Event

Hosted by Rob Buscher

Catzie Vilayphonh - Executive Director, Laos in the House

Catzie Vilayphonh is an award-winning writer, spoken word poet, and multi-media artist. As a founding member of the group Yellow Rage, she was one of the first Asian American women to appear on HBO's Def Poetry Jam. Through her work, she provides an awareness not often heard, drawing from personal narrative. Throughout her artistic career, Catzie has been a 2012 Creative Capital finalist, a 4-time Leeway Foundation honoree and was named a Woman Non-Profit Leader by Philadelphia City Council in 2016. She is a co-founding chair of the Lao American Writer Summit, a Commissioner on the Mayor's Commission on Asian American Affairs and was recently appointed as Councilmember to the Pennsylvania Council on The Arts. A child of refugees, Catzie was born in camp, on the way to America, and thus considers herself part of the ".5 Generation". She resides in South Philly with her daughter Aditi.