LRM issue No. 5
 

Inside Issue No. 5 Ko Chandetka, Christa Camvongcau, Aluna, Give Children a Chance, Don Vienne Senathit aka the Lao Cook, and Soni Lo.

LRM issue No. 4
 

Inside Issue No. 4 Ketsana Vilailack, Thavisouk Phrasavath, Linda Sayavongchanh, Billy Soksoda, Praschan Requiem, Catzie Vilayphon

LRM issue No. 3
 

Inside Issue No. 3 Nary Manivong, Birdie, Ramon Boutviseth, Maintenance Crew, Singhayz Riderz, Bryan Thao Worra, One hunned.

LRM issue No. 2
 

Inside Issue No. 2 Be Inthavong, Ova Saopeng, Xang Chareunsab, Pat Channita, Casualties of War, Daniel D, Boon Vong, Buclao Comic Strip, DJ Miss Joy.

LRM issue No. 1
 

Inside Issue No. 1 Chloe Dao, IBU, Scott Phaydavong, Gumby aka Price, Vongduane Manivong, Achan Dr. Singtong Banlusak, Lao Diaspora Part 1.

LRM MySpace - Modeling Shoots

Update: Issue No. 6 Released January
(We apologize for the delay; we're working feverishly to get the issue out.  Thanks for your patience.)

THAVISOUK PHRASAVATH. FILM DIRECTOR. 2008 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

Thavisouk Phrasavath (Thavi for short) came to the United States as a refugee of the Vietnam War like most Laotian Americans.  During the war, his father, an officer in the Royal Lao Army, was sent to "seminar" (re-education prison camp) by the new communist government.  Because of the Phrasavath family’s close connection to the failed regime, Thavi and his family had no choice but to leave Laos.  He swam across the Mekong River to reach the refugee camps in Thailand, first staying at Napo, then Ubon.  Thavi’s mother and remaining siblings followed two years later, only to meet with a misfortune that would take them over a decade to rectify.  Offered just one opportunity to leave, Thavi's mother had very little time to gather what remained of her family and quickly flee.  Two daughters, ages 2 and 14, were not at home and could not be immediately found...

"Nerakhoon" is the cinematic documentary story of the Phrasavath family's experience leaving home, forcibly immigrating to a new country and relating to what they left behind.  Collaborating with experienced cinematographer-director Ellen Kuras (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blow, and Summer of Sam), Thavi wears many hats: film subject, co-director and main editor.  This January I traveled to Park City, Utah to join Thavi, his family and the documentary team for the premier of “Nerakhoon” at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.  It was Thavi's desire to share with Lao Roots Magazine a first hand experience of the renowned independent film festival because, he insists, "I don't want to be the first and only --  I know that if I can get this far, the younger generation of Laotian American's can go much further."  The completion of the documentary has been a long journey with nearly 23 years in the making.  At the pre-screening party, a mixture of excitement and relief filled the restaurant.  When asked how he felt about finally reaching the finish, Thavi compared the process to raising a child, nurturing and grooming it, and now letting it out into the world.  “We have worked very hard for a long time and I hope that our offspring will be well received,” Thavi said.  Wilder Knight, an unrelenting producer and attorney, continued working through the celebration lunch, reviewing agreements and meticulously analyzing the fine print for the film's debut.  Tickets to the premier screening were sold out weeks in advance.  More [Here]
 

KETSANA VILAILACK. SINGER/PROMOTER/ENTERTAINER.

Although she is quick to brush off similarities of any kind, Ketsana Vilailack (Ketsana) will always live in my memory as the original “Lao Madonna.”  In my youth, growing up in my parents Laotian grocery store, I would stare at her concert photos and replay songs from her tape (yes, audio tape!) on the PA system.  A native born Laotian; she sang in perfect English.  A poster promoting her late 1980s tour with the Laotian band "Nirvana" always impressed me – here is a music rockstar who is a young Laotian woman, dressed fashionably hip and glamorous.  One would have to wonder how far she could have gone if she made her big break on American Idol?  My mother and her friends, on the other hand, pointed to the same poster and indicated it was a perfect example of what a proper Laotian woman should not be.  Of course, this only fueled my rebellious young impressionable mind to think, “Oh, how cool!”  As someone once said, “well behaved women rarely make history.”   More [Here]
 

PRASCHAN REQIUEM. FILM

LRM sits down with the French director and actor of upcoming martial arts flick, Praschan Requiem. Special thanks to Richard Chansouk for the translation.

LRM:  Can you tell us a little about Praschan Requiem?
Praschan Requiem is my first film.  It's a project that really means a lot to me because I decided to aim it into non stop action.  It's a live manga. The story is about a young man who just got out of prison and wishes to join his family in Laos.  He's a young man going to Hell while searching for redemption.  Most of the film will be set in Thailand and it'll be kind of a hybrid style, with a lot of computer work on it.  I filmed with an HD camera between France, Laos, and the United States.  I must particularly thank Gumby aka Pryce, a Laotian-American rapper who composed us a fitted soundtrack. More [Here]



 

CATZIE VILAYPHON. SPOKEN WORD ARTIST.

Beginning at a very young age, Catzie chose to break the mold by refusing to conform to the stereotypes that all Asians have dealt with at some point in our lives.  As a member of the Philly-based poetry duo "Yellow Rage," Catzie and her partner Michele use their voices to challenge the common misconceptions of "Asianness."

Yellow Rage's popularity exploded after an appearance on Russell Simmon's Def Poetry Slam where they performed their angry, profanity-filled piece titled "Listen Asshole."  By the end of the performance, Catzie and Michele shattered any notion that they would conform to the quiet, docile and demure Asian woman stereotype. Today, Catzie raises awareness issues confronting Asians by performing her spoken word poetry at venues across the country.  She took the time in between shows to do an interview with Lao Roots.  More [Here]


 

BILLY SOKSODA. COWBOY/ENTREPRENEUR.

Flash back to the 2004 Sierraville Rodeo in Northern California. Billy Soksoda is bruised and battered from riding in two other events. Despite suffering from a badly twisted knee, Billy Soksoda climbs onto a bull named Jojo.  Fortunately, for Billy, he has a good luck charm this time on the sideline, his young son William.  The gate opens and eight seconds later, it is over.

Billy Soksoda is no longer just another rodeo cowboy; he has won the gold for the first time.  It only took him eight seconds to win today but it has taken nearly thirty years of hard work, discipline, bruises, and a series of difficult choices to get to this point.  More [Here]
 

 

LINDA SAYAVONGCHANH. BASKETBALL PLAYER/COACH

Lao Roots Magazine (LRM) first heard of Linda Sayavongchanh after receiving an email from a fan of our now defunct predecessor website, Buclao.com, stating, "you guys should really look out for this high
school senior, she's a baller! (emphasis added)."  LRM being a huge hoops fan was excited about the prospect of discovering a Laotian excelling in sports.  After performing a little online research, we found that there was indeed a Laotian female who excelled at playing basketball--in Iowa!  LRM was nonetheless confused; Laotian, Iowan, basketballer, 5 feet 9 inches in height?  It turned out that Linda
Sayavongchanh was not just an ordinary basketball player, she Iowa's "Miss Basketball" (as named by the Iowa Newspaper Association) and "2002 Player of the Year" by the Iowa Girls Coaches Association after leading her high school team to a 84-16 record in her four seasons. She holds her high school's career records for points (1,630), steals (475) and assists (428). More [Here]