Sankar Raman

Breaking the Bamboo Ceiling

The Honorable Chanpone Sinlapasai does not know when she was born. Her Lao tribe did not document any life cycle events. For her American immigration paperwork, 

I’m Not Supposed to Be Here

Chanpone Sinlapasai was born in war-torn Laos and came to the US at age four. As a child acting as interpreter for her parents, she soon realized  

Sankar Raman

Changing the System from Within

Chanpone Sinlapasai was born in Laos during a bloody civil war, and narrowly escaped to the US with her family at just four years old.

Kim Oanh Nguyen

A Career Wrapped in Banana Leaves

The first thing to know about Phet Schwader is that his first name is pronounced “Pet.” Unless it marks the start of a word, the letter “H” is typically

Sankar Raman

A Journey Protected by a Force of Light

In many of Soulayvanh Beisel’s earliest memories, everybody is traveling by boat. She remembers how monsoons would wash through her hometown of Tha Ngon,

Sankar Raman

Bending Toward Justice

When she started watching Perry Mason at age five, Jeanice Chieng was already intrigued by how the law could be used to fight injustice.