Mr. Hmong Royalty Pageant

There are many challenges that our Hmong community still face to this day. I believe in my heart we are a people that can overcome any obstacle and hardship. We have been through a war that was not of our doing and are continuing to heal. We have faced persecution and have endured and pushed through and built ourselves a home in a foreign country that we now call our own. We have overcome the language barriers, cultural assimilation and persevered. I know that we will continue to thrive and fight for the future of our Hmong people.

Though our accomplishments are many, there are still challenges that the Hmong community faces that I have a strong passion for.  These issues affect not only the Hmong community but are issues that affects all of us across the board, especially as a community of color.

The goal and vision for Hmong pageants are to foster and build strong, young Hmong leaders. For me, I use this platform as a way to amplify my voice and work. I understand that my work, vision and passion go beyond the pageant stage. Whether I am Mr. Hmong Royalty or not does not define how great of a leader I am. Regardless of my title, it is my actions every day that define how great of a leader I am and want to become.

I will use my platform as a nraug nab and community advocate to create spaces for our Hmong people to come together to learn about the importance of youth leadership, challenges and issues that our community faces, and cultural preservation. I hope that I will spark positive changes and  alleviate the issues of injustice we as a Hmong community and people of color face every day.

My goals and objectives as Mr. Hmong Royalty, 2018 is to build and foster youth leadership, address and make aware issues and challenges in the Hmong community and then consider how we can start to solve these issues or overcome these challenges. Finally, I would like to bridge the gap between the older generation and younger generation to preserve our Hmong language and culture.

 

Mission Statement Breakdown:

Leadership:

• Educational conferences and workshops

• Scholarship opportunities

• Leading youth by continuing to work with youth and letting them take the lead

Issues/Challenges:

• Civic Engagement

  • Civic engagement at Hmong New Years and Hmong Festivals

  • Educating the Hmong community on the importance of voter registration and voting

• Domestic Violence

  • Bringing this issue to the table and hosting meaningful dialogue with the community

  • What are the root causes of gender-based violence and understanding how these root causes of gender-based violence contributes to violence in our community?

• Working and collaborating with other communities of color

  • Intentionally engaging to work and collaborate with other communities of color

Bridging the Gap between the Older and Younger Generations:

• Culture appreciation and education for our younger generation

• Providing a space for our youth to practice and engage in Hmong arts and cultures

• Educating and providing resources to our parents, grandparents and older generations

• Helping our older generation adapt and understand the new American culture

• Helping our youth navigate the old world and the new world

 

Projects and Events:

Mr. Hmong Royalty’s Southeast Food Drive: November, 18th – 22nd in Milwaukee, WI

The goal and purpose of this food drive is to provide a few essential food items the Southeast Asian communities need for the holiday season that are not readily available through mainstream food pantries. For many of the new wave of Southeast Asian refugees, this charitable effort will be a tremendous relief for their families.

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 Mr. Hmong Royalty Toy Drive: December, 10th – 23rd in Madison, Wausau, and Milwaukee, WI
“Royal Toys for Royal Kids”

The objective of Mr. Hmong Royalty’s “Royal Toys for Royal Kids” is to help children experience the joy of Christmas. The goal is to provide new toys for children and families. I understand the struggles caused by the economy; many of our families are dealing with financial burdens, especially during the holidays. I hope to unite all families during this time of year by donating, volunteering and giving back to our community.

 

Civic Engagement Workshop(s): Saturday March 31st, 2018 in Wausau, WI or TBD (multiple events?)

There is a crack in the American justice system and our Hmong people are not engaged enough, not educated enough, and does not seem to fully comprehend what is happening to our community.  In my opinion, this has led to a lack of unity among the Hmong community and other community of colors to fight against the injustices that we are face with every day.  We as a community must educate ourselves and each other about the legal system in the United States. We must know our rights as Hmong Americans, and we must be civically engaged.

We must educate our brothers and sisters. Our fathers and mothers. Our grandfathers and grandmothers. We have to teach our Hmong people the importance of becoming citizens and then encourage them to vote – for every elected official – from the President, Senators and Representatives, to our State Governors and Legislators, and to our Mayors, Judges, District Attorney, and even our District School Board members.

Amongst many other elected officials, these are people that WE put in position of power to determine the rules and laws that regulate our everyday livelihood. Our Hmong people must empower each other to exercise our right to vote. We are the ones who elects them into power and it is our voice that needs to be heard.

The objective of the Civic Engagement Workshop is to create a space for the Hmong and Southeast Asian community to engage in meaningful discussions with elected officials and other community members. This will be a chance for community members to ask questions that they may have for elected officials. During this event, folks will be able to get registered to vote. We will also be providing more information on voting polls and guidelines. I hope to invite organizations from that particular area to come in provide resources for folks who are not yet citizens.

 

“Cultural Hmong Dinner Show”: Saturday, May 19th, 2018 in Milwaukee, WI or Wausau, WI or TBD

Food is an important part of culture. We grow up eating the food of our cultures and it becomes a part of who we are. Many of us associate food from our childhood with warm feelings and good memories that ties us to our families. The food we make is a part of our culture and cooking and serving traditional food is a way of preserving our culture – passing down traditional cuisine from one generation to the next and allowing these traditional foods to operate as an expression of our cultural identity.

 

A dinner show will create a common gathering space where members of the Hmong community can display ethnic pride, sustain traditions and provide a learning opportunity for those outside the culture.

 

All proceeds from this event will go towards the Mr. Hmong Royalty Scholarship.

 

Personal Developments and Projects:

1. Civic Engagement at Hmong New Years

2. H.L.U.B Youth (Initiative)

3. Hmong Pageant Documentary/Interview (Dissecting the Hmong Pageants)

4. Finding other ways to collaborate with other Hmong pageant courts

5. Must complete 150 volunteering hours – 25% benefiting Wausau, WI

6. Lue Yang, Victory Party – Saturday, March 24th, 2018

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