Finding Identity, Building Belonging

Hi, I'm Susan Saechao and I didn’t always know where I belonged.

Like many first-generation Iu Mien Americans, I grew up navigating two worlds, honoring my family’s traditions while trying to find my place in American society. Our community came to the United States as refugees after the Secret War in Laos, carrying stories of survival, resilience, and sacrifice. But those stories were not always spoken, and growing up, it often felt like parts of my identity were missing.

That in-between space can feel isolating. It can feel like you don’t fully belong anywhere.

For many in the Iu Mien community, identity is deeply connected to healing. Our elders have faced language barriers, cultural disconnection, and isolation. Our youth face a different challenge.  Balancing cultural expectations while navigating mental health, identity, and belonging in a world that often does not see or understand them.

For me, everything changed when I found Iu Mien Community Services (IMCS).

Through this community, I didn’t just reconnect with my culture, I found purpose.

I saw our elders come alive again through the Healthy Village Program, building friendships, improving their health, and finding joy in community. I saw our youth open up through the Mind Matters Program, where they use poetry and conversation to express emotions that are often left unspoken. I saw families access food and resources in ways that respect and honor our culture.

And in doing this work, I found my identity—not as someone caught between two worlds, but as someone who can help bridge them.

IMCS creates spaces where our community can heal, connect, and thrive, while preserving the culture that defines who we are. It is a place where our elders are not forgotten, our youth are not alone, and our families feel seen and supported.

But this work cannot continue without support.

Many of our programs rely on community donations to stay accessible. We work to remove barriers, whether it’s providing meals so youth can fully participate, offering culturally relevant food to families, or creating safe spaces for mental health and connection.

💛 Your support helps us:
• Provide culturally rooted programs for seniors, youth, and families
• Create safe spaces for mental health, healing, and identity exploration
• Preserve Iu Mien traditions, language, and cultural pride
• Ensure no one in our community feels invisible or alone

This Big Day of Giving, your donation is more than a gift, it is an investment in identity, healing, and belonging.

Because everyone deserves a place where they feel seen.

👉 Join us. Give today. Be part of our story.