05/20/2026
This AAPI Heritage Month, we’re reflecting on how our roots shape our work. We asked our team how their heritage or cultural background influence the way they show up in justice and liberation work.
Today, we're highlighting our 9to5 Wisconsin Organizer, Panhia Thao!
"My heritage as a refugee immigrant from a traditional patriarchal culture deeply shapes how I show up as an organizer. I carry the stories of women in my community, resilient, intelligent, and nurturing, who were often silenced, overlooked, and taught to diminish their power. Growing up, I saw how cultural norms demanded obedience and self-sacrifice from women, and how that stifled their voices and leadership. This lived experience fuels my commitment to creating spaces where marginalized voices, especially those of women of color, are heard, valued, and empowered.
Because I know what it feels like to be unseen, I center my work on building power within communities that have historically been excluded. I don’t just advocate for change. I work to dismantle the systems that silence and oppress, while uplifting cultural strengths like collective care, resilience, and intergenerational wisdom. My background doesn't just inform my work. It is the reason I do this work. Justice and liberation are personal to me, and I carry my ancestors' struggles and dreams with me into every space I enter."
Learn more about Panhia here: 9to5.org/staff/panhia-thao
