Through the Critical Southeast Asian American Studies Artist and Scholar in Residence program, we are working to increase opportunities engagement in Southeast Asian American Studies.
Funding for the Critical Southeast Asian American Studies Residency program comes from the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) Grant that UC Berkeley was awarded in September 2023.
The Asian American Research Center, Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies, Asian Pacific American Student Development, and the Asian American Political Activation Program are proud to present:
Fall 2025 Critical Southeast Asian American Studies Artist in Residence, Rhummanee HANG, joining us from October 14th - 16th, 2025 at UC Berkeley.
Rhummanee HANG is an artist, community organizer, and culture keeper who was born and raised in Oakland, CA. Grounded in ethnic studies and art activism, her experience with racial equity work, culturally specific programming, and youth development has spanned 2 decades. She currently serves as Co-Director atAYPAL, an organization that supports Asian Pacific Islander youth organizing and movement-building in Oakland. She also actively supports community building spaces through collaboration on art events in Oakland and Sacramento. In addition to writing poetry, she is a dancer with SGI Dance Collective, Side Piece Dance Crew, and Khmer Amathak Dance Troupe, all based in Oakland. Rhummanee studied Sociology at UC Davis and has a Master’s degree in International & Multicultural Education from the University of San Francisco. In Spring 2025, she was one of Devata Giving Circle’s honorees, a recognition of the extensive work she has done with the Southeast Asian refugee community in the Bay Area.
Join us for a series of events and workshops led by Rhummanee, exploring the intersection of community organizing, art activism, and Khmae feminism and womanism.
These events are free and open to the public. Students, community members, staff, faculty, and alumni are all welcome to attend!
For event details and to RSVP, please go to linktr.ee/Critical_SEAAS_Berkeley
October 14th, 2025
Artist Welcome Lunch
Hearst Field Annex C10
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Join us as we welcome Rhummanee Hang to campus with a community lunch and introduction to her work exploring the intersection of community organizing, art activism, and Khmae feminism and womanism. The program will include a discussion and Q&A with Rhummanee. (Lunch provided)
October 15th, 2025
October 15th, 2025
All Power to the Youth! - Skill building workshop on youth empowerment and activation
Hearst Field Annex C10
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm
In this workshop, Rhummanee will present on her work in AYPAL to provide attendees with praxis on how to develop and lead programs that center and empower Southeast Asian high school and college aged youth as community organizers. Attendees will leave with new skills and ideas on ways to elevate their programming to support the leadership of Southeast Asian students on and off campus. (Lunch provided)
Khmae Amathak: Grounded & Guided by Ancestral Wisdom
Alumni House
4:30-6:00 pm, followed by a reception
In this session, Rhummanee will invoke the various teachings and experiences that inform her identity, art, and community organizing. Through dance and poetry, there will be an emphasis on community cultural wealth as a foundation for being rooted, empowered, and activated. Participants will engage in some storytelling and story sharing to learn from one another. Dancers from Khmer Amathak Dance Troupe will open the event.
October 16th, 2025
For My People - Poetry Workshop
Hearst Field Annex C10
4:30pm - 5:30pm Rhummanee will share her creative process to work with attendees to create their own original works of poetry! This workshop will also include participation from AYPAL’s Southeast Asian Youth Community in Action (SEAYCA) Youth Interns.
For the People - Open Mic
Hearst Field Annex C10, 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm
To conclude the residency, join us for an open mic!
Attendees from the poetry workshop will be invited to share their work as well as an open invitation for all attendees to share poetry, song, dance, etc that celebrates Critical Southeast Asian American Studies . (Dinner provided)