recently, i had the opportunity to share what @legaciesofwar and being a part of the #lamvongcircle means to me. friends will tell you how much my culture and roots mean to me, so it’s heartwarming to give back however i can. khop jai lai lai for the opportunity to share my story! 🙏🏽🇱🇦 Repost from @legaciesofwar • "Hi, I'm Monica Sivixay and I am a proud first generation Lao American. My parents both immigrated here from Laos to escape the American Secret War in Laos and start a new life in the states. I’m forever grateful to them for their sacrifice and without surviving the war, I wouldn’t be here today. Because of my parents, they’ve always taught me from a young age to be proud of our culture and to never forget our roots. They would always tell their stories of their lives in Laos before, during and after the war. I always knew the war affected their lives, but as I got older I learned a lot more about it and the devastating effects it had on the country, even to this day. One day while researching, I stumbled upon Legacies of War. The work Legacies does in bringing awareness to the UXO left behind during the war is not only important, but it is a movement to help Laos and its people move forward. There’s still so much work to do to clear these UXO out, which is why it was so important to me to be part of the Lam Vong Circle. Every little bit helps and I feel like being a part of them helps my family’s homeland heal from the devastation. Just like Lao people, Legacies is resilient and their work will continue to help future generations." Visit the link in our bio to join our Lam Vong Circle, starting at just $10/year! (at Columbus, Ohio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CoN5FM-rmWk/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=