Full text of Remarks by BACI Executive Director Elaisa Vahnie at Burmese Community Meeting with Indianapolis Mayor and IMPD Chief

March 30, 2023

My name is Elaisa Vahnie and I am the Executive Director of the Burmese American Community Institute (BACI).

With a strong conviction of the need to invest in people and education, and with a vision of ‘education for all, a stronger community’, the BACI mission is to build a thriving, self-sufficient, sustainable, and integrated Burmese Community through advocacy, education, and employment. With this commitment, BACI has been assisting the rapidly growing community through compressive services and innovative programs so that not only are members of our community becoming economically self-sufficient, productive and contributing citizens of the society but, are also active and engaged citizens exercising their rights and liberties dutifully and more meaningfully in this land of freedom and opportunity.

We are grateful and thankful for the American people, and our Hoosier neighbors for welcoming us with open arms and allowing us to start our new lives here in our city of vibrant community which reflects the American leadership, compassion, and the giving of hope to many, including thousands of refugees and newcomers like the Burmese.

Because of the Hoosiers tradition of hospitality, right now about 30 thousand Burmese Americans call Indianapolis their home; the largest Burmese community in a single city in the United States. And we are proud to call Indianapolis our HOME.  

We are also happy with the progress we have made as a community so far in our integration journey, and we are particularly proud that many of our youths have gone on to get a college education, many other professional degrees and graduate degrees, and now assume leadership responsibilities in various different fields of professions from education, healthcare, business, and more. And we are particularly proud today that Officer Bawi Lian and Officer Dah are serving at the Law Enforcement agency. We are proud of you [thank you]. Let me also take this opportunity to share with you that the college-going rate among the Burmese in Indiana and the U.S. has increased from 43 percent in 2013 to 93 percent last year. But his success is a testament to the partnership we have forged together in this city and in our state like we are doing here today. And over 100 small businesses have been started and are being run by the Burmese Americans in Indianapolis.

And I know many more are looking for employment. But they’re not just looking for a job. They’re looking for a career.

A career where they can support themselves and their family. A career that will allow them to give back to their community and the country which has welcomed them

We also hear from members of our community that they want a place they can raise their families without violence and fear. They also want a police department that looks like them, and understands where they came from, their background, their culture, and their beliefs.

That is why we have invited the Mayor and the IMPD Chief out here today. We want our members to know the IMPD is hiring and will allow our members to serve our shared community with honor, respect and integrity, and for that, we are grateful.

Thank you Mayor and Chief for your leadership, support and partnership, and for creating a policy environment—and leading all of us in this great city, Indianapolis —where everyone is welcome, and all are treated equal and the same regardless of where they came from or how they look. And Thank you for making sure our diversity is rather celebrated and giving everyone the opportunity to dream the American dream right here in our proud city.

Without any further ado, it is my honor and great pleasure to respectfully invite Mayor Hogsett to give a few remarks. ##

Video on Youtube accessible here: Remarks by BACI Executive Director Elaisa Vahnie at Burmese Community Meeting with Indianapolis Mayor and IMPD Chief

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