The Southeast Asian American Access in Education (SEA3eD) Coalition hosts the first, “Southeast Asian American and Asian American Education Summit: UNITE (You and I Together for Education).”

The event runs 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 6, at Highline Community College in Building 8, 2400 S. 240th St. (between South 24th Avenue and South 25th Avenue), Des Moines.

The purpose of the summit is to bring Southeast Asian and Asian American students, their families and educators together to initiate the dialogue of higher education, promote cross-ethnic solidarity and create unity toward the mission of education.

It will focus on fighting the growing educational opportunity gap that exists for Southeast Asian American groups, such as Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Mienh, Vietnamese, Cham and recent refugees from Bhutan and Burma.

“This summit really is aimed toward the future of our Southeast Asian and Asian American youth and is a promise from us mentors, leaders, families, educators and policy makers that you (Southeast Asian and Asian American youth) are no longer invisible,” said Ekkarath Sisavatdy, co-founder of SEA3eD.

The day will include cultural entertainment, a community resource fair, forums for high school and middle school students, parents and educators, and the SEA3eD scholarship presentation.

The UNITE Summit partners include Highline Community College, the Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, the Asian and Pacific Islander American Think Tank and the Win/Win Network. The generous funding was provided by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information about the UNITE Summit visit seaaaed.wordpress.com or contact event chair, Ay Saechao, at asaechao@highline.edu.