Lao American writer Bryan Thao Worra included at Poetry Foundation

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This week, regular Little Laos on the Prairie writer Bryan Thao Worra became the very first Lao American poet to be featured on the Poetry Foundation website. On his blog at On the Other Side of the Eye, he wrote, ”I hope my fellow Lao Americans see this not just as a personal victory, but a community victory, and that we recognize the value of our words and the things we can change from sharing our voices. That comes with responsibilities, but also infinite potential worth fighting for.” Continue Reading

Lao American raingardens?

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Lao culture is filled with many legends about the rain. The guardian Nak found at most Lao American temples were believed to frolic in the celestial waters to bring rain to earth, and sculptures of the Buddha that are unique to Lao culture are the ones in the “Calling the Rain” position. Continue Reading

Minnesota Winter Book celebrates 25th edition

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On December 14th, it was a packed house at the Open Book building in Minneapolis as the Minnesota Center for Book Arts celebrated the release of the 25th edition of the annual Winter Book. As part of a special partnership with publisher Milkweed Editions, the 2013 Winter Book was entitled Minidewak and reproduced four selected readings from Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass in a limited edition, handmade artist’s book. Continue Reading

Going back, paying it forward: Miss Minnesota USA doing good on trip to Laos

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Recently, Miss Minnesota USA 2012, Nitaya Panemalaythong, was invited by the U.S. Embassy in Laos to “help promote business, charitable, and cultural ties between Laos and the U.S.” She’s running a fundraising campaign at http://www.gofundme.com/hok38 in preparation for her trip, which will be the first time she has ever gone to Laos. Continue Reading