Honors

Saymoukda is a 2019 recipient of a Sally Award for INITIATIVE from the Ordway Center for Performing Arts which:

“recognizes bold new steps and strategic leadership undertaken by an individual...in creating projects or artistic programs never before seen in Minnesota that will have a significant impact on strengthening Minnesota’s artistic/cultural community.”

Appointments

2021-2022

City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Board, appointed by Mayor Melvin Carte

2021

State Poet Laureate Selection Committee, appointed by MN Humanities Center/Governor Tim Walz

2021

Governor's Asian Pacific Islander Roundtable

2021

State Poet Laureate Advisory Board, appointed by MN Humanities Center/Governor Tim Walz

Residencies

2021

Children’s Museum and COMPAS, National Endowment for the Arts ArtWorks

2020

National Playwright in Residence, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (through 2023)

2020

Artist on Retreat, Everwood Foundation

Fellowships

2023

Narrative Design Lab Fellowship, Center for Cultural Power

2022

Leadership Fellowship, Bush Foundation (2021 Semifinalist, 2020 Quarterfinalist)

2021

Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in Theater, Jerome Foundation
Community-Engaged Practice Art Fellowship, McKnight Foundation

2019

Mirrors and Windows CYA Fellowship, Loft Literary Center

2018

Our Space is Spoken For Public Art Fellowship, Twin Cities Media Alliance

2017

Aspen Ideas Festival Fellowship, Bush Foundation
Many Voices Fellowship, Playwrights’ Center
Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center

2015 and Prior

Folk and Traditional Arts, Lao Assistance Center/Minnesota State Arts Board (2015, 2013)
New Eyes Performance Fellowship, Mu Performing Arts/Jerome Foundation (2012, 2011)

Grants

2023

Next Step Fund Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

2021

Mid Career Research Grant, Forecast Public Art
Creative Support, Minnesota State Arts Board

2020

Visual Art Fund, for Dear Neighbor project, Midway Contemporary Art
Visual Art Fund, for FAWK Trunk Show project, Midway Contemporary Art
Cultural Identity Grant, Minnesota Humanities Center
MAP Fund (awardee 2020; Finalist 2019 and 2018)
PEN America Emergency Fund for Writers, PEN America
Messages of Hope Minigrant, Forecast Public Art
Emergency Relief Fund for Artists, Springboard for the Arts

2019

Creative Capital (Finalist)
Joyce Award (Finalist)
Asian Pacific Endowment Fund, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (2019, 2017, 2015)
Arts Activities Support, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

2018

Community Arts, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, 2014)
Travel and Study Grant, Jerome Foundation
Emerging Artist Project Grant, Forecast Public Art
Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, Finalist 2014)

2017

Open Meadows Foundation
Joan Aldous Grant, University of Minnesota
Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (2017, 2016)
Cultural Community Partnership Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board
VERVE Grant for Spoken Word Poets, Intermedia Arts
Solidarity MN Grant
Building More Philanthropy With Purpose Grant (2017, 2016)

2016

Bush Foundation grant for Community Artists Leadership Initiative

2015

Community Innovation, Headwaters Foundation for Justice
Artist Initiative, Minnesota State Arts Board

2014 and Prior

Arts Access, Lazy Hmong Woman/Minnesota State Arts Board
New Media Project Grant, Independent Filmmaker Project (Finalist 2014)
Minnesota Emerging Writer, Loft Literary Center (Honorable Mention 2011)

Awards

2019

Sally Ordway Award for Initiative, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

2018

MN Original feature, PBS/Twin Cities Public Television

2017

Fan Favorite Guest of Honor, CONVergence

2013

Best Production of 2013, L’Etoile Magazine (Kung Fu Zombies vs Cannibals)

2012

Lao Minnesotan Artists Certificate of Recognition, Office of Governor Dayton

2011

Change Maker, Intermedia Arts

2010

Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry, New York

Public Discourse (selected)

Keynote

Unseen Passages: Refugees and the Collective Fight for Vitality, 28th annual Building Bridges Conference, Gustavus Adolphus College
Leadership Conference, Midwest Asian American Student Union
NEA Big Read, Illinois
Southeast Asian Diaspora Gala
Minnesota College Professionals Association Conference
Greater Than 7 Summit, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
4th Lao American Writers Summit, Seattle
National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Conference, U of MN
Power in Diversity Leadership Conference, MN State Colleges and Universities
Women Empowering Women, Metropolitan State University

Panelist

AAPI Elders Conference, Theater Mu, Saint Paul
More Than A Single Story/Hennepin County Library
Ask Me Anything, Springboard for the Arts
McKnight Foundation/FilmNorth Media Arts Fellowship
Asian Women Healing & Creative Collective
Thank You No Thank You Exhibit, Laos in the House/Asian Arts Initiative Philadelphia
Eastside Freedom Library
Giant Steps, Minneapolis Convention Center
Center for Refugee Poetics, Smithsonian APAC, Philadelphia
MN Theater Alliance Conference, St. John's University
Mn Artists, Walker Art Center

Speaker

Cultural Production from a Laotian Refugee Experience, Code42
Perspectives: What We Hunger For, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota
Lunch & Learn: Philanthropy and APIs, Minneapolis Foundation
API Roundtable, City of Saint Paul, Mayor's Office
Colorado College
TruArtSpeaks Writing Group
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers
Grantmakers for Education
3M Leadership Summit
Diverse Books, UNICEF Houston
KidLitLab!, University of Minnesota
Art of Survival, Guthrie Theater
NCAA Inclusion Forum, Indianapolis

Community Contributions

Board of Directors

2014- 16

Ananya Dance Theatre

2021- 16

Saint Paul Almanac

2011- 16

Intermedia Arts

2011- 14

Dispute Resolution Center

Advisory

2022 - Present

More Than A Single Story

2021

K-12 Curriculum, Minneapolis Institute of Art

2019 - Present

Asian Pacific Islander American Film Collective

2020

Victoria Theater and Arts Center

2013- 16

Asian Economic Development Association’s Little Mekong Arts District

2011- 16

St. Paul Foundation’s Asian Pacific Endowment Fund

Panelist for Grant Programs

2022

Seeding Cultural Treasures, Propel Nonprofits

2021

Race Exhibit Mini-Grant, Science Museum of Minnesota

2019

Forecast Public Art

2019

Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

2017

Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center

2017

Artist Neighborhood Partnership, CURA

2017

2016 Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

2015

Sidewalk Poetry Contest, Public Art Saint Paul

2014

Night Market Arts Program, Little Mekong C4/Springboard for the Arts

2013- 16

Asian Pacific Endowment Grant, Saint Paul Foundation

2012

MN Humanities Center Reading Together Project

2011- 12

Legacy Artist Fellowship, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans

2011

MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant

2011- 13

MN State Arts Board Artistic Site Visitor

Professional Memberships

2021 - Present

Playwrights' Center

2020- Present

PEN America

2018- Present

Dramatists Guild of America

2016

Minnesota Theater Alliance

2015- 17

Horror Writers Association

2014- 15

Science Fiction Poetry Association

2014- 17

Association of Asian American Studies

2013- 15

MN Young Women’s Collaborative

2013- 14

National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development