FY25
Impact Report
LETTERS
FROM THE
CO DIRECTORS
Kaysone Syonesa
Co Executive Director, Operations
To our dearest community, thank you for walking in this journey with us over the many years of SEAD. I’ve crossed paths with SEAD upon taking the Lao language class back in 2017. Since then, I’ve never looked back. I’ve been involved with SEAD in multiple capacities, and 7 years later, as one of the Executive Directors to lead the direction for SEAD.
The past year has been a continuous growth as we looked for a new home that could give space to our growing team. We’ve continued to engage communities through storytelling, arts, language, and heritage. We’ve cultivated a great amount of partnership work to increase our impact with other organizations that align with our mission and values. While our work may grow, we also remember to pause and listen with community, who continues to be our north star in where SEAD goes next.
We are on a long journey with the work that we do, but I believe that all of us – our staff, partners, and supporters – are committed to this heart work together. I’m constantly inspired and grateful to every single person who has been a part of our journey. Your energy, generosity, dedication, and enthusiasm to our work are the reasons why we sustain and believe in the work that we do. Alongside your support, I know we are creating a blueprint for more innovative, creative, and transformative solutions. So thank you to our community of supporters, your hope and belief will continue to inspire and sustain us in the years to come.
Juanita Vang
Co Executive Director, Programs
Letter here
HIGHLIGHTS
FROM THE YEAR
STORYTELLING: PLANTING SEADS
Abundance Altar and Storytelling Collection Events
The year 2025 marks 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War, the end of the Secret War in Laos, and the beginning of the Khmer Rouge takeover in Cambodia—all deeply significant turning points of our vast community's stories. This significant anniversary cemented our legacy as diaspora and refugee individuals, but together this experience has united us in resilience, bravery, and care. These events shaped the journeys of Khmer, Hmong, Lao, and Vietnamese communities who resettled in Minnesota.
In honor of this anniversary, starting in 2025 SEAD hosted a series of programming to commemorate this landmark occasion and honor the stories, resilience, and cultural legacies of our community. We started to gather, preserve, and elevate the stories of our community through a multi-leveled project of art and storytelling that included the completion of a mobile art installation and the beginning of our storytelling collections of SEA stories.
In spring of 2025, we worked with 5 art installation artists and cultural advisors to design and build The Abundance Altar, a mobile centerpiece of our 50th programming. The Abundance Altar is a gathering point for our storytelling collections where community members are invited to contribute photos, mementos, and offerings that honor the people and histories that shaped us. Starting in summer of 2025, we launched our Story Collections and showcased our Mobile Altar Art Installation at various community events including COSA Fest in Brooklyn Center and Little Mekong Night Markets in St. Paul.
STATS
5 art installations artists and cultural advisors
3 community storytelling collection events
19 community stories collected
10 community partnerships
SEA CHANGE LAB
Growing creative leaders at the intersection of arts and advocacy
We had 12 young creatives as part of our Summer 2024 SEA Change Lab Cohort. This summer cohort was our first return to in-person programming since the pandemic. We had 16 sessions and artist workshops locally in the Twin Cities. The program celebrated with an exhibition showcasing each of the artist cohort’s final projects that encompassed works from sculpture, dance, short stories to paintings!
Our Changemakers: Anna Chu, April Saysithi, Carlos Xiong, Clement Lee, Deanna Nguyen, Jazmyne Pinay Neish, Laichia Vang, Nguyen Pham, Ly "Lanh" Fastner, Nou-Chee Chang, Shy Yang, Ty Giang Nguyen
TESTIMONIALS
Here's what some of our Changemakers shared about how SEA Change Lab impacted them:
“I would like to be involved in programs like this in the future. I want to be able to enrich my knowledge and skills so that I may contribute as a professional and mentor in the future. This experience has led me to understand the vitality of programs that uplift youth and expand their beliefs about what they're capable of doing--as SEA Change Lab has done for me.”
“From my experience. I believe this program would benefit all future up and coming leaders or artists of the future. Furthermore I’d say this program has helped me progress as an individual. I’ve gained so much confidence, as a result of collaborating with my fellow cohort members of the (same racial ethnic background as me) outside of class. I’ve made so many new connections! Formed relationships. The workshops have transformed my understanding of different techniques, when it comes to learning different mediums of art, leadership skills. I’ve also felt I was in a safe space, to hone my craft, without fear of criticism.”
“The SEAD Project transformed how I see myself as an artist, opening new ways to connect with my creativity and community. The mentors shared so much wisdom that enriched my growth as both an artist and creative thinker. I made incredible friends, and it felt great to connect over our shared cultural backgrounds and experiences. I miss the adventures and memories, but I’m grateful for every moment. The program deepened our knowledge and strengthened our sense of community. It was a beautiful, fun experience, and I highly recommend it. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Raise Our Roots 2024
Our 8th annual gala featuring Southeast Asian fashion artists
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STATS
## fashion artists
## attendees
## silent auction donors
## raised
Community events, Workshops, & Partnerships
SEAD increases our organizational capacity and community impact by strengthening our community engagement, partnerships, and solidarity work.
STATS
15 community events
1272 connections made
Community Partnerships & Events
Carleton College Immigration Panel
Carleton College Storytelling Mapping Workshop + Community Resource
Colors of Southeast Asia (COSA) Fest
Hmong American Partnership Radiate Fair
Lao Center of Minnesota Community Fair
Lao Heritage Foundation: Lao Arts and Culture Camp
Laomerica Exhibition Opening
Little Mekong Night Market
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Storytelling Workshop
New Wave Film Screening: Sound Unseen Film Festival
Raise Our Roots: Naga Dreams Gala
SEA Change Lab Exhibition
University of Minnesota, Northrop's Community Arts Expo + Open House
University of Minnesota, Northrop's Timeless Tide + Exhibition
Wise Youth Summit
FINANCIALS
OUR GRATITUDE
Thank you to all our staff, board, community, donors, supporters, language teachers, contractors, and volunteers who made our work possible.
FUNDERS
Asian American Advancing Justice
Carlson Family Foundation
F.R. Bigelow Foundation
Marbrook Foundation
McKnight Foundation
MN Promise Act
Minnesota State Arts Board**
**This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Mississippi Market
Propel Nonprofits
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation