May Lee-Yang

By SAYMOUKDA VONGSAY
AAP staff writer

Hmong American, May Lee-Yang, has been a household name in the Minnesotan arts community for over a decade, known as a playwright, poet, prose writer, and performance artist.

Lee-Yang was born in Ban Vinai, a refugee camp in Thailand following the Secret War in Laos. Nine months after her birth, her family resettled in St. Paul, Minnesota where she lives to this day. Her work often explores the lives of Hmong women and living in a bicultural world.

Continue Reading

New AAJC director and former State Senator Mee Moua, left, and Karen K. Narasaki, stepping down after 20 years.

WASHINGTON (Jan. 24, 2012) — Former State Senator Mee Moua is set to become the president and executive director the Asian American Justice Center, of one of the nation’s premier civil rights organizations.

AAJC announced this week that on March 19, Moua will succeed Karen K. Narasaki, who announced in June she is stepping down after 20 years of service.

“Mee already has an impressive record as a strong civil rights advocate,” said Narasaki. “Her tremendous experience, insight, passion and outstanding reputation make her a wonderful choice to lead an organization that has become so important to ensuring the voices of the nation’s growing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are heard.”

Continue Reading

Farview soccer players and coaches left to right: Foua Thao, coach Ger Vue, Pichai Thao, Tong Yang, Kongcheng Her, Leng Chang, Chimeng Yang, Kenny Vang, Houa Chang, Huey Lee, Pheng Vue, Andrew Thao, Xai Thao.

MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 18, 2012) — Farview 13u Hmong Soccer Team was presented the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation League Citywide Good Sportsmanship Award last week.

Farview Park is located in North Minneapolis. All the players are Hmong, and most came to the United States from Thailand’s Wat Tham Krabok refugee camp in 2004 and 2005

Continue Reading

By MAI HOANG
AAP contributing writer

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (Jan. 21, 2012) — More than 2,500 people participated in the “Year of Dragon Tet Festival’, the Vietnamese Lunar New celebration last Saturday at Kennedy High School.

The annual event is organized by the Vietnamese Community of Minnesota in conjunction with several other community groups. It is the largest Vietnamese American event in the region.

“I’m very happy because of the success of this event and also the high number of volunteers to help though out in six months of planning,” said Vietnamese Community of Minnesota President Mr. Tu Hieu regarding the overall celebration.

Continue Reading

Dr. Chia Youyee Vang

The Center for Hmong Studies is pleased to announce its 4th International Conference on Hmong Studies. The conference will take place at Concordia University, St. Paul and the banquet at the Crowne Plaza St. Paul Riverfront hotel from March 30 – 31, 2012.

Continue Reading

Rodney Hiel

U.S. – China Business Connections will hold its next Networking and Breakfast Meeting on Wed., Feb 1, 2012, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the McNamara Center of Dunwoody College, 818 Dunwoody Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55403.

The February Guest Speaker is Rodney Hiel, Managing Director of Asia Business Consulting in St. Paul, Minn. His topic will be “Central China — The New Frontier, Challenges or Opportunities: Which will you find?”

Continue Reading

WASHINGTON (Jan. 23, 2012) — At the invitation of Vice President Joseph Biden, Vice President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China will visit the White House on Feb. 14.

Continue Reading

By Summer Chiang
New America Media

SAN FRANCISCO (Jan. 13, 2012) — With just a day to go before Taiwanese vote for their country’s next leader on Jan. 14, polls show the two leading candidates running neck-and-neck. Which is why their parties are making a last bid attempt to lure overseas voters, including those in the Bay Area.

Continue Reading

Marner Saw, left, and Saw Morrison discuss a decade of successes, challenges, and lessons learned from other Southeast Asian communities.

By AKIKO TANAKA
AAP contributing writer

ST. PAUL (Jan. 11, 2011) — It has been more than 10 years since the first Karens from Burma arrived in Minnesota as refugees.

The New Year celebration event for the Karen year 2751, eleventh such event in Saint Paul, was held on Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st at Washington Technology Secondary School.  To celebrate the new year, two leaders from local Karen organizations spoke about how far the Karens have come in their adopted state.

Continue Reading

Robert A. Nakamura (UCLA photo)

With respect and admiration for his stellar record of achievement and with gratitude for service to campus and community, we announce, effective July 2012, the retirement of Professor Robert A. Nakamura after a thirty-three year career teaching Asian American Studies and Motion Picture/Television at UCLA.

Continue Reading