From American Dream to Uncertainty: The Refugee Experience and Who Defines Who Is American

About this episode

The episode discusses the refugee experience of Lao Americans in the context of U.S. immigration policy and features storytelling and a musical performance.

Join us for a special Songkran program celebrating the Southeast Asian New Year. We’ll bring together Lao American community members who will offer perspectives on the human consequences of the current U.S. immigration policy. Raised in the United States, many Lao American refugees are vulnerable to current immigration policy changes, with some facing deportation back to a country unfamiliar to them. Through storytelling of their own lives, we’ll explore issues of belonging and the impact of families currently being separated. The discussion will conclude with a special musical performance by Tookta and Morlam SF, followed by a reception featuring a traditional blessing and Southeast Asian flavors. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Commonwealth Club of California

Topics covered

• refugee experience
• immigration policy
• Lao American community
• belonging
• family separation
• Southeast Asian New Year

Keywords

• refugee
• immigration
• Lao American
• deportation
• family separation
• Songkran
• Southeast Asia

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Morlam SF

Places: United States, Southeast Asia

More episodes of Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

• CLIMATE ONE: Medium Rare: What’s Next For Meat? · June 12, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Unfrozen: The Fight for the Future of the Arctic · June 9, 2026 · 1h 6m
• Young King: The Making of Martin Luther King Jr. · June 8, 2026 · 1h 7m
• CLIMATE ONE: ENCORE: Cities Leading the Way · June 5, 2026 · 1h 4m
• Outdoors Writer Tom Stienstra Shares His Tales of Survival … and Top Adventure Spots · June 3, 2026 · 1h 2m
• The Fight Against AI-Powered Surveillance with EFF's Cindy Cohn and Adam Savage · May 31, 2026 · 1h 8m