Chantala, Chicago

Do you remember your first summer job?

Yeah I do. We did nothing. It was a Mayor Daley Summer Job and it was organized by the Laotian community center in Chicago. They basically collected all the Laotian kids from all the neighborhoods, and we went to apply for the job. When we got the job, we went to the community center and we would play cards and hang out. When the inspector would come to see what we were doing, we would act like we were picking up phones and doing inventory. It was all good, I was only 13 years old.

catzie vilayphonhJuly 24, 2014first summer job, growing up in america, Chicago, kids, childhood memories

Layla, Washington D.C.

Can you tell us on thing about Laos?

Uhhhmmm…

Are you thinking really hard?

*Nods

Is there something you like?

*Nods

Is it the sticky rice?

*Nods

Hero, Virginia

Oh my is that your phone? But it’s broken!

It still works, it’s still recording! I just need to get your name.

Hero.

Your name is Hero?

Yes.

Can you tell us one thing you know about Laos?

My dad was born there.

catzie vilayphonhJuly 24, 2014kids, Lao Heritage Foundation, music, dad, laos

Jet, Washington D.C.

Kanoi ummm… Well, I’m just Jet, like the airplane.

Jet (right) with Washington D.C. Lao Heritage Foundation youth musicians Ryan, Aaron, Jaden, Hero, & Layla.

catzie vilayphonhJuly 24, 2014kids, music, Lao Heritage Foundation, Washington D.C.

Phitsamay, Lowell, MA

My first memory of the refugee camp was waiting for the U.N./Red Cross to come with food rations, and I remember that this other older lady didn’t have any children and my mom would loan me to her because if you had more children you get more food. So once I week I pretended to be her daughter. Whenever I would go with Mae Ba I would get a lollipop, so of course I always wanted to go with her.

catzie vilayphonhJuly 22, 2014refugee camp, memories in Laos, kids, mom, food, Legacies of War, Lowell