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 that government systems were not really helping people with their complex needs in adapting to a new culture. Supported by her grandmothers, teachers and colleagues at her first job, she set out to fix that disconnect.
I Am An American Live is a production of the award-winning nonprofit The Immigrant Story. The stories were presented live at The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, Beaverton, OR on Saturday, April 15, 2023. This series of events is part of the programming by the Oregon Rises Above Hate coalition, with the aim of drawing attention to the historic xenophobia experienced by the Asian American community in Oregon and across the U.S.
This free event is made possible by a generous contribution by Anne Naito-Campbell. Additional funds for Programming has been provided by Ronald Naito Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and by a grant from the Oregon Heritage Commission and Oregon Parks and Recreation.