Created in 2012 as a response to the “lack of vital social services for Southeast Asians,” Mekong is a emerging non-profit organization located in the Bronx, NY that works with the Cambodian and Vietnamese community through organizing and various programs. In fact, Mekong “aims to improve the quality of life of the Southeast Asian community in the Bronx and throughout New York City by achieving equity through community organizing and healing, promoting arts, culture, and language, and creating a safety net by improving access to essential social services.”
What I really admire about Mekong is that their “holistic approach to building community” centered around arts and culture to connect its inter-generational members together. At the moment, I am working with Mekong to help them create a platform for documentation of their work with the Southeast Asian community in the Bronx. One lesson I have learned from Mekong is their collaborations and partnerships with local individuals and groups. Every time I attend an event or workshop with Mekong, there is always an organization that they are partnering with on a particular project or endeavor. For example, Mekong has collaborated with Season of Cambodia on a number of events, including the current celebration of the Cambodian New Year.
Please check out Mekong’s website for postings of current events.
