Overview:
“It opens up a space for people to learn more about who we are because there are so many of us in the Central Valley.”
A new coalition of Southeast Asian community members has launched a series of nighttime street fairs to bring together local vendors, artists, performers and community members from across the Fresno region.
The Southeast Collective’s second Moonlight Market drew a large crowd to the Full Circle Brewing Co. in downtown Fresno on Wednesday and coincided with New Year’s celebrations marked by Fresno’s Thai, Lao and Cambodian communities.
The collective formed recently to “create a safe space to explore Southeast Asian identity,” according to its website. It held its first Moonlight Market in February. Organizers hope to have additional events soon, but dates have not yet been set.
Future events will be announced on the collective’s Facebook or Instagram accounts. Vendors and performers who would like to participate are encouraged to connect with the group through those pages.
“Southeast Collective aims to create events for Southeast Asians to come and explore their heritage without the pressures of checking the boxes,” collective founder Victoria Phosykeo said in an interview. “It opens up a space for people to learn more about who we are because there are so many of us in the Central Valley.”
Fresno boasts a rich diversity of many Southeast Asian cultures, such as Filipino, Lao, Thai, Khmer, Hmong, Mien and Vietnamese, among others. Collective co-founder Christina Tea says their aim is to be welcoming to all.
“Victoria grew up going to a Lao temple and I grew up going to a Cambodian temple,” Tea said. “We realize that it’s old school and we wanted to make [community events] more accessible to the younger generation so that they don’t feel a gap between being American and Southeast Asian.”
People who gathered on Wednesday night enjoyed performances by Southeast Asian groups and were offered a chance to learn traditional Lao dances led by the Lao Community Cultural Classes of Fresno (LCCCF), an organization that has promoted Lao culture since 1997.
A fashion show organized by Rocky Vang Designs also drew cheers from the audience, as models showcased clothing created by the Hmong fashion designer.
Of course, cultural food from local vendors was a big part of the market. Attendees enjoyed delights such as tapioca dumplings, crispy lotus cookies, mango with spicy dipping sauce, ube shaved ice, and ube affogato. Several local favorite kitchens were on hand, including Boba Luv, Bowli Bowli, Diana’s Award Winning Papaya Salad, Elfin Mac, Hapa California Coffee, Happy Hale, Lao’D Krunch, and Saapsaloutely Lao.
Tea noted that Thai, Lao and Cambodian (TLC) communities share similar traditions because they are rooted in their shared Buddhist religion. While each of the three communities celebrates the new year in April at their own temples, everyone is welcomed.
“There’s Cambodian temples, Thai temples, Lao temples but we have never turned each other away because we know that our cultures are so similar and we celebrate our new years at the same time,” Tea said. “We invite everyone around the city to experience our culture, learn something new, eat something new.”
Locations of TLC New Year celebrations across Fresno
- Fresno Cambodian Buddhist Society Inc. – Khmer New Year celebration – 2533 N. Valentine Ave Fresno – April 12-14, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Wat Lao Dhamma Sacca – Annual Lao New Year Celebration – 2710 S. Fruit Ave, Fresno – April 13-14
