New Breath Foundation, Oakland, CA (2026)

10/15/2026

We’re excited to announce our 2026 𝘞𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘜𝘴 Fund and 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 Fund grantee partners!

Through these funds, we’re investing in community-led work rooted in healing, solidarity, and collective liberation.

⭐ The 𝘞𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘜𝘴 Fund supports AANHPI organizations building cross-racial solidarity, advancing community-based alternatives to criminalization, and cultivating leadership to strengthen our movements and protect our communities.

⭐ The 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 Fund supports organizations creating pathways for hope and healing, keeping families together, and movement building.

Scroll through to meet our 2026 grantee partners and learn more about the vital work they’re doing in their communities. We’re honored to support these organizations as they strengthen communities and build collective power.

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 grantee partners!

09/24/2026

“Given the right opportunity, people can change, and things can evolve – and that can change everything.”

This month, we spoke with Aakar Vachhani, New Breath Foundation board member, about his family’s history of displacement from Burma, what brought him to New Breath’s work, and what community care means to him.

Aakar reflects on his family’s own journey of forced migration and rebuilding, and how it shapes his belief that people should never be defined by the hardest chapter of their lives. His perspective offers an important reminder that when people are given real opportunity, they lead, rebuild, and uplift the communities around them.

Read the full conversation on the blog. Link in bio.

08/28/2026

“Being deported doesn’t mean someone stops being part of our community.”

Following our Kites to Southeast Asia trip, we spoke with Montha Chum, Executive Director of Minnesota 8 (MN8), about her second journey with the coalition–including a visit to Laos–and what she witnessed along the way.

In this month’s article, Montha reflects on the lives of community members after deportation and the realities that continue long after someone is forced to leave the U.S. Her perspective offers an important reminder that the impact of deportation extends far beyond borders, with lasting consequences for individuals, families, and communities.

Read the full conversation on the blog. Link in bio.

08/07/2026

Our final post from this year’s Kites to Southeast Asia trip ends with a reflection from Montha Chum, Executive Director, MN8.

“I just got back from my second Kites to Southeast Asia trip, and I’m still sitting with everything I heard.

This visit felt different. For the first time, we traveled to Laos, where so many of our community members have been deported over the last 18 months. I listened to story after story of families being torn apart by U.S. deportation policies, and I’m still processing the amount of harm our systems continue to cause. So many of those deported were born in Thai refugee camps or came to the U.S. as young children, making deportation not a return home, but another chapter of displacement.

One of the moments that will stay with me the most was our first women’s panel. We’ve heard from our brothers who have been deported before, but this was the first time we really centered the wives, the American women who left everything behind to keep their families together, and the Khmer women who have been judged simply for loving someone who was deported. Their stories reminded me that deportation doesn’t just happen to one person. It ripples through marriages, children, parents, and entire communities. It also opened up conversations between husbands and wives that many shared they’d never had before. Seeing our work in Laos, being led by the first Hmong woman deported there, alongside one of the first Hmong men deported there, was something I’ll never forget. It was heartbreaking and beautiful all at once, to see the community they’ve built while knowing so many are still living with the pain of being separated from the people they love, including themselves.

Every time I come back from these listening tours, I’m reminded that our people continue to find ways to care for one another, organize, and build community despite everything they’ve endured. Their resilience is incredible…but resilience should never be what we expect from people, especially after policies that shouldn’t exist in the first place.”

Stay tuned for an upcoming NBF blog post interview with Montha about her experience during this trip.

08/05/2026

“I was in Southeast Asia as the United States marked its 250th anniversary. While America celebrated, I found myself holding both gratitude and grief. I am thankful for the country that gave my family refuge, yet I also feel profound sorrow and anger over an immigration system that led me to people whose lives mirrored my own. They, too, arrived as refugee children. Their parents fought alongside the United States. They built lives in America. But unlike me, their mistakes ended in deportation.

In Laos and Vietnam, I witnessed the heartbreak of exile alongside extraordinary resilience. I met people determined to rebuild, reunite with family, and reclaim hope despite overwhelming hardship. I also learned of seven deportee deaths and many others living with serious physical and mental suffering. We cannot allow them to be forgotten. Their resilience calls us not only to compassion, but to action - to help ensure they have the opportunity not merely to survive, but to thrive.” - Dr. Thao Ha, Executive Director, Collective Freedom

The Kites to SEA group traveled to Laos for the first time to conduct listening sessions with those who had been deported to learn about their experiences. 2025 marked the first time Laos and Hmong individuals who arrived in the U.S. as refugees started getting deported to a country they were unfamiliar with.

𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 (𝘚𝘌𝘈) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘗𝘚𝘊), Collective Freedom, Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants (CERI), KhAAG, MN8, New Light Wellness, Seattle Clemency Project, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 New Breath Foundation. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

08/03/2026

During the Kites trip, Minnesota-based immigration attorney Mai Neng Moua met with community members to share information about their legal rights and answer any questions they had.

“Going to Southeast Asia to meet with deportees was bittersweet, as I was born in a refugee camp there, just like many of the deportees. Immigration consultations are critical to ensure due process, including assisting individuals in understanding the legal basis for their removal, reviewing their legal rights, and/or reviewing if there are any legal pathways to return to the U.S. For some individuals, it was a necessary conversation to close one chapter of their life. It was a humbling experience to talk to the men and women who for decades could not have been removed but now must start anew in a foreign land.”

𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 (𝘚𝘌𝘈) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘗𝘚𝘊), Collective Freedom, Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants (CERI), KhAAG, MN8, New Light Wellness, Seattle Clemency Project, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 New Breath Foundation. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

07/31/2026

“Returning to Cambodia and seeing how much the numbers have grown is heartbreaking. It’s a painful reminder of how many families are still living through separation and pain. Yet the New Light Wellness Center has become a home for healing and community.

As an impacted wife who has overcome family separation, hearing these women speak their truths and fight for their families touches me deeply. I see myself in them, in their pain, strength, and resilience. Their courage inspires me, and I’m honored to stand beside them.” - Kanley Souet Pich, Unbreakable Roots Program Manager, CERI

Our second resource fair took place in Phnom Penh, where we celebrated community, highlighted businesses founded by deported community members, and hosted a panel featuring two women who were deported – one just a month earlier and the other more than a year ago.

This was Kanley’s second Kites to SEA trip, and she shares a reflection from her experience this year.

*𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 (𝘚𝘌𝘈) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘗𝘚𝘊), Collective Freedom, Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants (CERI), KhAAG, MN8, New Light Wellness, Seattle Clemency Project, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 New Breath Foundation. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

07/30/2026

“The convening reminded me of our accountability to the community…I left thinking more intentionally about how we build relationships, collaborate more deeply, and create stronger networks of care.”

Last month, New Breath Foundation’s annual grantee convening brought together 𝘞𝘦 𝘎𝘰𝘵 𝘜𝘴 Fund grantees from across the country to rest, build relationships, and create space for what’s possible when our movements grow together. We spoke with Bunthay Cheam, co-founder of Khmer Anti-deportation Advocacy Group (KhAAG), about his journey into organizing, what the convening meant to him, and why cross-community solidarity is essential to building collective power.

Read the full interview at the link in our bio.

07/29/2026

“Our resource fair in Siem Reap was deeply moving. Hearing the wives of deportees speak about family separation, stigma, and rebuilding their lives, alongside men sharing the challenges of language barriers, finding work, and seeking belonging, was incredibly powerful.

At the same time, there was joy: new families, shared meals, laughter, and a community showing up for one another. It was a reminder that while deportation leaves lasting wounds, love, resilience, and community continue to create hope. I’m grateful to have witnessed it.” - John Lam, Reentry Coordinator, Asian Prisoner Support Committee, reflecting on the first Kites to SEA resource held in Cambodia.

The first Kites to SEA resource fair in Cambodia was organized and hosted by New Light Wellness leadership. During the event, John advised the daughter of a deported individual, who had moved to Cambodia to stay with her father, on U.S. college options. The resource fair also hosted a panel featuring local and U.S. spouses who had moved to Cambodia to keep their families together. They shared the stigma and challenges they face in Cambodia, where families connected to deported individuals often experience discrimination because of negative perceptions of the deported community.

*𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 (𝘚𝘌𝘈) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘗𝘚𝘊), Collective Freedom @, Center for Empowering Refugees & Immigrants (CERI), KhAAG, MN8, New Light Wellness, Seattle Clemency Project, and New Breath Foundation. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

07/27/2026

Earlier this summer, members of the Kites to Southeast Asia* coalition traveled to Cambodia and Laos to connect with deported community members. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll share reflections from the journey through the voices of those who traveled together.

We begin with Eddy Zheng, President & Founder of New Breath Foundation:

“During my incarceration, every kite** I received reminded me that I wasn’t alone. They showed me that people in the free world listened and supported me, which gave me hope and a sense of belonging.

That same spirit inspired our first listening tour with partner organizations to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in 2019. We wanted to listen, learn, and better understand the experiences and needs of people separated from their families. As a result, Kites to Southeast Asia* was formed.

Since then, we have maintained a strong bond with folks in Southeast Asia and continue to do our best to honor their human dignity and contribute to their sustainability. I looked forward to being inspired during this year’s group journey through Southeast Asia.”

*𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢 (𝘚𝘌𝘈) 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘗𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘦 (𝘈𝘗𝘚𝘊), @𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱, @𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘣𝘢𝘺, @𝘬𝘩𝘢𝘢𝘨𝘸𝘢, @𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘮𝘯𝟪, @𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, @𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 @𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘒𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘌𝘈 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴’ 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴, 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘺.

**𝘐𝘯 𝘒𝘩𝘮𝘦𝘳 (𝘊𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯) 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦, “𝘬𝘪𝘵𝘦” 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳.

New Breath Foundation

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