April Moo, a role model in living and an educator in working with community.
Oh, daughter of Kawthoolei
through so much have you been
still, you rise up
and shine!
April Moo has shined a beacon of optimism for boys and girls in her community — optimism that hard work and courage yield fruits in a land where those virtues are respected.
Among many of the sons and daughters of Kawthoolei who refuse to feel sorry for themselves, April Moo is a shining example.
The odds are stacked against this generation in transit, a generation being denied to be born in their ancestral land, for their parents having to flee for their life — a generation that seeking to understand their parents as well as seeking to get understanding from their parents for their struggle in a new environment. Moo, however, denies to be being a victim of the circumstances, but rather rises to the occasions and rises up above the challenges.
No fault of their own, ten of thousands of families like hers had been confined to a concentration camp-like degrading conditions, inaptly named refugee camps. When a door of opportunity opened up for resettling to a new world, April Moo and her brother tasked with persuading their unenthusiastic parents to take a big leap moving to a new land where it may be full of unknowns for the elders, but for the youngsters, they were forward-looking.
At age fifteen, Moo left a bamboo-and-thatch school of a refugee camp for all-developed modern classrooms. Dark clouds and heavy rain of tropical climate were left behind for the all-season perfect weather, ever blue sky of Southern California.
into a new world
Families may have arrived the land of maybe flowing with milk and honey, yet mountains before them are too high, paths to take unclear, that may fail too many.
Moo was tasked to bridge the gap of heaven and earth in the two education systems. She worked hard to break language barrier and academic barrier to become the first Karen graduate from Crawford High that helps other youth in her community to follow suite.
Where there isn’t a path, she charts one; where there isn’t a model to look up to, she takes the role to be a big sister of many and shows what possible when many may have doubts and despair.
When her family arrived in a city at the southern edge of California, there were only a couple of Karen families in town. Everyone else looks and speaks different from the language of their parents.
Moo worked hard, attending regular classes, taking special english classes, after school, evening classes, tutoring programs to catch up, leaving the barriers behind to be the first high school graduate in her community. She became the first Karen to be graduate in Crawford High of San Diego, the first to graduate from San Diego City College, and the first to San Diego State University (SDSU).
When a young girl landed on a new land on the other side of the ocean, no map was painted on the backs of her hands for her to find her ways. She charted a path so that many of her younger brothers and sisters can follow.
Because of those who came before to this land had built a foundation, the newcomers have a chance to see a success in education and making a living. She pays forward by helping community to be better equipped, navigating and educating.
Moo doesn’t come from a family of educators or parents of teaching profession but educating community is in her blood.
She joined a local non-profit organization to devote her time professionally caring for Karen people, making their lives easier overcoming obstacles she had face.
April Moo involvements go beyond Karen community. She collaborates with fellow refugees from around the world and staff from the local office of the International Rescue Committee to create the Peacemakers Club at Crawford High School.
Big sister for many graduates
Becoming Big Sister of the graduates
A progress lost, a progress to be restored
A century ago, given a fair chance, the generation of our great-great-grandfather had made progress together as a people. However, that national progress has lost in endless wars and ceaseless oppression.
The advancement that Moo’s generation capable of making is a living proof that a collective progress of the Karen people can be revitalized within a generation provided a level playing field.
Challenges new generation face may be new and subtle, but the spirit of our ancestors may still help. Forebears of the Karen people is known to have a character of steadiness, this trait may translates to perseverance in the face of difficulties.
Big sister for the community
Activitivism,
Justice for Burma
The happenings maybe ten thousand miles away, but the hearts are near.
The happening of senseless killings is across the ocean, yet it is to be ashamed of for the whole humanity that fails to prevent and fail to protect such irresponsibility.
Visiting the Birthright Land, Kaw-thoo-lei where she belongs
This rightful sacred land, the land of the Karen people since time of immemorial, has been re-claimed with the blood of four generations. The generation of Moo’s parents had to flee but their daughter came back to honor the land of her ancestors.
It’s a magical. Eat this set of meal everyday and nobody get obese.
Conversation with the Great General
Times with New Generation School (NGS) Students
sharing and learning from each other
Times With Children of Kawthoolei
Mountain Christmas Night
Leadership
the spirit of service
Moo provides leadership to her community in many aspects, in academic resources and scholarships, health and awareness, civic and culturally important events, and now many of KOA online events.
Karen Organization of San Diego is at Make Cafe.
KOSD launched its first ever scholarship program, KOSD Higher Education Scholarship, and was able to award scholarship awards to six students, thanks to anonymous donors! They are now serving the KOSD’s Youth Advisory Committee and help KOSD’s programming and strategic direction are truly matched with the needs of the community.
California Karen Youth Forum
Moo was a founding member of CKYF and she had been participated in annual conference since. She is also serving as a board member in the organization.
The annual conference is usually organized around August the summer times and the meeting includes the celebration of Karen Martyrs’ Day in the spirit of remembering our roots by honoring our fallen heroes.
Karen Organization of America (KOA)
Organizing America Karen Youth
At KOA organized fundraising multi-tournament and annual youth meeting, 2021 Memorial Day.
wearing many hats
Moo helped co-found the Parent Student Resident Organization at Crawford to enable families to have better language access as well as improved community-based and school-based family support and health service. Beyond San Diego, she co-founded the California Karen Youth Forum to promote cultural awareness and youth organizing opportunities.
At the national level, she is currently a West Coast Regional Coordinator for the Karen Organization of America, actively participating in organizing Karen community in America.
model posts,
the next step, perhaps!
Enduring Spirit of Human Race
Moo is finishing up her graduate studies and plans for another move which may have more impact for her people.
The triumph of Moo embodies the triumph of enduring spirit of the human race, not just an ethnic race. The world may be rife with man-made tragedies, but when the spirit is strong, goodness prevails. This power and responsibility must have been God-given .
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