FY25
Impact Report (WORK IN PROGRESS)
LETTERS
FROM THE
CO DIRECTORS
Kaysone Syonesa Schneider
Co Director, Partnerships and Development
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 Director, Programs and Operations
Year One was for understanding. Year Two was for getting settled. Year Three was for growth.
As Kay and I reach our three year anniversary as co-directors, we’ve seen our SEAD grow. We’ve grown our national reach, our partnerships, our community, and our team has even outgrown our office space. But even as we grow, we continue to bring all of our traditions, cultural knowledge, and history with us. SEAD will always be for community, by community.
In our fiscal year 2024, SEAD was fortunate to reconnect in person and talk directly with our community. We worked with family units, helping younger members of families interview their elders for our second story anthology, “Planting SEADS, Knowing Our Joy.” We spoke to over 100+ individuals about their hopes for the future and their concerns in the present. With all of these conversations, we know that our communities are looking for continued equitable growth in everything from mental health, to housing and financial stability, and educational access. SEAD will never be a sole expert in these topics, but we plan on working together with our constituency to find solutions and support one another.
From this Winter’s SEA Change Lab cohort–“Honestly, I loved the sessions that allowed me to be more in touch with my own humanity, learning about community building in a more emotional and spiritual sense.” This is our goal.. We will continue to consciously grow, while looking out for one another, continuing to make spaces like this for our community.
HIGHLIGHTS
FROM THE YEAR
STORYTELLING: PLANTING SEADS
Abundance Altar and Storytelling Collection Events
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STATS
30 story collectors
32 elders
18 published stories
50 book launch attendees
SEA CHANGE LAB
Growing creative leaders at the intersection of arts and advocacy
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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:
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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
874 connections made
Community Partnerships & Events
Little Asia Market
People Fest
Uplifting Voices
Macalester Student Fair
Cambodian Student Association of Minnesota New Year
U of MN, Northrop's 10,000 Dreams Panel and Community Exhibition
Cooper High School
Metro Asian Celebration
Legacies of War
Celebrate Hmong
SpringPop!
Wedge Co-Op
Celebrate Little Mekong
Knowing Our Joy Book Launch
Raise Our Roots: Ground Joy Gala
FINANCIALS
REVENUE - $527,622
Foundation Grants
83%
$439,718
Government Grants
6%
$33,250
Other Income
5%
$27,864
Registration Fees
3%
$15,257
Contract Fees
1%
Individual Contributions
1%
$7,700
$3,832
EXPENSES - $535,868
Management & General
20%
Storytelling
19%
Cultural Organizing
17%
$109,005
$102,089
$92,860
Fundraising
13%
$70,222
SEA Roots
11%
SEA Change
10%
SOON Enterprise
10%
$58,606
$51,612
$51,473
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
Asian American Futures
Best Buy Foundation
Carlson Family Foundation
ECMC Go! Foundation
F.R. Bigelow Foundation
Headwaters Foundation for Justice
Marbrook Foundation
McKnight Foundation
Minneapolis Foundation
Minnesota Humanities Center*
*This work is funded in part by the Minnesota Humanities Center with money from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created with the vote of the people in Minnesota on November 4, 2008.
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.
Otto Bremer Trust
Propel Nonprofit
St. Paul & Minnesota Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
Women’s Foundation of MN