Chao Angela Nachampassak
Advocacy Ambassador
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"I wouldn't be where I am today if my father had not chosen to take the leap of faith and escaped Laos at the age of 20 in the 1970s. I am incredibly proud of my upbringings and passionate about my Lao heritage. If it wasn't for my father, I wouldn't have been able to pursue higher education in the United States and gain all the wonderful experiences I've had being here. I am grateful for organizations like Legacies of War for advocating the removal of UXO bombs in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam to help people in those areas heal and create opportunities for development."
My Story
Chao Angela Nachampassak is a first-generation Lao American and graduate student at Arizona State University (ASU), gaining her master's degree in Digital Audience Strategy. In her undergraduate education, she majored in Marketing and minored in Public Policy & Public Service, Fashion, and Mandarin Chinese. She has been involved in several Southeast Asian organizations during her time at ASU. She served as President for the Southeast Asian American Student Association where she helped bring awareness of Southeast Asian American issues ranging from Model Minority Myth to immigration. Outside of ASU, she was the internal director for Southeast Asians for OrgaNizing (SEASON) where she helped host a 3-day conference at UCLA aiming to empower Southeast Asian American Advocates. Recently, she attended the Leadership Advocacy Training (LAT) program hosted by Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC) where she advocated for halting the passage of the budget reconciliation bill, which has many harmful provisions that will impact Southeast Asian American communities. She works with Legacies of War to support diaspora communities impacted by the American Secret War in Laos.
