History of Karen Immigration in California 

The State of California is home to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers representing more than forty countries. Since 2007, refugees from Burma have been resettled in California, with over 1,800 individuals arriving since 2012. This group is ethnically diverse, including Karen, Karenni, Kachin, Shan, Chin, Burmese, Arakan, Mon, and Rohingya, with Karen being the largest group. Many refugees spent years or even generations in refugee camps lacking education and employment opportunities, arriving in the U.S. with limited resources, little formal education, and traumatic experiences. As a result, they are among California's most vulnerable and underserved populations. They face significant challenges, including language barriers, lack of job training, transportation issues, childcare needs, affordable housing, and health problems related to their past persecution. Additionally, many service providers lack the cultural competence and language skills to support this group effectively.

History of the California Karen Youth Connection 

In 2013, Karen community leaders from Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Diego met in Bakersfield and discussed the formation of the Karen youth organization. The purpose of the youth organization is to bring the Karen youth across the state together every year in June to host a leadership development conference and provide educational materials on Karen culture, language, and history for Karen youth who were born in the US or immigrated to the US when they were little. They would learn about the Karen history, struggles, and revolution. The Karen community leaders who attended the meeting in Bakersfield agreed and formally co-founded the organization. The co-founders are Hser Moo, Wah Blut So, April Moo, and Saw Per Kaw.  

Established in 2014, the California Karen Youth Connection (CKYC) educates and empowers Karen youth, young adults, community members, and seniors throughout California with the Karen culture, language, educational resources, and other supportive services. CKYC's core objective is to nurture and empower these individuals to become resilient, influential, and proactive members of society at local, state, and national levels. Our wide-ranging initiatives encompass educational support, leadership development, civic education, advocacy for policies, access to health resources, and mentorship programs geared toward college and career development. As the sole Karen youth organization nationwide, our vision is to cultivate a generation of Karen youth who emerge as leaders, driving positive change in all fields they pursue. To date, CKYC has delivered services to over 500 Karen youth and community members across California, including Sacramento, Oakland, Manteca, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Our youth and community, who are low-income individuals and families, face enormous challenges with language barriers and a lack of support for access to education, health, economic mobility, and social resources.