 
Assembly Resolution No. 954
 
BY: M. of A. Buttenschon
 
        RECOGNIZING   August   2020,   as  Karen  American
        Heritage Month
 
  WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to  recognize  August
2020, as Karen American Heritage Month; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Karen  are  an  ethnolinguistic group of Sino-Tibetan
language-speaking ethnic groups; and
 
  WHEREAS, These Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State  in  the
southern and southeastern portions of Myanmar; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In the late 20th Century, many Karen people were forced to
flee to refugee camps along the Thai/Burma (Myanmar) border; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 2007, about 150,000 refugees were already living in nine
camps along the Thai/Burma border: Ban Don Yang, Ban Kwai/Nai  Soi,  Ban
Mae  Surin,  Mae  La,  Mae  La Oon, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Nu Po, Tham Hin and
Umpiem Mai; and
 
  WHEREAS, Some refugees have been in the  camps  for  more  than  two
decades; and
 
  WHEREAS, Karen people make up 90 percent of residents in the refugee
camps;  the  first wave of Karen refugees fled to Thailand in January of
1984; and
 
  WHEREAS, Large numbers of refugees are  now  leaving  the  camps  in
Thailand  because  the Thai government is trying to shut them down; more
people are also fleeing Burma, creating an overflow in the camps; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Karen population throughout the world is  estimated  at
about 3 million to 6 million; 70 percent are Theravada Buddhists, and 20
percent to 30 percent are Christian; they all value education; and
 
  WHEREAS,  By  trade,  they  are  farmers,  weavers,  basket  makers,
teachers, small traders, medics or  traditional  healers  and  religious
leaders; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Like  the  Montagnards  who  helped United States soldiers
during the Vietnam War, the Karen aided British troops against  Japanese
occupation during World War II; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Beginning  in  2000,  the  Karen started resettling in the
United States and Canada; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  State  of  Minnesota  has  the  highest  concentrated
population  of  Karen  people  in America; other states with significant
Karen populations include  California,  Texas,  New  York  and  Indiana;
according  to  the  Minnesota  Karen  Association,  there were more than
17,000 Karen living in Minnesota in 2017; and
 
  WHEREAS, Karen's two most important holidays are The Karen New  Year
which  usually falls in December-January because the Karen people follow
the lunar calendar, and The Karen Wrist Tying which is observed annually
in August throughout the world; and
 
  WHEREAS,  They  come together and celebrate Karen New Year and Karen
Wrist Tying throughout the State of New York; for the  past  few  years,
they   have   celebrated  their  holiday  in  Albany,  Utica,  Syracuse,
Rochester, and Buffalo; and
 
  WHEREAS, Karen people enjoy  meals  which  consists  of  rice,  fish
paste, vegetables, and sometimes meat; they also enjoy spicy food; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Karen  throughout  the  United  States attended rallies in
Washington and New York to oppose the government oppression in  Rangoon,
Burma's largest city; and
 
  WHEREAS,  After  a  consultation  conference on June 13, 2018, Karen
Organization of the United States of America (KOUSA) and Karen  American
Organization  (KAO) leaders explored the possibility of working together
and merging the  two  organizations  in  order  to  improve  operational
effectiveness,  increase  cooperation,  strengthen  and  acclimate Karen
communities in the United States; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  leaders  of  the  two  groups  agreed  to  merge  and
collaborate  as  one entity and became the Karen Organization of America
in August of 2018, in Omaha, Nebraska; and
 
  WHEREAS, Today, the Karen Organization of America  offers  extensive
resources  and  support to help the refugees survive and thrive in a new
land; their mission is to maintain Karen history, keep Karen  traditions
alive,  and  help bring Karen people together from all around the world;
now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
recognize  August  2020,  as  Karen  American  Heritage Month; and be it
further
 
  RESOLVED, That a copy of this  Resolution,  suitably  engrossed,  be
transmitted to the Karen Organization of America.
Recognizing August 2020, as Karen American Heritage Month

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