The Laotian Complete Count Committee for the 2010 Census and LAS will be at these two New Year’s Day Events.  Representatives from the committee and the community will be there to answer any questions you have regarding the Census.

Morning Event:

New Year’s Day
Friday, January 1, 2010
Wat Lao Buddhakhanti
4052 Zoar Church Road
Snellville, GA

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Evening Event:

New Year Celebration

Friday, January 1, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm to 1:00 am
Fee: $20

Location:

US Play
755 Cobb Place Blvd
Kennesaw, GA

Dinner Buffet: 8:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Live Music Featuring:

Rusty Nails Band

Fashion Show
Traditional Dance Performances
Prizes for Best Dressed and Best Couple

RSVP and Contact Info:

Joy Kosuk Sengsavang
678-372-1871

Everyone is Invited

Legacies of War was created to raise awareness about the history of the Vietnam War-era bombing in Laos, to provide space for healing the wounds of war and to create greater hope for a future of peace.

What’s in store for Legacies in 2010?

Next year will mark several significant events, including the 55th Anniversary of U.S.-Lao diplomatic relations and the historic international gathering of 100 countries in Vientiane to implement the Cluster Munitions Convention (International Treaty to Ban Cluster Bombs). Now is the time to advocate for greater U.S. funding for UXO removal, victims assistance and education in Laos.

Read the Newsletter

For More Info and to Donate to the cause:
http://www.legaciesofwar.org

From our friends at the Georgia Dance Academy:

Event: GDA Kids Talent Show
Start Time: Saturday, March 6 at 6:00pm
End Time: Saturday, March 6 at 9:00pm
Where: Athens, GA (Oconee Civic Center)

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=224938176683&mid=1a4999dG1ecc2517G4a42144G7

Metro Atlanta Korean American Chamber of Commerce and the Atlanta Festivals Foundation are hosting a 2010 Korean New Year Festival at the Gwinnet Center on January 2, 2010 (10AM-9PM) for our youth and for our local community and businesses. Including sixteen country Asian community leaders, we expect an attendance of 7,000 to 9,000 throughout the day.  Admission Price and more info at: www.atlfestivals.com

2010 Korean New Year Festival Flyer

Please help us get the word out on the 2010 Census, and why every Laotian person should be counted! According to the 2000 Census, there are an estimated 4,531 Laotian people in Georgia–which is heavily under-counted.  The correct number of people is important because that dictates the amount of federal funding given back to our community in terms of schools, hospitals, social services, and business opportunities.  It doesn’t matter if you are a citizen, non-citizen or have residence status issues.  We Count!

Please visit www.wecountgeorgia.org for information and Census documents in Lao.

Left to Right: Souraphone Sengchan (Co-Chair), Dao Malaythong (LCCC Chair), Ann Rithmyxay (Co-Chair), Helen Kim (ACCC Chair, and CPACS Director of Advocacy and Education)

Date:  Saturday, January 9th, 2010.
When:  7:00 pm to 12:00 pm

Where:

Happy Valley Restaurant
5495 Jimmy Carter Blvd.
Norcross, GA 30071

Fees:  $50/seat $500/table of 10
Web Ad:  Corporate table $750 (1/2p ad)
Corporate table $1,000 (1p ad)

Bring in The New Year with singing, dancing, and fashion shows by honorary VIP models.

5th TAAANY2010 Flyer

A 25 minute video interview in Lao telling the importance of the 2010 Census as it relates to the Laotian community in Georgia and the entire United States. Interview featuring: Ann Rithmyxay, Souraphone Sengchanh, and Dao Malaythong.

For More Info on the Laotian Complete Count Committe and Census Documents in Lao: http://www.wecountgeorgia.org

These are videos from people in our Lao community.  They were gracious enough to voice their opinions on why Laotian people everywhere should participate in Census 2010.

LAS would like thank the Atlanta Chapter of Room to Read for reaching out to us.  Please read the following letter and watch the video located on the Financial Times website, a moving piece about the education needs and poverty in the country of Laos.

To contact representatives from the Atlanta Chapter of Room to Read:
Allison Smith
atlanta@roomtoread.org
Atlanta Chapter

Event:

Please join us for the Atlanta Chapter’s Holiday Happy Hour at Fado Irish Pub beginning at 6pm tonight (273 Buckhead Ave, Atlanta, 30305; phone- 404-841-0066). Please RSVP to atlanta@roomtoread.org if you’re planning to attend — and feel free to bring a friend or guest! Please ask for the “Room to Read” table.

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Hi All:

I am hoping that all of you can share this link far and wide, and that all members of your chapter can do the same. This short video was shot by an independent team of journalists from the Financial Times while visiting our work in Laos. Laos is one of the 25 poorest countries in the world, and suffered very heavy damage from US bombing during the Vietnam War. Laos is now struggling to enter the 21st Century, and the Minister of Education once told me that they have no hope of breaking out of Least Developed Nation status unless they get all their children educated.

This video, along with a reminder that every dollar, yen, pound and Euro donated will be matched by Barclays Capital, Atlassian, and Credit Suisse, should hopefully create even more momentum behind this campaign.

If 1000 people were to each write a personal note to 20 friends and ask each to fund 100 local language children’s books (US$100) or one year of a girls scholarship (US$250), we’d see a groundswell of donations that would change a lot of lives. And of course for those who hate shopping, they can do it in honor of a loved one and print a card off our site.

Let’s help some kids to have a brighter future!!

Video Link

Thanking you in advance!
John, live from NYC

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http://www.roomtoread.org/

Room to Read’s Mission

We partner with local communities throughout the developing world to provide quality educational opportunities by establishing libraries, creating local language children’s literature, constructing schools, and providing education to girls. We seek to intervene early in the lives of children in the belief that education empowers people to improve socioeconomic conditions for their families, communities, countries and future generations. Through the opportunities that only education can provide, we strive to break the cycle of poverty, one child at a time.

LAS would like to thank NAAAP Atlanta (National Association of Asian American Professionals) and its yearly fundraising event, Chopstix for Charity, for a $500 grant towards the LAS Natasinh Dance class.  We are grateful to the Atlanta Asian community for always showing our young dancers support as they promote and preserve Laotian culture.  LAS would also like to thank Chopstix for support in previous years towards the LAS student scholarship program. Kawp chai lai lai!

Cookie Morey and Ann Rithmyxay accepting the grant from NAAAP members.

NAAAP Atlanta Chopstix for Charity

Photos from NAAAP’s Inaugural Gala Event “Impact”
Crowne Point Ravinia, Atlanta, GA

Kim Pathammavong and LAS Dancers: Amie, Mollie, Melanie, Tila, Indy, Arianna

Save the Date! All are welcome!
Interpreters will also be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Saturday, December 19, 2009 is the Laotian CCC Kick Off Census event

2pm to 5pm
Light Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

CPACS
Center for Pan Asian Community Services
3760 Park Avenue
Doraville, GA 30340
770-936-0969

A Census Specialist and Guest Speaker will give a presentation and answer all questions regarding the upcoming 2010 US Census, which we hope will put to rest concerns such as:

• Why is the Census important?
• What is the government going to do with my information?
• Is the process easy and safe?
• Do I still have to be counted if I’m not a US Citizen?  What about concerns over legal residence status?
• How can the Lao community benefit by being counted?

  For additional information contact Dao Malaythong at (770) 329-4205 or Sophia Wang at (706) 372-2382 or visit the Census Bureau’s web site at www.census.gov concerning your participation.