4/25 - Monkey Dance & Laotian Daughter

In the documentary, Monkey Dance, demonstrates the rich culture of refugee/immigrant families settling in America. We see the communities’ living conditions, such as poverty and gang violence. Unfortunately, some of these issues that happen within the community are often normalized and neglected.

 Additionally, we are able to see the resistances within youth culture in the ways they behave every day. Many of their parents are from the Khmer Rouge, they are aware of the traumatic history of their parents and therefore they to fulfill their parent’s expectations. As a second generation, Khmer woman, I resonate with one of girl’s narrative. She wants to do well for her family, but at the same time, she seeks for more independence and freedom.


In Laotian Daughters, the piece provides a beautiful insight about of a Southeast Asian women mobilizing for healthier and safer living conditions. The article serves as an important reminder to me of how important it is to desegregate data within the Asian Pacific Islander community. The Model minority myth manifest in ways that I am both unlearning and learning.  People are often unaware of the issues surrounding the Southeast Asian Community, because of the harmful grouping that are “all Asians are the same”. Due to this notion, indigenous and smaller ethnic groups within the Asian Community are left with even less representation and resources.

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