For the past twelve years, SEARAC has held annual Leadership and Advocacy Trainings (LAT) in Washington, DC and regionally. These trainings provide a forum for Southeast Asian American community leaders to participate in three days of advocacy education, leadership strategizing, collaborative networking, and relationship building with decision makers on issues that are specific to the Southeast Asian American community. These trainings are open nation-wide to all members of the Southeast Asian American community and/or individuals currently working with the Southeast Asian American community.

SEARAC held two leadership and advocacy trainings in the summer of 2010 in Washington, DC and Long Beach, CA. Each training brought together dozens of community leaders who spent two intensive days focusing on specific policy issues and strategizing for an advocacy meeting. Participants then spent the last day visiting the offices of elected officials with their well-honed messages. Participants learned about and advocated on issues in immigration, education and health policy. Check it out for yourself!

To view an agenda from last year’s training, click here, then check out the videos below to hear what last year’s participants had to say about the training.

SEARAC is pleased to announce its Thirteenth Annual Southeast Asian American Leadership & Advocacy Training. This year, SEARAC will be convening in two strategic locations:

- New Orleans, LA: May 22-24, 2011
- Washington, DC: July 24-26, 2011

For more information and to apply online, click here.

- The application deadline for the New Orleans, LA training is March 20, 2011.
- The application deadline for the Washington, DC training is May 1, 2011.

Please contact Riamsalio Phetchareun at riamsalio@searac.org or (202) 667-4690 with any additional questions.

Leadership and Advocacy Training (LAT)

Ready for the experience of a lifetime?

VIET Fellows is looking for mature, motivated, and inspiring people to be a part of the Class of 2011.

The Vietnam Involvement and Engagement Tour (VIET) is a multifaceted effort to invest in the leadership of young Vietnamese Americans in order to improve the quality of life of communities in the US and Vietnam. The VIET Fellows program is an example of how to engage Vietnamese Americans in civic participation and their drive to give back to the community.

As a VIET Fellow, you will:

• Learn about issues affecting Vietnamese Americans,
• Explore environmental and health disparities in Vietnam,
• & Become a leader in your community.

Applications are due Thursday, March 31. For more info, visit VIET Fellows

Held in collaboration between San Francisco-based Hyphen, a non-profit news and culture magazine, and The Asian American Writers’ Workshop, the preeminent literary arts organization devoted to Asian American literature—the 2011 Asian American Short Story contest is a unique competition highlighting the amazing literary talent coming out of our communities. Garnering hundreds of submissions from all parts of the country and representing all peoples of Asian America, this contest has proven itself as a major cultural event.

The contest will begin accepting submissions starting Tuesday, March 1 and will conclude on May 15. Open to all writers of Asian descent living in the United States and Canada. Please visit: Hyphen Magazine or AAWW for more information.