College celebrates Lao New Year

April 25, 2025

By Laura Southers

Staff Writer

A luncheon celebrating the Laos New Year was held by the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander student club on April 16.

Typical Laoatian dishes, like fried rice larb (minced chicken with lime, herbs, and onions), stir-fried noodles, papaya salad, garlic green beans, and lemongrass, curried chicken skewers were served.

Christina Francisco-Evans is the adviser for the AAHNPI club. A few dozen people attended, including Casey Layton, chief culture and impact officer of the college.

Layton said the celebration’s importance was “two fold” because it allowed students to participate “in celebrations around the college.” And it was also “student led, which is important here at the college."

Brenna Carns, an education major, saw a flyer and “wanted to learn a little bit about the culture and the food.” Isobel Espinor saw an email notification and “read that they were going to have lunch. And I really love this kind of food.”

The event was initiated by Rei Gunderson, a graduate of Milwaukie High, and a first-year Clackamas student studying business. She attended in a traditional, ornamental dress, tailored to fit and pure silk.

Gunderson wanted to bring Lao culture to campus. “I hardly see it anywhere in Portland,” said Gunderson, who attends a temple “down by Sandy” with her mother and older sister.

Gunderson is studying business because she wants “to set up a food stand and then a food truck and then hopefully a restaurant.”

Gunderson said her grandmother “has explained multiple times how she really wants to take me and my sister to go see Laos. I really want to see where my family’s from.” Both her grandmother, and her mother were from Laos.

“I want to experience what my family has experienced for years and generations,” said Gunderson. Students and staff gathered to share food in the Wacheno Welcome Center to celebrate the Lao culture and new year.

Christina Francisco-Evans is the advisor for the AANHPI club, and the Leadership, Education, and Advocacy for Progress program coordinator at the college. She used this celebration to promote the screening of the film “Island Soldier.”

The film serves to promote May as AANHPI month. This film is being held by her LEAP office and the Veteran’s Services office. It will be shown May 6, from 5:30 until 7:30 in McLoughlin Auditorium.