Lao Leadership Institute-Minnesota 2013, Cohort One

One of the interesting Lao American projects currently underway in Minnesota is the Lao Leadership Institute.

It's a special pilot program to mentor and develop emerging Lao Minnesotan community leaders.

By the end of the 5 sessions, they will be engaged to think and act on critical topics in non-profit and community organization development. Participants will go on to become board members of non-profits, advisory committees and other key projects to help make Minnesota an amazing place to live, work, learn and grow. Chanida Phaengdara Potter, founding editor of Little Laos On The Prairie is currently facilitating the training of this cohort, drawn from across the Greater Twin Cities Metropolitan Region.

Guest speakers have included Saengmany Ratsabout of the University of Minnesota, Terri Thao of Nexus Community Partners, Elizabeth Loddy Tolzmann of Tolzmann and Nordell, and Bo Thao-Urabe of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy.

A second cohort if forming for January, 2014. If you're interested in participating, be sure to contact the Lao Assistance Center at www.laocenter.org or e-mail their executive director, Sunny Chanthanouvong at sunny@laocenter.org.

Be sure to follow the Lao Assistance Center on twitter at @laocenterMN and on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Lao-Assistance-Center-Of-Minnesota/142426149136663 for continuing updates of their progress!

A big thanks to all of our individual donors and sponsors who made this possible, including the City of Minneapolis.