Nationality United States Ethnicity Laotian American | Name Chanida Potter | |
Born Chanida Phaengdara
May 28, 1984
Viengxai, Laos ( 1984-05-28 ) | ||
Happy(our) Collaboration | ArcStone Events
Chanida Phaengdara Potter (1984) is a Lao American writer, nonprofiteer, and community strategist. She is the founding editor-in-chief of the internationally-acclaimed online publication, Little Laos on the Prairie and executive director of The SEAD Project, a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Minnesota and Laos aimed at bridging the access gap to cross-cultural connections and knowledge-sharing through communication tools. She has worked 10 years in the nonprofit field on organizing, public affairs, community development, and human rights advocacy.
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Education
Chanida Phaengdara Potter holds a BA in Global Studies and Communications from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and MPA from Hamline University.
Writing and advocacy
Chanida Phaengdara Potter has been featured at the Twin Cities Daily Planet, Asian American Press, The Uptake, Minnesota Public Radio, Star Tribune, Pioneer Press and Voice of America. Her interests are in the Lao diaspora, international affairs, and sustainable development through communication platforms.
In August, 2010, Chanida Phaengdara Potter was a chair of the first National Lao American Writers Summit in Minneapolis with Saymoukda Vongsay, Catzie Vilayphonh, and Bryan Thao Worra. She returned again as a chair of the second National Lao American Writers Summit in 2015, which merged with the National Lao American Symposium with the theme "Our Shared Journey."
In 2011, she co-founded the online publication, Little Laos on the Prairie, with Danny Khotsombath. LLOTP is an online storytelling publication driven by a team of Lao American writers committed to sharing the journeys, cultures, and livelihoods of the Lao Diaspora experience. Through LLOTP’s simplified and creative platform, LLOTP aims to make space for our stories to be accessible, increase visibility of our culturally-specific issues, and empower Lao Diaspora communities across the globe to take ownership of their diverse voices.
She has been involved in volunteer work on community development and advising for organizations such as Legacies of War, Health Equity Working Committee, PAAVE-MN, AFFIRM Immigration Network, Lao Professionals Network. She is a board member on Twin Cities Media Alliance.
In 2015, Chanida Phaengdara Potter organized and curated the "Refuge of the InvisibLao" interdisciplinary exhibit that was presented in Minneapolis and in Brooklyn Park. It was funded in part by crowdfunding efforts as well as a grant awarded by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council of Minnesota. The exhibit was convened to mark the 40th anniversary of the Laotian Diaspora that began in 1975.
Personal life
Chanida Phaengdara was born in Viengxai, Laos in 1984. She considers her home both in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Ban Phon, Laos. She is married and lives with her daughter and two dogs.