About | theseadproject

We are creative and literary storytellers redefining what community development and cultural representation looks like for the Southeast Asian diaspora.

SEAD'S THEORY OF CHANGE

SEAD is the river carrying our communities towards a new ecosystem. This is the ecosystem we're nurturing.

Knowledge & Skills

Increasing education of SEA history, culture, issues
Equipping use of storytelling tools for change
Accessing community resources

Actions & Behaviors

Self-awareness of agency and voice for advocacy
Understanding and navigating systems
Meaningful engagement and connection to community
Creating and participating in emerging social ecosystems

Conditions & Impact

Disruption of traditional systems
Investment in new social ecosystems
Collective support in self-determination and solidarity

MISSION

The SEAD Project (Southeast Asian Diaspora) is a community organization on a mission to be an accessible creative hub that provides streamlined workshops and tools to engage and share knowledge in Khmer, Hmong, Lao and Viet diaspora communities. Through safe and welcoming spaces, we hope to grow empowerment to plant the seeds of hope and possibility, locally and globally.

VISION

We envision a growing Southeast Asian diaspora ecosystem that actively rethinks, reimagines and reshapes what’s possible in sustainable community development, with a pivoted focus on empowering Southeast Asian leaders, women and young people through art, language, and storytelling.

ORIGINS

The SEAD Project started in 2011 with the vision of a group of Southeast Asians who wanted to not only connect with their roots and heritage but to think bigger and beyond preservation. Since 2015, SEAD is a legally recognized 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

SEAD'S VALUES

Community-minded

SEAD reflects the needs and hopes of our community by increasing visibility and voice.

Integrity-leading

SEAD fosters principles that encourage compassion, mutual accountability, and transparency, while striving for a sustainable future.

Creative

SEAD encourages curiosity, engagement, and representation through varying and explorative forms of artistic expression.

Culturally accessible

SEAD creates culturally-responsive programs, resources, and space that represent our community, prioritizing the SEA diaspora and leaving space for solidarity with other marginalized identities.