Everybodyyyy! Laos in the House! It's just fun to say. Laos in the House is a project to promote storytelling and document history within the Lao-American community through a writing, performing and filmmaking workshop. Working with artists in various genres from across the country, this community-based work will be presented during the Lao New Year celebration in April-May 2015 and reflect 40 years of the Lao-American diaspora.
The focus of Laos in the House will be Lao war refugees whose upbringings did not necessarily prioritize art education, while giving voice to previously unheard stories in hopes of healing the scars of war and beginning the process of regular intercultural and intergenerational exchanges. Watch this video for more information:
I recently heard from poet/writer/creative director Catzie Vilayphonh, who received a $25,000 Knight Arts Challenge Philadelphia award to start up the project. This is a matching grant, which means any donations made to Laos in the House will be matched by the Knight Foundation, dollar for dollar. That where you come in.
The goal is to raise $10,000 via Indiegogo by May 7 to get Laos in the House closer to the full $25,000 match. Funds will help cover all the details required to put an event like this together. For further information about Laos in the House, and to lend your support with a pledge, visit Indiegogo.