Thip Khao Talk

Welcome to a special episode of Thip Khao Talk where your extraordinary guest narrators, Gracy, Janny, and Kadiatou, invite you to join them on an exclusive journey behind the scenes. In this episode, we embark on a captivating exploration of the distinctive world experienced by remote summer interns at Legacies of War.

Discover the challenges and triumphs of working from home while contributing to a mission of peace and healing. Gain insights into the dynamic virtual workspace that brings together a diverse team from across the United States, spanning the vast expanse from the West to the East coast.

Get ready to uncover the untold stories, personal experiences, and valuable lessons learned by these interns as they navigate the meaningful work of Legacies of War. Join us for an enlightening and inspiring glimpse into the life of a summer intern at the heart of a mission-driven organization.

Get to know our interns:

Gracy is currently a junior at Princeton University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and certificates in Statistics and Machine Learning and Technology and Society. She has a strong background in policy research and community involvement, with a deep commitment to human rights. She hopes to use her science and technology background to help aid social issues and target current political challenges. With her strong work ethic and empathy for affected communities, Gracy is determined to contribute to the inspiring mission of Legacies of War and raise awareness of the devastating consequences of war.

Janny is a junior at Princeton University, studying Public and International Affairs. She was born and raised in Kodiak, Alaska! In her free time, she likes to watch k-dramas, play tennis, and listen to Stray Kids. She was excited to be working with Legacies of War this summer and learn more about the history of Laos and work on educating and raising awareness of the Secret War in Laos!

Kadiatou was born in America but grew up in West Africa Guinea. She is a rising senior, attending the University of Dayton, who is currently studying English and minoring in Anthropology. Kadiatou wants to make an impact on the world. With her deep love for writing and comprehension, she wants to spread her experiences and heal those that are forced to abide by rules. Kadiatou wants people to know with her words and experiences that she sees them as she maneuvers through and conquers those rules. In her free time, she likes to hang out with her friends and family. She enjoys a space with community but also likes to have time for herself to read or listen to music.

2023 marks a critical year for Legacies of War’s mission as it is the 50th year since the last American bombs were dropped on Laos (August 14th, 1973) as well as the 50th year since the signing of the Paris Peace Accords (January 27th, 1973).

This year our podcast is focused on remembrance.

This is an homage to all the lives that were lost during war, the current victims of UXO/landmine accidents, and future victims of UXO accidents if we do not find and remove indiscriminate weapons that still impact people today first. This is our way of showing the promise that we will never forget them and continue our fight for funding and education of the history and resolve the current problems.

We think the Forget-Me-Not flower is fitting as it symbolizes love, respect and the promise that the recipient of the flower will always be remembered.

Our community engagement work is intentionally multi-disciplinary, integrating not only history and politics but also food, art, fashion, and cultural heritage. In addition to educating and mobilizing community members from the U.S. about the UXO issue in Laos, our work aims to help the diaspora from Laos to embrace the shared history of war and refuge it once shunned, turning shame and pain into a narrative of resiliency, cultural pride and healing.  

 This is why we return to Laos every year.   

Unpack with our team, including our Board Members Pajouablai Monica Lee and Renee Ya as well as Aleena Inthaly, Danae Hendrickson, and Anna Phommachanthone as we revisit our most recent trip and what it means to a be a child of the diaspora and engaging with the communities impacted by the lasting effects of war. Retrace our steps with us as we take you all on a journey back to Southeast Asia.  

We wrap up this year with our take on the future ahead and what we can all look forward to ahead in 2023 and beyond.

Our community engagement work is intentionally multi-disciplinary, integrating not only history and politics but also food, art, fashion, and cultural heritage. In addition to educating and mobilizing community members from the U.S. about the UXO issue in Laos, our work aims to help the diaspora from Laos to embrace the shared history of war and refuge it once shunned, turning shame and pain into a narrative of resiliency, cultural pride and healing.   

This is why we return to Laos every year.   

Unpack with our team for this very special two part- episode, listen to the voices of our Board Members Pajouablai Monica Lee and Renee Ya as well as Aleena Inthaly, Danae Hendrickson, and Anna Phommachanthone as we revisit our most recent trip and what it means to a be a child of the diaspora and engaging with the communities impacted by the lasting effects of war. 

Retrace our steps with us as we take you all on a journey back to Southeast Asia.  We wrap up this year with our take on the future ahead and what we can all look forward to ahead in 2023 and beyond.

This Thip Khao Talk, we had the pleasure of speaking with Souksaveuy Keotiamchanh, founder of Zero Waste Laos based out of Vientiane.

Zero Waste Laos, an organization founded in 2019 and pursuing non-profit status, began as a Facebook group to increase awareness about waste management and has since evolved to appoint and train youth to be “Sustainability Leaders”, increase awareness of environmental issues and pragmatic solutions, and advocate for banning single-use plastics and trash burning. The organization recruits volunteers, trains youth ambassadors, and works with community partners to spread awareness about waste management and “green” practices, and engages various Laos sectors in the fight against climate change.

Open burning of trash has been recognized as a very common way for people to get rid of their waste in Laos. Over the years it has also proven to be a very dangerous and risky method for disposing of waste, especially in areas that are heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance.

Zero Waste Laos’ goals include becoming a non-profit, establishing “role model schools” across Laos, encouraging youth to solve environmental issues through providing environmental education on waste separation, composition, and burning, and campaigning for a bottom-up approach to ban single-use plastic and stop trash burning.

As we celebrated Mother’s Day and continue to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage month, in today’s Thip Khao Talk, we are reflecting on the stories of matriarchs in the Laotian community.

In this special episode, we are joined by our Chief of Staff, Aleena Inthaly’s Mother Vienxay Inthaly as she opens up about the past and shares her hopes for the future. During this talk, we also hear from another matriarch and past Thip Khao Talk special guest, Pa Bounthanh Phommasathit who serves as the inspiring voice that brings together generations and provides comfort to other mothers in the community to open up and amplify their voices too.

Join us for this emotional episode, as we listen to the stories of Lao Americans and how reslience, love, and loss can help us build a brighter future for generations to come.

Bios of the moms:

Bounthanh Phommasathit is a bombing survivor, a former refugee originating from Laos, and a community-minded entrepreneur. Her past experiences continue to resonate with her and have driven her to become the woman she is today. She earned a B.A. in social work from Capital University and received a Master of Human Services Management from Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio.

Vienxay Inthaly is a known as a Lao dessert extraordinaire, community aunty for all, and serves on the Board of Directors of the newly formed Jai Dee Organization of Virginia. She remains one of Legacies of War’s longest serving volunteers and community caterers and has shared that one of the best ways she continues to serve the community is through cooking and sharing her love of food with the neighborhood.

Prior to our recording, Elaine Russell, Author and former member of Legacies of War’s Board of Directors sat down with us to uncover an archive of over 3,000 photos captured from the very first trips with Legacies. This Thip Khao, we will be flipping through the various photos of the special faces and places we will always remember as part of our mission’s tapestry of hope.

Elaine first traveled to Laos in 2006 to research her novel, Across the Mekong River, the story of a Hmong family fleeing Laos after the Vietnam War-era civil war. On this trip she learned about the terrible tragedy of unexploded ordnance (UXO), remaining from U.S. bombing campaigns in Laos during the Vietnam War. On returning home, Elaine connected Legacies of War.

She volunteered with the group, assisting at many Legacies’ events around the U.S., and serving on the Legacies’ Board of Directors for five years. She traveled with the organization to Laos in 2008 and 2010, and remains an ardent supporter of the groups important mission.

Elaine has written two essays on the civil war in Laos and its aftermath. The first essay, “Legacies of War: Cluster Bombs in Laos,” was coauthored with Channapha Khamvongsa, previously Director of Legacies of War. The article was first published in the Critical Asian Studies Journal in June of 2009. It has since been updated to reflect current information on the situation and the progress made in UXO clearance in Laos. This article is included in the book: The United States, Southeast Asia, and Historical Memory, Edited by Mark Pavlick with Caroline Luft. Chicago, Illinois, Haymarket Books, June 2019.

Elaine also wrote the essay, “Living with Unexploded Ordnance: Past Memories and Present Realities in Laos,” published in the book: Interactions with a Violent Past: Reading Post-Conflict Landscapes in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Edited by Vatthana Pholsena & Oliver Tappe. Singapore: NUS Press, 2013.

In this episode, retrace the steps of Linda Gehman Peachey, Former Co-Director Peace and Justice Ministries of the Mennonite Central Committee in Laos, as she shares her story.

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Linda Gehman Peachey is a freelance writer living in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Previously, Linda worked for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) on women’s concerns and also served with her husband, Titus, as co-director of Peace and Justice Ministries. From 1980-1985, they also worked in Laos with MCC, with humanitarian assistance focused on post-war recovery. She and Titus have two adult daughters and enjoy visiting them in Chicago and Guatemala.