>> SOMEONE GAVE.

SOMEONE DONATED.

SOMEONE LEFT A LEGACY.

GENERATIONS OF GENEROUS SOMEONES PEAR-SHAPED RHODE ISLAND INTO THIS GENEROUS PLACE WE CALL HOME.

HOW CAN YOU THANK THEM?

BY LEAVING YOUR LEGACY.

WE CAN HELP.

PETER: WELCOME TO ANOTHER EDITION OF "IN ANOTHER OPINION," A PUBLIC INFORMATION PROGRAM WHERE DISCUSSIONS FOCUS ON COMMUNITY COLORS AND RHODA -- COMMUNITIES OF COLOR IN RHODE ISLAND.

I AM YOUR HOST, PETER WELLS.

MY GUESTS ARE FANTA PHANNAVONG, PROGRAM MANAGER AND KANNYKA POUK , OF THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS.

THE CENTER IS LOCATED IN PROVIN -- IN PROVIDENCE AND HAS BEEN HERE SINCE AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN IN RHODE ISLAND.

JOSEPH LEE WAS DIRECTOR, AND WAS A CLASSMATE OF MINE IN LEADERSHIP RHODE ISLAND.

THERE HAS BEEN A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WHO I HAVE KNOWN WHO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN THE ORGANIZATION.

BUT TODAY IS A NEW DAY.

THEY EVEN HAVE A LITTLE TWIST IN THE NAME.

SO LET'S FIND OUT WHAT THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS ARE DOING TODAY.

I WOULD LIKE TO START TODAY WITH FANTA.

WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE ORGANIZATION?

FANTA: RIGHT NOW, WE ARE OFFERING DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE AGENCY.

WE ARE DOING TAXES.

ALSO, WE ARE ENROLLING CLIENTS IN HEALTH INSURANCE, KNOWN AS ACA.

WE HAVE NAVIGATORS.

WE DO ELECTIVE SNAP OUTREACH.

WE OFFER ESL CLASSES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WITH VICTIM SERVICES, WHICH I AM PROGRAM MANAGER FOR.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE ARE OFFERING COVID TESTING EVERY WEDNESDAY AT THE AGENCY, AND ALSO COVID VACCINE.

WE HAVE ONE TOMORROW IN WOUND SOCKET AT 323 GROTHMAN STREET -- WOUND SOCKET AT 323 RATHBUN.

AND ALSO IN PROVIDENCE.

PETER: I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU HAD AN OFFICE IN WOUND SOCKET.

FANTA: WE DON'T.

-- AN OFFICE IN WOUND OONSOCKET.

-- OFFICE IN WOONSOCKET.

FANTA: WE DON'T.

WE ARE DOING IT AT A CHURCH.

PETER: THAT WOULD BE INTERESTING, TO KNOW THAT THERE IS A NEW BRANCH IN THE STATE.

FANTA: JUSTIN PROVIDENCE, FOR NOW.

PETER: I HAVE MET FANTA IN THE PAST, BUT I DON'T THINK I HAVE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING YOU.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED AND AS DIRECTOR, WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE ORGANIZATION?

KANNYKA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

I AM HAPPY TO BE HERE ON THE SHOW TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL WE ARE DOING HERE AT THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS.

MY CONNECTION TO THE AGENCY HAS BEEN A LONG ONE.

I MET JOSEPH LEE WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I CAME TO RHODE ISLAND IN FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS NOT ORIGINALLY FROM PROVIDENCE.

WE MOVED HERE FROM MASSACHUSETTS BECAUSE THERE IS A LARGE SOUTHEAST ASIAN POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THE CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY.

AND MY PARENTS WANTED TO BE CLOSER TO MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITY.

SO WE FOUND PROVIDENCE.

THE AGENCY'S 35 OR 36 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN 19 87.

-- 1987.

FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE DEVELOPMENT CENTER OF RHODE ISLAND AND NOW IT IS KNOWN AS THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS.

I CAME ON AS DIRECTOR OF THE PROGRAM.

I STARTED HERE SIX YEARS AGO.

APRIL WAS MY ANNIVERSARY, SO SIX YEARS AGO ON STAFF.

MY GOAL AS A PROGRAM DIRECTOR IS TO MAKE SURE WE OFFER PROGRAMS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO CLIENTS NOW.

WE ARE DOING FREE TAX PREP SERVICES, HELPING PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WHICH ACTUALLY WAS EXTENDED THROUGH MAY WITH SPECIAL ENROLLMENT THROUGH THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, BIDEN WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE WERE STILL ELIGIBLE TO APPLY AND GET HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.

BUT WE HAVE EVOLVED OVER THE DECADES TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HELPING WITH COVID-19 EMERGENCY SERVICES, WE ARE HELPING WITH CASE MANAGEMENT, IT IS VERY BIG IN OUR AGENCY.

WE MAKES IS THAT EVERYBODY WHO WALKS IN IS GOING TO GET SERVICE.

WE ARE THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS, BUT WE SERVICE EVERYBODY IN THE COMMITTEE.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE ASIAN.

THERE IS MISINFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE TO BE ASIAN TO COME HERE BUT NOW, WE HELP EVERYBODY.

OUR SERVICES HELP EVERYBODY, NOT JUST ASIANS.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

ANOTHER THING PEOPLE PROBABLY SHOULD UNDERSTAND, IS THAT THE ASIAN COMMUNITY IS VERY DIVERSE IN RHODE ISLAND.

WE HAVE CAMBODIANS, VIETNAMESE, HMONG, LAO, CHINESE, ANY MALAYSIAN?

>> I HAVEN'T SEEN OR HEARD OF MANY.

PETER: I HAVEN'T EITHER.

BUT IN MY CORRECT AND THE NUMBERS OF COMMUNITIES I JUST ADDRESSED?

>> YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

THERE IS A LOT OF ASIAN INDIVIDUALS IN PROVIDENCE, AT THE CENTER HAS BEEN ABLE TO HELP UNIFY OUR CLIENTS, IN TERMS OF AROUND GETTING CHINESE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

WE SOMETIMES WORK WITH AN INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE THAT THEY HAVE INTERVENTION SERVICES AND RECENTLY, THEY LET US KNOW ABOUT A BURMESE FAMILY THAT WAS MOVING INTO THE STATE.

SO THEY HELPED WITH INTERPRETING, TRANSLATION SERVICES AND SUPPORT SERVICES.

SO YES, THERE ARE A GROWING NUMBER OF OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE COMING OUT AND ASKING FOR HELP.

AND WE ARE OPEN TO HELPING EVERYBODY.

>> PETER, I WANTED TO ADD, WE ALSO OFFER TRANSLATION SERVICES IN MANY DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO SERVE SUCH A DIVERSE COMMUNITY, WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS SITTING.

TELL ME, WHAT IS STAFFING LIKE THESE DAYS FOR THE ORGANIZATION?

>> OUR STAFF RIGHT NOW, I'M GLAD YOU ASKED.

WE HAVE 12 FULL-TIME STAFF MEMBERS.

WE JUST ON BOARDED A COUPLE NEW PEOPLE.

OUR ESL CLASSES O ARE GROWING, DEALT EDUCATION CLASSES ARE GOING BACK TO THE FOREFRONT BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC FOCUS WAS KIDS IN SCHOOL BUT NOW, WE ARE FOCUSING OUR EFFORTS TO HELP THE ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAM.

WE HAVE BETWEEN FIVE AND 10 CONSULTANTS, MOSTLY BECAUSE OF OUR INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE BANK.

WE HELP WITH INTERPRETERS AND ARE STARTING TO WORK MORE SO WITH THEM, SMALL BUSINESSES, ASIAN AMERICANS AS WELL AS SPANISH, LATINX GROUPS AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN GROUPS.

THEY ARE GREAT BUSINESS OWNERS THAT WE HAVE TEAMED UP WITH THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION TO GET PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, PEOPLE OF COLOR, TO ASK SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHAT THEY NEED.

OUR CONSULTANTS, THERE ARE FIVE OR 10 OF THEM, SO WE ARE ABOUT 25, 30 PEOPLE STRONG.

PETER: FANTASTIC.

AND YOU ARE GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF GOVERNORS, OR DIRECTORS?

>> YES.

WE HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS, A MIXED BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

SOME OF THEIR BACKGROUNDS ARE PROFESSORS, PHD STUDENTS, SOMEBODY IS ON THE POLICE FORCE, PROVIDENCE POLICE FORCE.

A FINANCE BACKGROUND, RETIRED BUSINESS LEADERS, SO WE HAVE A DIVERSE WARDEN AND WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR -- A DIVERSE BOARD AND THEN WE HAVE AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

PETER: ARE THE BOARD MEMBERS ALL ASIAN?

>> NO, THERE IS A MIX.

WE HAVE ABOUT HALF THAT ARE SOUTHEAST ASIAN OR OF ASIAN DESCENT, AND THE OTHER HALF, WE HAVE AFRICAN-AMERICAN, CAUCASIAN, SO JUST LIKE OUR CLIENTELE, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE THE CENTER FOR SOUTHEAST ASIANS, WE ALSO HAVE A DIVERSE BOARD.

PETER: FANTASTIC.

YOU ARE WALKING THE TALK.

I LIKE THAT.

THAT IS GREAT.

FANTA, WOULD HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES YOU HAVE BEEN FACING DELIVERING YOUR PROGRAMS?

FANTA: I DO VICTIM SERVICES.

WE DO HAVE -- WE HAVE BEEN RUNNING ACROSS SOME CLIENTS THAT COME IN, BUT IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TO HAVE CLIENTS CALL US TO SAY THEY ARE FACING SITUATIONS IN VICTIM SERVICES.

SO IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE.

BUT WE DO HAVE CLIENTS THAT DO CALL US FOR THAT.

PETER: WHAT MIGHT BE SOME OF THOSE CALLS?

FANTA: THE ASIAN COMMUNITY, IF SOMETHING IS HAPPENING AT HOME, THEY DON'T REALLY WANT TO COME TO THE FOREFRONT AND SAY THIS IS HAPPENING.

THE WAY THEY REACH OUT IS WORD-OF-MOUTH, IT IS MORE WORD-OF-MOUTH.

PETER: SINCE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT, AROUND THE COUNTRY THERE HAS BEEN ISSUES WITH PERSONAL ATTACKS ON PEOPLE OF ASIAN DESCENT SINCE THIS VIRUS HAS STARTED, AND MISINFORMATION BY THIS PRESIDENT REGARDING THE VIRUS, PUTTING FOCUS ON THE ASIAN COMMUNITY.

HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED FOLKS HERE?

ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY PERSONAL ATTACKS ON FOLKS PHYSICALLY, ESPECIALLY, BECAUSE OF THIS VIRUS?

I GUESS IT WOULD FALL INTO THE AREA OF A HATE CRIME.

FANTA: I PERSONALLY HAVEN'T.

AT THE AGENCY, WE HAVEN'T REALLY HEARD OF ANY HATE CRIMES OR INCIDENTS IN RHODE ISLAND.

PETER: THAT IS GOOD TO HEAR.

FANTA: KANNYKA, IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING, BUT WE HAVEN'T WITNESSED ANY OF THAT YET.

KANNYKA: PERSONAL ATTACKS, WE HAVE NOT HEARD OF ANY HERE IN PROVIDENCE.

BUT WHEN COVID-19 HIT, WE HAD SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WERE SCARED.

THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO.

FOR EXAMPLE, A FEW SMALL BUSINESSES ARE GROCERY STORES.

FOOD IS ESSENTIAL, AND SOME GROCERY STORES WERE NOT SURE WHAT TO DO, AND THEY CONSULTED OUR OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL.

THEY ACTUALLY ASKED, SHOULD WE PROACTIVELY SHUT DOWN BEFORE BEING TOLD CERTAIN BUSINESSES HAD TO SHUT DOWN FOR COVID RESTRICTIONS.

THERE WERE A FEW WEEKS THAT THEY CLOSED DOWN FOR FEAR OF BEING RETALIATED AGAINST AS AN ASIAN BUSINESS, BECAUSE THERE WAS SO MUCH INFORMATION -- MISINFORMATION ABOUT COVID-19, HOW IT SPREAD AND HOW IT STARTED.

LUCKILY, NOTHING WAS OVERT.

MEANING THEY DIDN'T GET ANY WINDOWS SMASHED, DIDN'T GET DAMAGE TO THEIR BUSINESSES.

BUT AS A PERCUSSIVE, THEY DID CLOSE DOWN AND LOST BUSINESS DURING THAT TIME WHILE THEY WERE SHUT DOWN -- BUT AS A PRECAUTION , THEY DID CLOSE DOWN AND LOST BUSINESS DURING THAT TIME THEY WERE SHUT DOWN.

WE DID HAVE CLIENTS CALL AND SAY THEY WERE HARASSED OR FELT UNSAFE, BUT WE SUPPORTED OUR CLIENTS AND CONNECTED THEM WITH FACEBOOK.

FANTA WAS REALLY GOOD WITH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.

WE HAD DIRECT MESSAGING SOMETIMES.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I WANTED TO BRING UP THAT WE HAD DURING MOSTLY THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF IS THAT WE ARE VERY FACE-TO-FACE BASED.

WE HAVE AN OPEN AGENCY.

PEOPLE COME IN ALL THE TIME FOR YOU BUT WE HAD TO GO TO APPOINTMENT ONLY WHEN WE WERE BACK IN THE OFFICE, AND WE CAME BACK A LOT EARLIER THAN A LOT OF OTHER AGENCIES.

YOU CAN SEE THAT WE ARE IN OUR OFFICES.

WE CAN BACK AS EARLY AS JUNE 2020.

AND THAT WAS BECAUSE THAT AS PROGRAM MANAGER, I SAW OUR CLIENTS WERE NOT ABLE TO USE TECHNOLOGY TO COMMUNICATE WITH US.

WE HAD A SNAP CERTIFICATION THAT IS BETTER DONE BY PAPER, SO DOING IT ONLINE WAS NOT FEASIBLE.

ON ZOOM, THEY HAD A HARD TIME WORKING ON ZOOM.

WE ARE JUST GETTING USED TO IT OURSELVES, A YEAR AND A HALF TO IT NOW.

SO WE OPENED OUR DOORS AS SOON AS WE COULD, JUNE 2020.

I REMEMBER JUNE 1, IT FELL ON A MONDAY LAST YEAR.

WE HELP CLIENTS FACE-TO-FACE BY APPOINTMENT, AND THAT IS HOW WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR CLIENTS, TO KNOW THAT WE ARE HERE FOR THEM AND THAT WHATEVER MISINFORMATION IS OUT THERE, WE ARE BUT YOU GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, AND STOPPING THE SPREAD IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GOAL OF OURS.

PETER: I WAS WONDERING, RIGHT NOW, THIS NEW -- THE ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO IS ADVERTISING AN ASIAN LANTERN PROGRAM.

WERE YOU INVOLVED?

FANTA: WE WERE NOT INVOLVED IN THAT.

PETER: YOU WERE NOT?

FANTA: NO.

PETER: DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE IMPETUS OF THAT IS, WHERE THE PRODUCTS, LANTERNS AND THINGS CAME FROM?

FANTA: I DON'T.

I THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA.

PETER: YES.

FANTA: ESPECIALLY, IT OPENED DURING ASIAN HERITAGE, LAST MONTH RING ASIAN HERITAGE.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING GREAT TO SEE.

-- MONTH DURING ASIAN HERITAGE.

I THOUGHT THAT WAS SOMETHING GREAT TO SEE.

I HAVE NOT COME PERSONALLY, BUT HAVE SEEN VIDEOS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY COOL.

PETER: I THOUGHT THE TIMING WAS PERFECT CONSIDERING THE VIRUS AND THINGS HAPPENING AROUND THE COUNTRY, TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE, ARTISTIC SIDE OF THE ASIAN CULTURE HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

EITHER OF YOU CAN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS, I AM NOT SURE THE BEST WAY TO DIRECT THEM.

YOU DECIDE.

BUT ANY NEW PROGRAMS THAT YOU HAVE THAT YOU ARE DEVELOPING, THAT YOU ARE GOING TO BE PRESENTING, BUT HAVEN'T YET MADE PUBLIC?

WE WILL KEEP IT A SECRET.

[LAUGHTER] KANNYKA: I CAN ANSWER THAT.

I AM DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS HERE AT THE AGENCY, SO WE HAVE BEEN MORE OF A SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY , IN THAT CLIENTS WILL COME IN FOR A ONE AND DONE SITUATION.

FOR EXAMPLE, TAXES.

IT IS DONE ONCE A YEAR.

I SEE MOST ATTACKS CLIENTS ONCE A YEAR.

I WILL SEE THEM AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT YEAR.

PAPERWORK, SNAP CERTIFICATIONS, THEY ARE EVERY SIX MONTHS, FOR EXAMPLE.

ACA, OPEN ENROLLMENT ONCE A YEAR.

WE ARE NOW TRANSITIONING TO GET FOLKS BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE, BECAUSE THE ECONOMY IS OPENING BACK UP.

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE UNITED WAY AND IT WAS FORMALLY ANNOUNCED, BUT WE HAVEN'T MADE ANY BIG PRESS RELEASE OR INFORMATION, OTHER THAN US GETTING THE FUNDING FOR IT.

SO WE HAVE A WORKFORCE SOLUTION PROGRAM THAT WE ARE EMBARKING ON FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS THAT IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT FOR US.

WE ARE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH CLIENT TO GET THEM INTO A HEALTHCARE SERVICES PROGRAM.

FOR EXAMPLE, HOME HEALTH AIDE, CNA PROGRAM.

AND THEN, WELDING, THAT IS A BIG PROGRAMMING -- BIG PROGRAM FOR THE ELECTRIC BOAT UP IN WOONSOCKET.

THEY HAVE A BIG GOVERNMENT PROGRAM AND THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WORKERS.

THAT IS A STRICT PROGRAM, UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO BE A CITIZEN IN ORDER TO PASS A BACKGROUND CHECK.

OUR CLIENTELE, A LOT OF THEM ARE NOT CITIZENS.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE SLOWLY BEEN WORKING ON, TRYING TO GET THEM A CITIZENSHIP CLASS IN A CLASSROOM SETTING WHERE THEY COULD LEARN AND PASS THE CITIZENSHIP CLASS.

ONE MAJOR PROGRAM WE ARE WORKING ON IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND PLANNING AND MAKING SURE OUR CLIENTS ARE READY FOR THAT.

SO WE ARE BRAINSTORMING HOW TO CONNECT WITH OUR CLIENTS THAT ARE NOT ALREADY HERE AT THE AGENCY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE ELDER SERVICES.

THIS POPULATION, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO WORK.

THEY HAVE EITHER AGED OUT OF THE WORKFORCE, SO NOW OUR GOAL IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET THE NEW, YOUNG WORKERS, MAYBE COLLEGE ISN'T FOR THEM OR THEY ARE TRYING TO CHANGE CAREERS, THEY ARE STAGNANT IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING, THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THAT IS GOOD TO BE OUR NEXT STEP.

PETER: I HAD FOLKS FROM THE RHODE ISLAND BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, WHO BEEN -- WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM OF CONSTRUCTION LANGUAGE, AS ANOTHER LANGUAGE, AND THEY ARE TRAINING FOLKS MOVING INTO THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS.

IT WOULD BE INTERESTING IF YOU WERE DOING THE SAME THING, SO SOME OF YOUR CLIENTS MIGHT GET INVOLVED IN THAT SITUATION AT DORCAS.

BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE CULTURE IS PRETTY ENTREPRENEURIAL, SO TELL ME ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS STARTUPS.

WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES HAVE FOLKS HAD FROM THE COMMUNITY IN GETTING THEIR BUSINESSES STARTED?

>> MINORITY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS RIGHT NOW HAVE A LOT OF GOALS, A LOT OF IDEAS.

2018, 2019, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, COVID HIT.

THINGS WERE CLOSING DOWN.

THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROGRAMS WE HAVE ARE THE MORE COMMON BUSINESSES, NAIL SALON OR BEAUTY SALON, AND GROCERY STORES.

GROCERY STORES HAVE STILL AN OPENING HERE IN RHODE ISLAND.

THERE IS A BIG STORE, BUT THAT IS A CHAIN, HOUSE OF FORTUNE, NOT FAR FROM OUR OFFICE.

AND THEN, THERE WERE A COUPLE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAD A FIRE, AND THREE TO FOUR YEARS LATER, THEY OPENED NOT JUST A GROCERY STORE, BUT THEY ALSO OPENED A SEAFOOD STORE, ON RESERVOIR.

AND THEN, PACIFIC SEAFOOD.

WE HAVE SEEN VIETNAMESE FOOD SHOPS, SO I THINK THE SPIRIT IS THEY ARE.

BUT THE BUSINESSES ARE MORE COMMON.

ED FOOD IS A BIG INDUSTRY -- AND FOOD IS A BIG INDUSTRY.

FANTA SANS SOCIAL MEDIA THAT SOME OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS WE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH.

THERE ARE FOOD TRUCKS NOW THAT ARE GOING INTO A BRICK AND MORTAR BUILDING.

THEY DO ICE CREAM, HOMETOWN COOKING, THEY DO COOKING BOWLS.

THEY ARE NOW MOVING INTO STORES.

THESE ARE BUSINESSES THAT ARE REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THEY ARE OPEN, TO SHOW YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DO A 9-TO-5 AND WANT TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, WE ARE HELPING TO CONNECT THAT.

AND THEY COME FOR REFERRALS AS WELL AS IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS.

PETER: I KNOW THE BUBBLE T HOUSE HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND ONE OF MY CLOSEST FRIENDS IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND IS KIM T. I HAVE KNOWN KIM AND HER FAMILY SINCE I HAVE BEEN HERE, AND I CAME HERE IN 1995.

I GOT TO KNOW THE TAO FAMILY VERY WELL AND THEY HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN OPENING RESTAURANTS BOTH HERE AND THE EAST SIDE, AND SO ON.

SINCE THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH CONTROVERSY ABOUT SMALL BUSINESSES TRYING TO GET ENOUGH SEED MONEY AND SO ON, REGARDLESS OF THE COMMUNITY, I WAS JUST CURIOUS AS TO THE ACTIVITIES IN THE ASIAN COMMUNITY?

YES, GROCERY STORES, NAIL SALONS, TAILOR SHOPS, FIXING CLOTHES.

AND I REMEMBER THERE WAS A STORE NEAR WHERE SONNY VIEW WAS -- SUNNY VIEW WAS COMMEND THE LADY THAT OWNED IT USED TO MAKE MANY OF THE WEDDING DRESSES FOR FAMILIES IN RHODE ISLAND.

I DON'T KNOW IF SHE'S STILL DOING THAT, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A GREAT DEAL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT MUCH LIKE THE ASIAN COMMUNITY ITSELF, IT IS QUIET.

WHEN I SPOKE WITH KIM ABOUT DOING ADVERTISING, THERE WAS SOMETHING SHE SAID, WE NEVER REALLY DID MUCH ADVERTISING IN CAMBODIA, BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY WOULD COME OUT AND SUPPORT A FRIEND OR NEIGHBOR.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS, WE DID NOT REALLY DO NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS.

SO THAT IS KIND OF A NEW FUNCTION FOR SOME FOLKS WHO ARE GOING INTO BUSINESS HERE NOW.

>> PETER, WITH ONE OF THE LOCAL ASIAN MARKETS, WE HAD ONE OF OUR CASEWORKERS, SHE IS VERY CLOSE TO THEM AND ACTUALLY HELPED HIM PROMOTE ON FACEBOOK.

NOW, THAT IS ALL HE DOES THAT THAT IS HOW HE GETS A LOT OF CUSTOMERS WHENEVER HE HAS NEW PRODUCTS.

HE WOULD POSTED ON FACEBOOK.

SHE SHOWED HIM OUT TO DO IT.

AND NOW, THAT IS ALL HE DOES ON A DAILY BASIS.

EVERY MORNING, HE WILL WAKE UP AND POST SOMETHING, THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TODAY, WE HAVE FRESH SLOGANS -- FRESH LOGANS.

A LOT OF CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNGER CROWD, WILL SAY, CAN WE GO AND PICK IT UP TODAY, BECAUSE OF THE PROMOTION, AND ONE OF OUR EMPLOYEES ACTUALLY HELPED HIM DO IT.

PETER: VERY GOOD.

THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF IT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THAT IS WHAT KEEPS BUSINESS, JUST PEOPLE KNOWING THERE IS A PLACE.

THERE IS A GROCERY STORE ON PUBLIC STREET THAT IS CONTINUALLY BUSY.

IT IS A SMALL PLACE ON THE CORNER.

IT COULD PROBABLY DO A MUCH BIGGER BUSINESS IF IT HAD A BIGGER SPACE, THAT KIND OF THING.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY?

AND THEREFORE, PEOPLE GET USED FOR SEEING THE ASIAN BUSINESSES.

AND THAT WOULD HELP AS WELL.

>> ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL STORY IS, ONE OF OUR LAOTIANS, SHE IS A YOUNG BUSINESS OWNER AND STARTED A FOOD TRUCK ON THE EAST SIDE AND NOW, SHE HAS A STOREFRONT.

EVERY DAY, THERE IS A LINE OUT THE DOOR JUST TO GET HER SPECIAL-MADE ICE CREAM.

PETER: WHERE IS IT LOCATED?

FANTA: AT CAN'T THINK -- I CAN THINK OF THE NAME, IT IS ON THE EAST SIDE.

KANNYKA: I STREET.

FANTA: I STREET.

SHE DID A KICKSTART AND SHE DOES A LOT OF PROMOTIONS, WHICH IS MISSING FROM A LOT OF BUSINESSES SINCE WE HAVE BEEN HOME.

BUT SHE IS THE YOUNG GENERATION AND SHE IS ABLE TO GET THE CUSTOMERS.

PETER: THEY USE THE INTERNET TO GET PEOPLE THIS INFORMATION.

I HAVE TO MAKE IT A POINT TO GET OVER THERE AND VISIT HER STORE.

I KNOW IT WAS YOU WHO TOLD US ABOUT IT.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY TO GET YOU BACK ON, BECAUSE A HALF HOUR GOES BY VERY QUICKLY WHEN YOU ARE HAVING FUN AND GOOD CONVERSATION.

I INVITE YOU FOR 30 SECONDS, FANTA, AND KANNYKA, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ADD?

FANTA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

IT WAS GREAT.

I HAD A GOOD TIME ON THE SHOW.

KANNYKA: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US COME AND WE ARE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO SHARE ALL THE HAPPENINGS WITH YOU.

AND PLEASE COME AND VISIT AS.

GIVE US A CALL, FOR A 1-274- 8811.

PETER: I WILL.

BECAUSE I GO BY THERE'LL THE TIME.

THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW.

IT WOULD TO THINK TODAY'S GUESTS, FANTA AND KANNYKA AND YOU THE VIEWER'S COMFORT TUNING INTO "IN ANOTHER OPINION."

THANKS TO PBS FOR MAKING THE SHOW POSSIBLE.

GIVE US YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK AT "IN ANOTHER OPINION," AND HAVE A GOOD DAY.

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