected on understanding her Filipino-American identity as she made her way from Southern California to Simon's Rock College of Bard and, finally, to Brown.
"I couldn't even begin to really answer my own questions until I started to engage in meaningful dialogue with other Southeast Asians, Filipinos and Filipino-Americans. This was the opportunity I was given at Brown," she said.
After the student speakers, Chua Yang performed a traditional Hmong musical performance, and Ra Chun, founder of the Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, spoke about his experiences as a Cambodian refugee and the events that led up to his community involvement.
Chun described living as a Cambodian slave under the Khmer Rouge, moving as a teenager to California in 1984, struggling with his sister's murder in 1989 and falling into gang activity. He later decided to start over with $100 from his mother and moved to Rhode Island, where he became involved in gang activity again. Chun spent five years in prison but finally resurrected his life with self-determination and local support, he said.
Chun said that it is important to recognize the struggles of Southeast Asian youths who have been relocated to the United States.
"Over 50 percent of Southeast Asian youths are dropping out of high school and around 50 percent are joining gangs," Chun said. After the speech, Chun raised over $400 for the Cambodian Society.
Doua Thor, executive director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center in Washington, gave the keynote speech and focused on changes made in the Southeast Asian community over the last 30 years after the fall of Saigon.
She said it is a common myth that Southeast Asians are overrepresented in higher education. Thor is working with the College Board in conjunction with New York University to study Asian-American communities on college campuses.
The event ended with a traditional thank-you ceremony in which the Thai Wai was performed by Techapaibul and Beavon.
The heritage series continues tonight with a performance by Cambodian hip-hop star Prach and Providence's Zawadi in the Underground at 7 p.m.
