Holding the Line
by Kao Ye Thao
Kao Ye (pictured in middle) at SEARAC’s Leadership and Advocacy Training 2026
I chose to attend SEARAC’s Legislative Advocacy Training (LAT) because I was eager to grow my experience in federal advocacy in light of the political moment. In this time of authoritarianism, it is essential to bolster and align organizing and advocacy efforts across federal, state, and local levels so that we can protect our most vulnerable.
As the Director of Policy and Partnerships for Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP), it was important for me to develop my skills and knowledge so that I could bring it back to my team and community in California. Through LAT, I learned more about issues affecting Southeast Asian American communities, the federal political landscape, connections and nuances between local/state and federal structures, and strategies and tactics needed to win legislation. It was incredibly fulfilling to be in the US Capitol to exercise my voice alongside other Southeast Asian changemakers. I feel greater confidence to engage in federal advocacy and to support others to do so.
LAT helped me reimagine what federal advocacy looks like. Advocacy at the federal level starts at home, in our own district with our representative. In order to shape and actualize federal policies, we need to hold the line locally. It affirmed the work that my team and I at HIP are doing to build power with Hmong and Southeast Asian young people in the Greater Central Valley, home to the largest community of Hmong Americans in the country.
“As a villager, we are accountable to each other’s wellbeing. None of us are free until all of us are free. ”
I also emerged from LAT with a renewed sense of affirmation and responsibility. Through their stories and courage, my fellow cohort members inspired me to continue to be bold and speak truth to power. They reminded me of our people power.
The LAT community is a testament to the vibrancy and abundance of our Southeast Asian village. Our blooming village spans borders. We are diverse in age, language, cultural traditions, abilities, and more. We are not only connected by our history and experiences as refugees or children of refugees from the US wars in Southeast Asia. We are also united by our commitment to care, love, and fight for each other and all oppressed people too. As a villager, we are accountable to each other’s wellbeing. None of us are free until all of us are free.
As we approach the November general election, I think about what it means to vote as a village. Voting is our right, one of the many rights the federal administration has threatened. Voting is a way we can exercise care for our village—to move people and policies that will boldly fight for and meet the needs of our people.
Kao Ye Thao was born in South Sacramento and grew up in a multigenerational household of 13. Her experiences as a daughter of Hmong refugees were instrumental in shaping her passion for service, community, and equity. Kao Ye credits organizations like Breakthrough Sacramento, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, and Hmong Innovating Politics (HIP) for nurturing her growth as a young person. She received her Bachelor’s in Public Health Policy from UC Irvine. She is also a proud alumna of AmeriCorps VISTA and the Capital Fellows Program. Since 2021, Kao Ye has worked as the Director of Policy and Partnerships for HIP. In this capacity, she leads HIP’s efforts with community members, partners and coalitions to advance policy and systems change. She serves as a member of the Sacramento Racial Equity Alliance, a multiracial coalition of community leaders working to advance racial justice and shift power to historically marginalized communities in Sacramento. In her free time, Kao Ye enjoys fishing, mastering highly technical desserts, watching horror movies, and practicing the Hmong language.