As many of you may remember, 10 years ago on October 13th, Chan Bounkeut and her father Gwai were shot through the door of their home and Chan lost her life. Out of this tragedy, the West County Southeast Asian community, public system and community organizations came together to address the issues of violence impacting their and other communities. Southeast Asian young people also played a big role in creating an active youth group that came to be known as Southeast Asian Young Leaders, or SEAYL. We have had other losses including Alan “Ace” Lee, as well as members of the Viengvilai family who were tragically lost in a fire. In the spirit of remembrance and celebration, we are hosting a 10-year SEAYL Anniversary and and a Candlelight Vigil on Saturday, October 12th, 2013 at Nicholl Park. The reunion will be a space for SEAYL supporters and members, both past and present, to reconnect with one another, and for those connected to the Bounkeut, Lee and Viengvilai families who wish to mark this time of loss and hope.
The reunion will be held from 3-6pm at Nicholl Park in Richmond, CA, and will include a BBQ, games, and networking. The candlelight vigil will honor the memory of SEAYL youth and families that have experienced tragedy and loss. There will be space for honored guests to say a few words. The vigil will be held from 6-7pm also at Nicholl Park. If it rains then the vigil will be moved to the CHAA office on 207 37th St. in Richmond.
This event is open to the public and we encourage you to invite anyone you think should come to the event. Please call SEAYL co-coordinators if you have any questions: Nadia Hussain (510) 559-0033 or Nga Le (916) 261-1123.