also Montagnard...also frustrated

hi, im H'Rina DeTroy. my mom is Jarai, my father gringo-American and altho i guess i'm jumpin on the bandwagon of your original inquiry/email late (2001?), im hoping to provide u wit some answers or at least a little hope. LA you said? well then it makes perfect sense that you're questioning the sources of your identity since the west coast is without a doubt the closest thing i have ever known to hooking up with the asian empowerment movement. u see, im from the northeast, connecticut then living in maine and there aren't enough of us to even question the status quo, ya know? but once started going to skool in eugene oregon (1999), that's when i found azian student orgs and people eager to question their identity and demand acknowledgment, respect and have pride. quite a beautiful thing, really. i've been to VN, it will almost be a year since i left last winter and found family in the central highlands. a most powerful experience that i am still trying to fully comprehend. indeed, it is our responsability that we uncover the truth to our identity and even more importantly, preserve our culture that is vanishing under the guise of assimilation. just know that you are not alone in this quest... well, i must get back to a paper im writing...im tryin to get my BA now in NYC. good luck, i hope u get this and i hope u respond, H'Rina p.s. my cousin in carolina is also a Siu