3.29.2008

In Depth Biography

ARTIST BIO

Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay is the Lao American author of No Regrets, a collection of poetry and haikus published by Baby Rabbit Publishing. A Minnesota-based spoken word poet, she has performed nationally across the United States and internationally in Italy and Japan. She has shared the stage with nationally acclaimed American artists. She has worked with the Anchorage Urban League of Young Professionals lecturing and performing at the university-level and local high schools to urge voter registration and civic engagement and also served as liaison between local government and the Southeast Asian community regarding public policy.

Vongsay is a founding member of The Unit, a collective of emerging playwrights of color. Her short plays are staged at The Minnesota Playwrights’ Center. Saymoukda Vongsay’s current projects include a second collection of poetry and prose, a novella, editing manuscripts for emerging writers, and co-facilitating writing workshops for women with award-winning writer May Lee-Yang. She is a co-chair of the first Lao American Writers Summit in Minnesota and has worked actively to support the work of Lao women writers and artists across the country to celebrate heritage, diversity and community development.