Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
About Southeast Asia Resource Action Center
Founded in 1979 as the Indochina Refugee Action Center, Southeast Asia Resource Action Center represents the voices and experiences of the largest refugee community ever resettled in the United States. Operating from Washington, DC, SEARAC stands in solidarity with Cambodian, Laotian, and Vietnamese American communities—populations whose stories of resilience span over 50 years since the mass resettlement that began in 1975. The organization was born from a commitment to ensure that refugees would be welcomed with dignity, and this founding principle continues to guide SEARAC's mission today. More than just an advocacy organization, SEARAC is a movement builder that co-powers the next generation of Southeast Asian American leaders and advocates. The organization envisions a socially, politically, and economically just society where all communities can thrive for generations to come. SEARAC's approach centers community voice, intergenerational healing, and collective power-building alongside other refugee communities and movements for social justice. By working at the intersection of civil rights, refugee advocacy, and community empowerment, SEARAC honors the journeys of those who fled unimaginable violence and persecution while fighting for the equity and recognition that Southeast Asian American communities deserve today.