Kabzuag Vaj
Madison, Wisconsin | Freedom, Inc.
Kabzuag’s powerful work dealing with the basic needs of food, shelter and safety for communities in Wisconsin has translated into preparing a whole community to go to the polls next November. Born in Laos, she came to the United States as a refugee. Kabzuag has been doing violence prevention work for over twenty years and was recognized as a Champion of Change at the White House during Domestic Violence Awareness month in 2011.
She is the co-founder and co-executive director of Freedom, Inc., an organization working with low-to no-income communities of color that focuses on ending violence against women and youth. Freedom Inc.’s model is all about meeting people’s basic needs. Their food pantry serves the hungry and the people who have been most overlooked as voters. Through building relationships, they turned out thousands of voters in 2018, the majority of whom are designated unlikely to vote in midterm elections.
One of their goals for next year is to work with partner organizations to target infrequent and non-voters to help them understand the issues in their communities and turn them into lifelong voters.They aim to reach 10,000 voters and get more Southeast Asian women elected to office in the next five years.
What is the song you will listen to on repeat in 2020?
“It’s not a song but a quote by Arne Garborg. ‘To love a person is to learn the song that is in their heart and to sing it to them when they have forgotten.’”
What are you reading right now?
“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Wong and Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott.”
Who is your plus one?
“Chai Moua, who has built a civic engagement movement with the Southeast Asian community here in Wisconsin over the last few years. She has given so much to women’s anti-violence, gender justice causes and has been the foundation for her family and often mine.”
Join the Movement
She the People is creating a politics we have not yet seen, one grounded in love, justice, and belonging. Join women of color across the country in making our voice and votes matter in 2020 and beyond. Are you ready?