APAICS president & CEO Madalene Xuan-Trang Mielke sits down with Lao American advocate and foodways organizer Channapha Khamvongsa. In this conversation, Khamvongsa speaks of Lao American histories, her advocacy efforts through organizations like Legacies of War and the Lao Food Foundation, as well as the central role of food in her work.

Channapha Khamvongsa Bio:

Channapha Khamvongsa has over 25 years of civil society experience, leading innovative organizations and programs to support social and racial justice and peacebuilding in the US and around the globe. Channapha founded and led Legacies of War, which seeks to address the problem of unexploded ordnance in Laos. Under her 15-year leadership, Legacies successfully shifted the tense discourse of US conflict in Laos to reconciliation and cooperation, and advocated for an increase in U.S. funding for bomb clearance in Laos, from an annual average of $2M in 2008 to $30M in 2016. In September 2016, President Barack Obama acknowledged Channapha’s advocacy efforts in Laos, where he became the first U.S. President to visit the country. Channapha has appeared in the New York Times, Democracy Now!, CNN, ABC, PBS, CBS News and Bon Appétit . She previously worked at the Ford Foundation and NEO Philanthropy on immigrant and refugee rights, civil society, civic engagement, capacity building, and transformational leadership. Her volunteer work included serving on the board of the Refugee Women’s Alliance, Seattle Asian American Film Festival and Conference on Asian American Leadership.

Today, Channapha continues to connect creative, inspiring people globally to bring about change and do awesome things together. The Lao Food Foundation seeks to promote, preserve and innovate Lao cuisine, increase knowledge through research and documentation, and support the individuals and communities that create Lao food. In 2023, the group will hold its second Lao Food Retreat in Champasak.

She was born in Vientiane, Laos and came to the U.S. as a refugee at the age of seven. Channapha received her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University. She received her Master's Degree in Public Policy from Georgetown University, where she received the Georgetown McCourt Distinguished Alumni Award.