A Legacy Of Hope
By Kane Vongsavanh
I became connected to Legacies of War when I moved to Washington, DC after law school. The organization was a significant part of my understanding of where and how my family came to the U.S. Through various Legacies of War events, I also reconnected with the vibrant Lao American community. I eventually served on the Legacies of War board.
Like many Lao Americans who came to the U.S. as young children, I didn’t know about the history or the bombing in Laos. Even though I heard stories from my father, who fought alongside the Americans in the war, we never knew the extent of the bombing and its aftermath. My father would tell me that the U.S. dropped many bombs in Laos, but even for the soldiers, I don’t think they knew how truly devastating the bombings were over the nine years.
I started to wonder if those who were closest to the war didn’t have a complete history of what happened, how long would it be before this history was lost? I especially thought about my seventeen nieces and nephews in the U.S., who aren’t learning about this in school. And now that my father has passed, they will never know firsthand these stories from their grandparents – not only about what he went through during wartime in Laos, but also how his resilience and hope for his children led us to America.
That’s why the individual and collective stories gathered and shared by Legacies of War are so important to those of us living in the U.S. – and why Legacies of War’s advocacy work is especially important to the people of Laos.
In 2017, I had the opportunity to visit Laos for the first time since our family left the country. I went to the COPE Visitor Center in Vientiane. It is an educational center that tells the story of the bombing in Laos. It features some of the historic drawings by bombing survivors that Legacies of War has in its collection. The Center also tells the story of the continuing legacies, the daily threats and injuries faced by villagers. – but it also tells the story of hope. Through the collaboration of the Lao PDR and international partners, including the U.S., UXO accident survivors can receive free treatment, rehabilitation, and prosthetics.
It was also here at COPE, in 2016, that President Barack Obama reminded us: Here in Laos, here at COPE, we see the victims of bombs that were dropped because of decisions made half a century ago, and we are reminded that wars always carry tremendous costs, many of them unintended. People have suffered, and we’ve also seen, though, how people can be resourceful and resilient. It helps us recognize our common humanity. And we can remember that most people want to live lives of peace and security. We embrace the hope that out of this history, we can make decisions that lead to a better future – for the people of Laos, for the United States, for the world.
This message is especially meaningful for refugees who left their war-torn countries. It is through sacrifice and hope that my family came to the U.S. – a legacy I hope to continue fostering at Vong Law Group, where I serve as Founding Partner. As an immigration attorney, I now have the opportunity to be of service to others, just as those who helped our family along our immigration journey. My parents saw the fruition of their American dream through their children, and I want to help make other families’ dreams a reality.
As we commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the end of the American conflicts in Southeast Asia this year, I hope you join Legacies of War in honoring the millions of people who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods for their families and countries – and in doing the incredibly difficult work of sustained attention and funding, so that over the coming decades, the people of Southeast Asia may truly be free and at peace from this war.
Images courtesy Legacies Of War.
