An Advocate in Kentucky
Currently, Eh Nay Thaw resides in Kentucky, USA, where he is actively involved in refugee resettlement. His role likely encompasses assisting new refugees in adjusting to life in the United States, providing them with necessary support and resources to facilitate their integration into the community. This work also includes advocating for the rights and needs of refugees, ensuring they have access to services such as healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. Beyond these practical aspects, Eh Nay Thaw's dedication to his heritage remains strong. He continues to advocate for the Karen people and other persecuted ethnic groups in Burma. Through sharing stories of persecution and survival, he aims to educate others about the hardships faced by these communities under the Burmese military regime. His advocacy is intended to galvanize support for democratic changes and human rights in Burma, reflecting his deep commitment to both his roots and his current community. This dual focus on local resettlement and international advocacy highlights his ongoing commitment to humanitarian issues and social justice.
“Overall, I am staying consciously optimistic for the future of Burma.”
I work as a refugee resettlement caseworker in Kentucky. I help folks get accustomed to the United States, by helping to acquire and secure social benefits for newly arrived refugees. I help in communication between government agencies and refugees, as well as introduce them to the local community organizations. I also help provide additional resources to the refugees.
My other unpaid professional work would be advocating for human rights in Burma, which takes up most of my time and energy. I remember when there were cases of internally displaced ethnic minorities in Burma, even before the coup, I and a group of ethnic individuals from Karen, Chin and Kachin, protested in Washington, D.C. There were no Burmese counterparts joining the protest then. Two months later, we held another protest on February 7 2021, and suddenly, we saw a number of Burmese counterparts at the protests with posters of Aung San Suu Kyi.
Honestly, I felt that their presence was inappropriate, considering we were protesting against the NLD government for their silence on the Rohingya crisis in Rakhine state. I went out of my way to ask those individuals not to join that protest. Later again in March, we organized another protest in Washington, D.C., which gathered the biggest number of crowd, all coming from different groups including Burmese, Karen, Chin and the diasporas. For a start, we were united.
This gave me hope in future of Burma as a united nation for all ethnicities. Now that the Burmese military regime is attacking every national race, including the Burmese, we are seeing more people desiring to come together to stand against the military.
Overall, I am staying consciously optimistic for the future of Burma.