CULTURAL MISSION: EDUATION. CULTURE. SUPPORT. YOUTH. UNITY. GUIDE. MOTIVATE 

The Montagnard American Organization (MAO) is the youth professional development program of Montagnard Association of NC Inc.. It is inclusive, not divided by tribe, ethnicity, language, church affiliation, school or college enrollment, or politics. 

MISSION: To increase visibility, and strengthen the broader Montagnard community. MAO develops programs and resources to promote community building, higher education and cultural preservation. Our programs or public events/activities are inclusive to all Montagnards and friends regardless of the race, gender, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual identity, families status, age, disability and socio-economic status. All community members are encourage to attend, participate in community events, and we welcome community members to volunteers with us. 

VISION: Through the Montagnard American Organization (MAO) youth program, Montagnard Association of NC Inc. is committed to work with Montagnard community across the state and national. We are committed in creating an environment that is diverse, inclusive, and equitable where all staff, Montagnard community members, partners, community partners, vendors, and board members are treated with respect and dignity.

GOALS: Promote cultural preservation, higher education/life success, outreach, programs, and funding  sustainability 

Cultural preservation: We promote the cultural preservation of the Montagnard American community. We promotion of positive traditions and preserving good values by develop activities to support togetherness like traditional dance and music classes, language classes, workshops, festivals, cultural presentations and other events. 

Higher Education/Life success: 

• College?  We want to strengthen the higher education opportunities for Montagnard youth through educational mentoring, service learning, community engagement activities, college presentations, technical assistance in applications, scholarship opportunities, and follow-up counseling support for college students. 

• College application assistance

• College financial aid application assistance (FAFSA)

Life Success

• Not college? There's a lot you need to know, like getting a good start on the job, planning a career, saving, renting or buying a home, understanding insurance, bills, how to pay for stuff — all important life skills you want to master.

• MAO encourages life success — whether through employment after high school or through college.  

• Job and career planning

• Make career progress!   Are you looking for your next career move? Don’t know which job to look for next? As next-generation community members, we encourage meeting, sharing, and supporting one another. Get to know others, network, get ideas, share ideas!

Community outreach

• Training and education

• Community involvement

MDA/MAO long term sustainability: “Sustainability” for us is based on the recognition of severe disparities in power and influence, including access to appropriate levels of funding and mutuality among players. It is based on the promotion by MDA of the professional development of community members, program development, leadership development, creating an inclusive workplace, and capacity building with concomitant promotion of community empowerment through information, education and awareness. Sustainability for us is beyond the timespan of an externally funded project means that we have successfully created the community conditions for broader and deeper changes, changes that ultimately can only be realized with the cooperation of powerful system players. 

Become a participant of MAO. Contact us for more information. Whether you're interested in college, attending now, already on the job or starting a career, we want you to be involved! 

Annual Youth Conference: The Annual Youth and Partners Conference has a different theme each year. For example, one year’s theme was "We Need to Get Together! Working to Unite, Educate, and Embrace Cultural Diversity." The conference features speakers who are refugees and immigrants, as well as youth leaders. Each year, we plan the program and activity details with the aim of engaging youth from our community and our partner organizations, motivating them to attend the conference. Write to us if you would like to support this event.