Map:
A Vision for the Lao and Khmu Communities

 

A central virtue for the Lao and Khmu people is pinong, a sense of brotherhood, interrelatedness, or being in community. The Lao and Khmu communities in Stockton are organized around nine associations, including eight Lao associations and one Khmu association. Each association represents a living cluster, but membership is voluntary and some people choose to affiliate with another cluster, for example, if they have family members there. Both the Buddhist temple and the Christian church play important roles in strengthening the spiritual lives of the people. In addition to their religious worship, people gather at the temple for other activities such as cooking, to build pinong. The community leaders have a vision for a community center to foster pinong among a cadre of organizers who could then spread this virtue throughout the entire community, including the apartment villages where most of the people reside and the schools their children attend. The community center would have a hall for performances and other cultural activities and an area for training people in business practices, American culture, and parenting skills.

As depicted in the map, the community center would be located at the heart of the community, close to the temple. The Christian church is also nearby, showing its influence. A group of elders affiliated with the community center is involved in training younger leaders and maintaining traditional culture through storytelling. These elders include at least one representative from each of the nine community associations as well as other prominent community members. A women’s center nearby also fosters pinong through activities such as weaving, storytelling, and embroidery. The leaders envision a community garden, another place for strengthening relationships among community members.

Back