Van Lal Lian is a community advocate and the former President of the Chin Youth Organization of North America (CYONA), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering Chin youth from refugee backgrounds through education, leadership, and cultural preservation. He served two full terms as president from 2021 to 2025, leading the organization during a period of significant growth. Under his leadership, CYONA expanded to 25 active chapters across the United States and Canada and strengthened support systems for refugee and immigrant youth and their families. For the first time since its founding in 2001, CYONA began receiving grant funding, successfully securing multiple grants to support its growth and programs. The organization also opened its first office, establishing a central hub for youth services and community development.
Van led CYONA’s biennial conventions in 2023 and 2025, which brought together over 3,000 participants from the Chin diaspora across North America and beyond. These four-night, three-day conventions featured cultural performances, sports tournaments, and community celebrations that fostered unity, cultural pride, and connections among Chin youth. Local officials, including the Mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, along with national and international leaders, participated to show their support for the youth and recognize the contributions of the Chin community.
In response to the 2021 military coup in Myanmar (Burma), Van became a strong advocate for human rights and democracy, focusing on the experiences of Chin refugees and internally displaced persons. His advocacy work includes international speaking engagements and presentations at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, as well as at the United Nations headquarters in New York. He also traveled to Mizoram, India (along the border of Chin State, Burma), where he visited refugee camps, supported displaced communities, and met with the Chief Minister of Mizoram to express gratitude for the state's warm welcome to Chin refugees.
Currently, Van is a Systems and Data Analyst at Boeing, rotating within the IT and Data Analytics organization, which drives innovation by leveraging data science, analytics, and technology solutions to support Boeing’s business objectives. He is part of the IT Career Foundation Program (ITCFP), a specialized development initiative designed to cultivate technical and leadership skills within the company. Van holds a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Kansas and a Master of Science in Analytics from the University of Southern California.
With a strong foundation in data and a passion for community, Van is committed to building a more equitable and connected future.
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