After the Vietnam War, many Hmong people found themselves as refugees. The resettlement of some to the United States began in 1975, with multiple waves continuing until 2006. Today Minneapolis-St. Paul is home to the largest urban Hmong population in the world. The Hmong people in Minnesota have developed a strong and vibrant community in their chapter of the immigrant story in America.
May 14, 2021 - Kao Ly Ilean Her, a pioneering leader in Minnesota's Hmong community and the first Hmong person to serve on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, died Thursday at the age of 52. MPR’s Steven John interviews Dr. MayKao Hang, Her’s longtime friend. Hang says Her helped pave the way for young Hmong American women.
July 13, 2021 - MPR’s Peter Cox reports that as St. Paul’s Sunisa Lee heads to the Tokyo Olympics in the coming days, the country’s Hmong community is expected to watch closely as the first Hmong American competes there on the gymnastics world stage.
May 3, 2022 - On this segment of North Star Journey, MPR’s Peter Cox looks at how a growing class of young Hmong doctors, nurses, and public health leaders recognized COVID’s threat and worked to guide people toward science-based answers.
November 18, 2022 - MPR’s Hannah Yang visits the Veterans Memorial Center in rural Tracy, a southwestern Minnesota town. Young Hmong dancers are busy getting ready for the Hmong New Year as they practice traditional dance routines.
May 1, 2023 - On this segment of North Star Journey, MPR’s Jacob Aloi talks with Hmong shaman Billy Lor and others about shamanism and its importance in the Hmong community.
May 10, 2023 - All Things Considered’s Tom Crann talks with David and Mandy Yang, family members of Jennifer Yang, a 36-year-old Anoka County woman, who was killed by her husband in what was ruled as a murder-suicide. The Yang’s discuss the need for Hmong families to have conversations regarding domestic violence.
September 14, 2023 - MPR’s Jon Collins profiles Hmong immigrants who have put down roots on Dakota County farmland. The Hmong American Farmers Association closed on farmland just south of the Twin Cities in Dakota County in 2022. The more than 150 acres are home base for the organization and 20 families of Hmong farmers.