Ban Vinai - About Us - Minneapolis Public Schools
Ban Vinai - About Us - Minneapolis Public Schools
Ban Vinai - About Us - Minneapolis Public Schools
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INSIDE:<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong>: The Home of My Dreams<br />
The Saga of the Box<br />
Life Changes<br />
Photos from this year’s<br />
annual dance fundraiser,<br />
A Knight for a Princess
Bao Xiong, 16<br />
St. Paul, MN<br />
I creep up early mo’s from my bedroom window/ Sleep tight<br />
under this roof cause it ain’t dim low/ I wake up and my food is<br />
cooked up soon/ Took my time to spread the smell of fresh rice<br />
in every room/ When I’m done, I’m back to my bedroom all on<br />
my own/ It soothes my soul and that’s the reason why it reminds<br />
me of home/<br />
Youa Vang, 19<br />
<strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
Home is where the heart is. Often times, I fi nd myself thinking<br />
of home. Home can be many things. This wooden stool<br />
reminds me of the home I never once lived in; the farming<br />
days of Laos. My parents sat on this stool, and now, it is my<br />
turn; the lonely wooden stool.<br />
Kia Lor, 17<br />
St. Paul, MN<br />
This picture reminds me of home because it is<br />
the city of St. Paul. It has always been home to<br />
me no matter where I go. I grew up in the city,<br />
like the city, and know the city of St. Paul very<br />
well, which is why it’s my home. I feel safe and<br />
comfortable in St. Paul. It’s home to me.<br />
Sherri Xiong, 17<br />
Brooklyn Park, MN<br />
This self-photograph reminds me of my Hmoob<br />
People, and the Hmoob People is what I see as<br />
HOME. Because this is what I am and who I am, so<br />
I’m PROUD of it. –
This publication is made possible through Hmong American Partnership (HAP). HAP provides culturally appropriate social services to Hmong families in Minnesota,<br />
such as: employment services and English language classes for adults, after school programs for children and youth, and counseling and support<br />
programs for families. For more information please visit www.hmong.org.<br />
Hmong American Partnership<br />
Attn: HmoobTeen<br />
1075 Arcade St.<br />
St. Paul, MN 55106<br />
651-495-9160<br />
hmoobtm@hmong.org<br />
www.hmong.org<br />
HmoobTeen magazine<br />
may not be reproduced.<br />
Check Nws Out!:<br />
Pheng Lee<br />
15<br />
Summer 2008<br />
Contents<br />
Regulars<br />
Editor Bios Page 2, 27<br />
Editors’ Note Page 4<br />
Letters to the Editors Page 4<br />
Wise Men Column Page 6<br />
Knowing Your Hmong Page 7<br />
Check Nws Out! Page 15<br />
Adult Role Model: Teacher Feature Page 16<br />
Reviews Page 25<br />
Theme: The Concept of Home<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong>: The Home of My Dreams Page 10<br />
The Saga of The Box Page 11<br />
My Home is My Home Page 12<br />
My Home Page 12<br />
My Home is Unique Page 13<br />
ST. PAUL IS MY HOME! Page 14<br />
Families are What Makes a House a “Home” Page 14<br />
Where The Heart Is Page 20<br />
Turning an Apartment to a House, to a Home Page 20<br />
A Unique Home Page 21<br />
Reads<br />
Call for Editors Page 5<br />
Summer Reading List Page 8<br />
Hmong Magazine List Page 9<br />
Self-Mutilation Page 18<br />
Please Litter...Not Page 22<br />
Repatriation of Hmong in Thailand Page 23<br />
Your Poems<br />
Home sweet Home Page 24<br />
I Tell Them...There’s No Place Like Home Page 24<br />
Life Changes Page 24<br />
Reviews<br />
The Latehomecomer Page 25<br />
Tragic Mountains Page 25<br />
Comics<br />
Mai-Mai Page 26<br />
Nothing Like Home Page 26<br />
Self Mutilation<br />
18<br />
Hmong Magazine<br />
List<br />
9<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 3
HmoobTeen<br />
Editor’s Note:<br />
Many of you may not be aware, but it is in December that we usually plan the upcoming year.<br />
So when HmoobTeen fi rst came up with “The Concept of Home” this past December, we<br />
wanted to dig deep and ask ourselves, as well as our readers, what the word “Home” meant<br />
to each of us. I hope you are as amazed as we are when you fi nish reading this issue because<br />
each issue just keeps getting better and better.<br />
Speaking of getting better...HmoobTeen just threw our annual dance fundraiser, A Knight for<br />
a Princess, which was a huge success. We want to thank all our supporters who came out that<br />
night. If you missed out, be sure to make it to next year’s dance fundraiser, which promises to<br />
be even better.<br />
And last but not least, every year we look for new editors to join our team and help us continue<br />
to, I must repeat, get better. We are currently dreaming of big changes for HmoobTeen and<br />
would like teens who are committed to the future of HmoobTeen apply for an editor position.<br />
Check out the next page to learn how to apply for a position.<br />
Be sure to stop by and say “Hi” to us at the July ICE Open Mic and at CHAT’s Annual Hmong<br />
Arts & Music Festival in August. We love to meet our readers!<br />
-Mee<br />
Fall 2008 theme is<br />
Rejection and Acceptance<br />
Tell us:<br />
Your job rejection stories.<br />
Your stories of accepting others.<br />
Your stories of accepting yourself.<br />
Deadline:<br />
August 1, 2008<br />
Send your work in!<br />
For more information, go to www.hmong.org<br />
and click on HmoobTeen.<br />
Winter 2008 theme is<br />
Melting Pot<br />
Tell us:<br />
The boundary of what is Hmong and<br />
what is not.<br />
What are Hmong stereotypes?<br />
<strong>About</strong> Hmong diversity.<br />
<strong>About</strong> losing our roots.<br />
The new ways of courtship.<br />
Deadline:<br />
October 10, 2008<br />
Letters to the Editors:<br />
Dear Editors—I am a big fan of HmoobTeen magazine. I have read every<br />
magazine that HmoobTeen has made. I really enjoy reading them and they<br />
are very interesting. I can’t wait to read the next one that is coming this Fall. I’ve<br />
learned a lot of new things while reading these magazines. Keep up all the good<br />
work and enjoy making them also.—Your fan, Karen Vang, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
Thanks, Karen—HmoobTeen appreciates the support you have given us and<br />
thank you for your generous thoughts and words of encouragement.—Sherri<br />
Xiong<br />
I read this month’s HmoobTeen and I saw my note to you guys and gals in<br />
the “Letters to the Editor”! I was so happy! I’m glad that you all care about the<br />
people that write to you guys and gals.—Bao Moua, 13, St. Paul, MN<br />
Thanks, Bao—We try our best to keep in touch with our readers and it’s because<br />
of people like you that push us to do better. Thank you much! Keep on reading<br />
and thanks for your support.—Kia Lor<br />
HmoobTeen Editors<br />
Bao Xiong, Blia Vue, Blong Vang, Jonny Xiong, KaZoua Vang,<br />
Kia Lor, Lee Yolei Yang, Meng Yang, Mysee Chang, Nhia Lee,<br />
Panhia Lee, Pa Yong Xiong, Ricki Vang, Youa Vang<br />
Shu Lor<br />
Mee Xiong<br />
Contributing Editor<br />
Editor In Chief<br />
Design<br />
Blong Vang, Kia Lor, Jonny Xiong, Ricki Vang, Sherri Xiong,<br />
Mee Xiong<br />
Log onto www.hmong.org for more details on the following:<br />
We pay for work we publish.<br />
Articles/Photo Essays/Comics: up to $25<br />
Drawings: up to $20<br />
Poems: up to $15<br />
You must include your name, age, city, state, telephone number and<br />
email where we can reach you--even if you wish to remain anonymous.<br />
All submissions are subject to revision. We may contact authors to work<br />
with authors on revisions.<br />
Submission Requirements:<br />
Art-Must be on unlined paper and MUST NOT be folded.<br />
Writing-Type in MS Word and attach document to your email.<br />
SEND IT IN!<br />
HmoobTeen holds all the rights of works once published. Submissions sent to Hmoob-<br />
Teen becomes HmoobTeen property, is done at the risk of the sender and will not<br />
be returned. Email your work if you can.<br />
HmoobTeen (ISSN 1935-1542) is published 4 times a year: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter<br />
by Hmong American Partnership. Currently we reach over 20,000 readers per issue.<br />
Our next issue, coming to you Fall 2008, has the theme Acceptance and Rejection.<br />
Subscriptions/Back Issues: 651-495-1526 or hmoobtm@hmong.org<br />
The views expressed in this publication are of the authors and do not represent opinions<br />
or the views of Hmong American Partnership (HAP) or HmoobTeen, their staff, volunteers,<br />
funders or partners.<br />
4 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008<br />
1-866-379-6363<br />
HmoobTeen tries its best to screen websites listed in the magazine. However, the content,<br />
views and opinions displayed and expressed by the websites and/or their respective organizations<br />
may, or may not refl ect those of HmoobTeen and HAP.<br />
HmoobTeen is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the MN Department of Health<br />
and by funds provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of MN Foundation.
We’re looking for teens to<br />
join our editor team.<br />
These are unpaid volunteer positions. Editors are required to attend<br />
meetings twice a month and help man booths at different community<br />
events throughout the year.<br />
Want to join the team? Deadline to apply is September 19,<br />
2008. New editors will come on board in November.<br />
Requirements: All people who apply must...<br />
*be a teen between the ages of 13-18.<br />
*be mature and responsible.<br />
*be committed to your culture and be committed to being an active<br />
member of your community.<br />
*have a special interest or knowledge in art, fashion, graphic design,<br />
music, organizing events, photography, sports, and/or writing.<br />
*be curious about the world and not afraid to ask the hard questions.<br />
If this is you... Send us:<br />
1) A letter of interest stating why you want to be an Editor; what<br />
your interests are; what other activities you are involved with; and<br />
why HmoobTeen needs you!<br />
2) A writing sample, or a photography sample, or a design sample.<br />
Or perhaps all three.<br />
3) Your information, including your name, complete address, age,<br />
phone number and email. Email addresses are a MUST!<br />
How:<br />
Email your stuff to hmoobtm@hmong.org OR<br />
Snail mail them to:<br />
HmoobTeen Magazine<br />
c/o Hmong American Partnership<br />
1075 Arcade St.<br />
St. Paul, MN 55106<br />
Questions? Please contact Mee Xiong at hmoobtm@hmong.org or<br />
call 651-495-1526.<br />
Do you know a Senior who<br />
needs help?<br />
Filling out forms *Medical Assistance *MSHO<br />
*Housing<br />
*SSI<br />
*Food stamps<br />
*Immigration<br />
Assistance with paying bills on time<br />
Assistance with banking needs<br />
Assistance with legal and immigration issues<br />
Responding to and writing letters<br />
Other referrals<br />
WE CAN HELP!<br />
Living Improvement For Elders<br />
(L.I.F.E.)<br />
LIFE is a program that assists elders to access medical, housing<br />
and other services to maintain their independence.<br />
What’s the cost ?<br />
Most elders meet the guidelines to receive fi nancial assistance to cover<br />
service costs from the Department of Human Services or through their<br />
health insurance.<br />
Eligibility?<br />
Contact us to find out.<br />
Cynthia Yang<br />
Program Coordinator<br />
Main: 651-495-9160<br />
Direct: 651-495-1537<br />
cynthiay@hmong.org<br />
If you can’t come to us, we’ll go to you!<br />
HmoobTeen can<br />
arrive at your home<br />
5 times for just<br />
$10<br />
I<br />
Subscribe now.<br />
YES!<br />
want to subscribe now and read my own copy of<br />
HmoobTeen wherever and whenever I want. Send<br />
me 5 issues for just $10!<br />
Cut this box out & mail your check to HAP: 1075 Arcade St., St. Paul, MN 55106<br />
___________________________________________<br />
Name<br />
___________________________________________<br />
Address<br />
___________________________________________<br />
City State Zip<br />
___________________________________________<br />
Email<br />
Phone
Wise Men<br />
“Oh my gosh, it‘s like dating your family.”<br />
What’s wrong with dating someone with the same last name?<br />
By Meng Yang, HmoobTeen Editor, 17, Blaine, MN and Blia Vue, HmoobTeen Editor, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
This topic was discussed in the September 2005 “Hmong Marriage” issue Knowing Your Hmong column. Since<br />
then, HmoobTeen has received several articles and questions about why in the Hmong culture two people of<br />
the same last name cannot date and/or marry. It’s time to revisit this topic once more.<br />
“Some people don’t care. Some believe that dating the person of the same last name is okay as<br />
long as they don’t marry. Others completely disagree.”<br />
If you were asked if you thought it were okay to date a person with the same last name, what would<br />
be your answer? Would you answer “Oh my gosh, it‘s like dating your family” or “It’s fine”? To get<br />
opinions we conducted an online survey about this subject. Teens were asked, “Is it wrong to date<br />
someone with the same last name as your own?” And along with that question, “Why is it wrong?<br />
Why is it okay? And why does it matter?” Very few individuals thought that there was nothing wrong<br />
with dating someone with the same last name as long as the two people dating are not related.<br />
The majority of the people said things like, “Your babies will come out ugly.” Many responses came<br />
out with disgust and some said, “It’s just wrong and it’s Hmong Taboo.”<br />
Let’s say you have a cousin who is of a different last name and you’re mom says that it’s okay for<br />
you to marry that person because you two are a good match. On the other hand, let’s say you<br />
meet someone who has the same last name as yours, but the two of you are not related and your<br />
parents forbid the two of you to date and/or marry. Do you understand the reasoning behind both<br />
of these scenarios? For those of you who do not know, the belief behind this Hmong Taboo is that<br />
if two people of the same last name have children together, their children will be abnormal or<br />
deformed at birth.<br />
However, scientifically speaking, a person may have an abnormal or deformed baby if both parents<br />
are blood relatives. Digging deeper, are the last names the main problem? What is the problem,<br />
really? We’ll have to trace back our histories thousand and thousands of year ago to the story of<br />
how the 18 clans came to be. There are many versions of this story, but this is one of the few.<br />
“One day, there was a great fl ood in the village of the Hmong people. Everyone<br />
died in the fl ood except two siblings, a boy and a girl. The two siblings<br />
lived day by day, then one day as they got older the brother started to worry<br />
that if they there wouldn’t be any beings on earth anymore. The only idea that<br />
he could think of was to marry his sister and create a family. The sister didn’t<br />
agree at first, but as many days passed by, she gave in. The two siblings were<br />
married and soon the wife gave birth. The baby was born looking nothing like<br />
them: it was round, it was different, and it obviously wasn’t a human being. The<br />
couple decided to cut it into 18 pieces and throw each piece in a different<br />
place. Night fell, the couple went to sleep and the next morning when they<br />
woke up they found that outside of their house were people everywhere. The<br />
couple was happy that there were people everywhere. But they both decided<br />
that to prevent giving birth to abnormal or deformed children they would give<br />
each individual being a last name so that people of the same last name would<br />
never marry each other again.”<br />
Today, our generation has changed dramatically from what it once was. Many of us stay away<br />
from dating our own last name because we’re afraid that all the stories about deformed babies<br />
and bad luck might come true. But, is dating and marrying someone of the same last name good or<br />
bad, wrong or right? We can’t answer that question for you. Instead, we have provided the reasons<br />
behind why the Hmong people have this belief. We encourage you to talk to your elders, friends<br />
and family, then decide your own answer.<br />
“It’s just wrong and it’s<br />
Hmong Taboo.”<br />
“Why does it matter?”<br />
You have a cousin who is<br />
of a different last name<br />
and you’re mom says it’s<br />
okay for you to marry<br />
that person because you<br />
two are a good match.<br />
On the other hand, you<br />
meet someone who has<br />
the same last name as<br />
yours, the two of you<br />
are not related and your<br />
parents forbid the two<br />
of you to date and/or<br />
marry.<br />
Do you understand the<br />
reasoning behind both of<br />
these scenarios?<br />
Send your Wise Men questions to us at<br />
teeneditors@hmong.org.<br />
6 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
Knowing Your Hmong<br />
The Hmong and the Miao: We Are One<br />
By Youa Vang, HmoobTeen Editor, 19, Mpls, MN<br />
The mountains sing its song, the rivers fl ow with tranquility and the history of<br />
the Hmong people is as old as earth’s soil. As we grow older, we often wonder:<br />
who are we? Where did we come from? We start to question our roots. We<br />
start to question our parents, and often, we question ourselves. We lay in our<br />
beds dreaming of our past. We dream of our ancestors and where they came<br />
from. We dream of the places that they slept in, the rivers where they fi shed<br />
in, and the forests where they hunted in.<br />
We, the Hmong youth wished to know who we really are. We learn from our<br />
parents that their parents, and their parents, walked on a land now called China.<br />
We are a strong people, our history is as rich as the colors of the rainbows.<br />
Ravaged by wars and betrayals, our ancestors migrated to the south.<br />
Who are we? We are the Miao. Sit back and travel with me back home. Put<br />
on some good Zen music and let’s go back many a hundred years.<br />
We may not know much about the Miao, the same with them not knowing much<br />
about us. We see them as an ancient tribe who lives in China, but our history is<br />
the same. Observe our history, read our folktales, and listen to our language.<br />
We, indeed, are one people.<br />
The existence of the Miao is believed to be dated back in third century B.C. by<br />
many Anthropologists who study them. Today, the Miao live scattered among<br />
southwestern China, mainly in Guizhou province. <strong>About</strong> seven million people<br />
in China categorize themselves as Miao. The Miao of southwestern China are<br />
believed to have migrated to Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Laos,<br />
and Vietnam, where Miao are now called Hmong.<br />
Like the Hmong people, the Miao also have shamans in their villages.<br />
When a person gets sick, a shaman is called on to summon the sick<br />
person’s spirit back. A red string is also used to tie around his wrist<br />
to keep the spirit from wandering. Shamans are important to the<br />
Miao and the Hmong.<br />
We speak in different dialects, but our language roots come from the same<br />
mother tongue. The Miao language consists of many dialects, which may<br />
defi ne what part of China one is from. Likewise, the Hmong also speak in<br />
different dialects: the White Hmong (hmoob dawb) and the Green/Blue<br />
Hmong (moob lees). Depending where you are from, you will speak a different<br />
dialect.<br />
Both wear silver ornaments and precious textiles. Hmong women and girls<br />
fashion Miao costumes during the Hmong New Year. Often times, their costumes<br />
are the “new trends” during the Hmong New Year. Now, you see our young<br />
ones dancing to Miao music during the New Years and dancing Miao dance<br />
styles.<br />
Our music and dancing are the same. We love our qeej and we love our drums.<br />
The Miao and the Hmong are festive tribes. We stitch our keeb kwm onto our<br />
costumes and we keep it alive. Our roots may go back many hundred years<br />
and we may be different now, but we both know we are one people who came<br />
from the same ancestors and same land. We indeed, are one tribe.<br />
Our music and dancing<br />
are the same. We love<br />
our qeej and we love<br />
our drums.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 7
By Mysee Chang, HmoobTeen Editor, 17, Corcoran, MN<br />
Hey all, it’s summer! And what is there better to do than read!<br />
I know what you’re going to say, “I hate reading” or “Reading<br />
is boring.” But for once, check out these books! If you “hate”<br />
reading, it’s probably just because you haven’t found the right<br />
kind of book. Below are some of the best Hmong books I’ve<br />
ever read! Not only did I enjoy them but I learned so much<br />
about myself and my culture. I know you will too!<br />
Bamboo Among the Oaks is an anthology of creative writing<br />
by Hmong authors. It was edited and complied from Paj<br />
Ntaub Voice, a Hmong literary arts journal, by Mai Neng<br />
Moua. It is filled with varieties of stories from non-fiction ones;<br />
like “A Good Hmong Woman”, to new takes on familiar folk<br />
tales like “The Lovers: A Halloween Tale of Horror”. “Being<br />
Hmong Is Not Enough” is one of many revealing essays written<br />
by talented Hmong American writers about their experience<br />
being Hmong. This book also contains many influential poems.<br />
Poems about experience like “We Women of the Hmong<br />
Culture”; memories, “The Green House”; and the past, “My<br />
Dad the Mekong and Me the Mississippi.” If readers don’t<br />
find contentment in these poems and stories they can enjoy the<br />
plays, “Disconnect” and “Hmoob Boy Meets Hmong Girl.”<br />
Hmong in Minnesota written by Chia Youyee Vang, of course<br />
is a book all about the “Hmong in Minnesota.” It is a book<br />
about the Hmong people’s journey, from leaving their homes<br />
in Laos to slowly building new lives in America. The author<br />
covers a variety of areas about the Hmong: their history<br />
and settlement in the United States, Hmong cultural practices<br />
such as the New Year and sports tournaments, achievements<br />
gained by Hmong individuals like Dr. Dia Cha and Dr. Zha<br />
Blong Xiong to achievements within the community, and the<br />
challenges Hmong Americans face. Hmong in Minnesota is<br />
a book that can enhance a reader’s knowledge about the<br />
Hmong people, even if the reader is Hmong. It offers a new<br />
and broader perspective and can help readers to really<br />
understand how far the Hmong people have come.<br />
art. It publishes twice a year. The latest issue, Headlines, will<br />
be released in the summer of 2008. Please check www.<br />
myspace.com/pajntaubvoice for more information on submissions<br />
and deadlines.<br />
Choua Vang is a teenage Hmong girl growing up in Minnesota.<br />
Choua, like any teenager, faces many obstacles. For<br />
some reason she just can’t stop making mistakes. She struggles<br />
with living in between two worlds; she wants to be a good<br />
Hmong daughter but at the same time she wants to break<br />
away from her strict, traditional father’s rules. She wants to<br />
be supportive but at the same time she doesn’t want to follow<br />
the wrong path her siblings have taken. With the guidance<br />
and wisdom of a teacher and two loyal friends, Choua learns<br />
to rise from her mistakes and try again. In Hey, Hmong Girl,<br />
Whassup?, she tells her story of liking boys, being bullied,<br />
and her family struggles. Written by Leah Rempel, the book<br />
is fi lled with morals and lessons to learn from.<br />
Mai and her grandma are fi nally coming to America! After<br />
years of waiting in Thailand’s refugee camps, Mai’s dream<br />
of reuniting with her cousins (See and Pa Cua), drinking cola,<br />
and riding in cars has fi nally come true. Once she arrives in<br />
America, she realizes she has many threads to untangle. Not<br />
only does she have to adjust to a new lifestyle, she must now<br />
help her reluctant grandma to understand the new ways in<br />
this strange world. Mai also must learn to accept the changes<br />
in her Americanized cousins, now Heather (See) and Lisa (Pa<br />
Cua). Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl’s Story, a novel by<br />
Pegi Deitz Shea, exceptionally captures a Hmong<br />
refugee’s struggle of leaving one home behind<br />
and getting use to a new one. It defi nitely<br />
will help readers understand the<br />
unfamiliarity Hmong refugees<br />
encountered when they fi rst<br />
arrived in America.<br />
Paj Ntaub Voice is a literary arts journal containing contemporary<br />
literary work, visual artwork, cultural criticism,<br />
and essays. The mission of Paj Ntaub Voice is to<br />
support emerging Hmong writers and artists<br />
by providing a community forum to<br />
foster Hmong writing and<br />
8 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
HMONG MAGAZINE LIST<br />
By KaZoua Vang, HmoobTeen Editor, 16, St. Paul, MN<br />
{ }<br />
This summer if you get bored or just curious about other Hmong magazines, be sure to be on the lookout! You may<br />
have seen some of these cool Hmong magazines stacked up at your Hmong grocery stores, at a library or even<br />
online! Some of them you may be familiar with and some you might have never heard of. Wherever you may fi nd<br />
them, take the time and fl ip through. Who knows, you might come across a miraculous article!<br />
www.18xeem.com<br />
www.hmongns.com<br />
18XEEM<br />
“18XEEM is documenting life; preserving history; revealing the treasures of the unknown and the<br />
beauty of a culture.”<br />
– Hlee Xiong, Editor-in-Chief<br />
Creator: Hlee Xiong and Kay Yang, Cedarburg, WI / 2006<br />
Target Audience: students, educators, scholars, youth and families<br />
Special/Common Focus: Feature sections on Hmong History, art, fashion, music and profi les of unique<br />
individuals.<br />
How teens in particular benefi t from reading this magazine: 18XEEM hopes that everyone including<br />
teens who read their magazine will see the positive aspects of Hmong culture and be inspired or motivated<br />
to share their knowledge with others.<br />
“What is your passion?”<br />
Creator: Chi Meng Moua, Sacramento, CA/ Feb 2007<br />
Target Audience: High school and College students, anyone interested in<br />
our rich Hmong culture.<br />
Special/ Common Focus: Promote higher education by bringing students<br />
in to share their education or life stories.<br />
How teens in particular benefi t from reading this magazine: Hmong Passion<br />
Magazine provides a lot of rich information about our culture that<br />
teens can take away with them. They feature students from all over the<br />
states such as artist, education, talent and Hmong leaders today.<br />
“Our goal is connecting our businesses and community together.”<br />
Creators: Noah Vang and Shia Yang, St. Paul, MN/ June 2006<br />
Target Audience: Business oriented people (30-55 age range)<br />
Special/ Common Focus: To cater to all business styles<br />
How teens in particular benefi t from reading this magazine:<br />
Be informed of the types of Hmong businesses<br />
out there in the market.<br />
ONLINE MAGAZINES<br />
www.myspace.com/hmongpassion<br />
“Eye.D’s goal is to be a voice for the Asian community as their identity evolves in America.”<br />
Creators: Kou Vang, Pa Moua, Thai Vang, Bon Xiong<br />
Its title is a play on the notion of identity, something that many Asian Americans deal with daily.<br />
Target Audience: Asian, focusing on the Hmong in particular ranging from 18-50, a large range because<br />
their topics are so diverse; from the Shine articles, which feature upcoming, promising young individuals<br />
to our features, who have dedicated almost their whole career or life in some way, shape or form to the<br />
Asian community.<br />
Special/Common Focus: Eye D. is an online publication dedicated to celebrating the diverse experiences<br />
of Asian-Americans by educating and entertaining its readers through thoughtful dialogue, captivating<br />
articles and resourceful information.<br />
How teens in particular benefi t from reading this magazine: By having real remodels who are accessible,<br />
intelligent and not overshadowed by what they wear, what kind of car they drive. The people we feature<br />
and writers we publish are Asian living in today’s world.<br />
www.eyedmagazine.com<br />
www.unplugmag.com<br />
“Unplug is a Hmong subculture magazine and movement in the making dedicated to creating<br />
visibility for our Hmong music, art, fi lm and entertainment.” –Unplug Editors<br />
Creator: Fong Vang, Joil Xiong<br />
Target Audience: Anyone interested in Hmong music, art, fi lm and entertainment.<br />
Special/Common Focus: To expose Hmong talents and a place to fi nd Hmong artists, band,<br />
poet, designer, actor or entertainer.<br />
HmoobTeen tries its best to screen websites listed in the magazine. However, the content, views and opinions<br />
displayed and expressed by the websites and/or their respective organizations may, or may not refl ect those of<br />
HmoobTeen and HAP.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 9
One of my favorite<br />
mountains is the “10-<br />
dollar mountain”<br />
because it had a view<br />
of the camp. A lot of<br />
teenagers who were in<br />
love came to this<br />
mountain with their<br />
partners.<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong>: the Home of my Memories<br />
By Xai Vang, St. Paul, MN<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong> is a place I call home because I was born and raised in this refugee camp. I cherish<br />
this refugee camp as heaven and a lot of people who have lived in this camp have many<br />
memories of this refugee camp. This also includes me because I lived there for 12 years.<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong> was the fi rst refugee camp built in Thailand for the Hmong people who escaped<br />
from the suffering of war in Laos. The jungle became a home for the Hmong people for<br />
many years until the camp was closed by the Thai government in 1992.<br />
<strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong> always reminds me of my childhood memories and always brings sadness. Every<br />
time I think of it, it brings tears to my eyes. At this camp there are mountains that surround<br />
both sides. One of my favorite mountains is the “10-dollar mountain” because it had a view<br />
of the camp. A lot of teenagers who were in love came to this mountain with their partners.<br />
High on this mountain the light wind always blew through the green grass. The light wind<br />
touched your skin as you relaxed in the tall grass with your loved one.<br />
In this refugee camp it’s very peaceful and one thing that I still remember from when I still<br />
lived there was when my friends and I were fl irting with girls that lived in the camp and<br />
when we’d go fi shing with the girls too.<br />
When <strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong> was closing and all the Hmong people had to leave the camp, the statues<br />
in the Hmong Community cried their hearts out.<br />
I will never forget this heavenly paradise and some people might not know this refugee<br />
camp, but for me I will never forget the name <strong>Ban</strong> <strong>Vinai</strong>, my home.<br />
10 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
I stood with pride and a sense of<br />
satisfaction as I walked up the hill to<br />
only be called by an elder as “Childish”<br />
and was greeted by laughing<br />
little kids at my awesomeness.<br />
By Jonny Xiong, HmoobTeen Editor, 19, <strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
While our theme this season explores “The Concept of Home” I found myself unable<br />
to grasp that concept. “Home” could mean anything to anyone. Everybody has their<br />
own little story, or defi nition to defi ne their concept of home.<br />
So what is mine? I struggled to understand my own concept by reminding myself of<br />
what it feels like to be at home, or what home felt like. The funny thing about this<br />
whole ordeal was that I was trying too hard. I forgot what made me happy, what<br />
caused me to feel like I was home.<br />
A few years earlier, while sitting on the hill at Como Park, a little child ran pass with no<br />
footwear of any kind. With him, he carried a piece of a cardboard box. He shouted<br />
to his friend to “watch out below” as he pounced on that piece of cardboard and<br />
slid down the hill screeching with joy. At that instant I smiled and chuckled at such a<br />
silly little stunt. It reminded me so much of my own childhood, my own stupidity, and<br />
creativity.<br />
Yet instead of just sitting idly watching as I bathed in my own peace of mind, I jumped<br />
to my feet and called over to this little kid to “LEND ME YOUR BOX!” He looked terrifi<br />
ed when he saw an overgrown 18 year old standing up with his hand extended,<br />
asking for the cardboard. He probably thought he was in trouble. He lent me his<br />
cardboard and I placed my hand on his head and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll bring it<br />
back!” I smiled while walking to the highest part of the slope hill. I sat on this piece<br />
of cardboard like it was a sled and watched the people below. I shouted “BANZAI!”<br />
I hollered, whooped, and even raised both hands into the air, while coming to a big<br />
bump and tumbling half way down.<br />
I stood with pride and a sense of satisfaction as I walked up the hill to only be called<br />
by an elder as “Childish” and was greeted by laughing little kids at my awesomeness.<br />
I can’t help but feel like I brought back a little of my past into the present. I couldn’t<br />
help but feel overjoyed at my act of randomness. For the fi rst time I was able to cement<br />
a solid defi nition of what home is for me: my creativity, it was my youth; and it<br />
was all thanks to a child and a piece of “Cardboard Box.”<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 11
My Home is My Home<br />
By Mai You Yang, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
What makes my home a home is when I walk through the front door and see my two brothers Alex and Abraham, sitting on the<br />
sofa sitting four feet away from our 55 inch TV with our family pictures on the wall behind it, fi ghting over the remote control<br />
and just fl ipping though channels. I normally just ignore them, walk to the kitchen, look out the window to see my little brother,<br />
Rocky, playing basketball. Next to our blue garage is my mom in her garden, taking care of her plants such as herbs and<br />
vegetables: pepper, tomato, green onion, cilantro, eggplant, cucumber and our baby peach tree. Sometimes I spy my dad<br />
just walking around, making sure the yard is clean and complaining about holes that the squirrels make.<br />
My Home<br />
By Bee Khang, 16, St. Paul, MN<br />
If I walk up the stairs, there are pictures of friends and families on the wall. My sister will be on her computer,<br />
either on her Asiantown, Youtube or Myspace, of course. To the left is my bedroom, and the fi rst thing I see is my<br />
collection of teddy bears next to my cool red boom box. I should also mention my very neat bed, which has a<br />
matching pillow case and bed sheet, where there’s a green teddy bear, a yellow dog stuffed animal, and<br />
a big blue bunny with long ears, on my bed sleeping with me every night. Looking outside my bedroom<br />
window is where I’ll see our blue ’97 Honda Civic and our gray ’05 Toyota Sienna.<br />
What makes my place a home is<br />
that when I get home from school, the<br />
minute I enter the house I always see the<br />
TV on and without even thinking of whom<br />
it might be, I already know it could only be<br />
one person: my dad. My sister, May Ong, is lying<br />
down on her belly doing her homework/ Say<br />
is using the computer that’s located in the corner of<br />
the house next to my bed. I would look around the<br />
house to see if my mom is anywhere in sight. Sometimes<br />
she might be in my dad’s bedroom doing something or I’ll<br />
see her sleeping on the couch.<br />
So then I walk pass the small kitchen, through the hallway,<br />
pass my dad’s bedroom and pass the bathroom.<br />
I get to my brothers’ room, open the door and I see<br />
my three brothers: Tou Nhia, Chue Fue and Kue Yeng,<br />
doing their own thing like chatting on the computer or<br />
playing their video games.<br />
As for me, I would be doing my homework or<br />
reading graphic novels. When I get home,<br />
even though I have n homework, I don’t do<br />
it for hours. I go on my computer for a<br />
couple of minutes and listen to Japanese,<br />
Hmong and Christian songs, or I<br />
work on my so-called scrapbook.<br />
That’s what makes my place a<br />
home. All the people in my family,<br />
under one roof, living together<br />
peacefully as one happy family.<br />
That is what I call home, a home that makes me feel safe, where I know that my family will always<br />
be here. Makes me feel comfortable for whatever I’m doing, and being myself. Makes me feel<br />
welcome, for me, for relatives and for friends, and last but not least, it feels and have love that<br />
grows within the heart and warms up the whole house even without any heat. My house is a<br />
place that I know I can always get a shelter to live under when the sun is too hot, or the<br />
rain is too heavy to stay outside. My home is my home.<br />
12 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
Artwork by Suzy Xiong. 15, St. Paul, MN<br />
My Home is Unique<br />
By Bao Moua, 13, St. Paul, MN<br />
To me, my home is unique because of the people I live with. For other people their reasons may be different, but for me, it is because of<br />
my family. I love my family but in our family we don’t show it much but I know that they really love me. On the weekends, my cousins would<br />
always come over and play with us and it always seems like a party but without all those pretty decorations. Luckily, our aunt lives upstairs<br />
from us so we always see her. My home is a place where everyone is welcome and always happy to see each other.<br />
When a teacher asked me: “What is the difference between a house and a home? I didn’t know what to say to the teacher that day. Then<br />
on the same day she told me the meaning. To me, a house is a place, a thing. A house can keep a roof over your head but it doesn’t have<br />
this feeling of belonging. A house may help do many things but it’s not the same as a home. A home is a place where someone welcomes<br />
you and loves you sometimes with warm feelings. A home can make you feel special and safe from inside and outside whether it’s far or<br />
near. It doesn’t matter who it is that welcomes you, all that matters is that they really want you to come back home whenever you leave<br />
the house.<br />
People all around have many homes if they just take a look and feel welcome. For others who think they don’t have a home, I don’t know<br />
how it feels but one day those people will fi nd a home. I know somewhere out there, there is a place where many people belong to but<br />
they just don’t see it because they are sometimes blinded by hatred or something else. But one thing people can always remember: they<br />
do belong to a place. For me, I have a house that I can go to and it can be like a home, but I have one special home that welcomes me<br />
back whenever I leave the house!<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 13
ST. PAUL, MN IS MY HOME!<br />
By Karen Vang, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
I live in St. Paul, MN and I’m happy. I’ve lived here for 17 years. I was born here and raised here. I would do anything to keep living here.<br />
St. Paul, MN is my home and will be my home forever. I love it here. Even if it gets cold, I still love it. I would like to go some place warmer<br />
and nicer, but I have a lot of good memories here. Most people move away from St. Paul because of the winter, but they don’t think about<br />
their loved ones and all the their good memories. I am a person that DOESN’T forget memories that touches my heart.<br />
In the summer I love to go to Phalen Lake and run around, and go to the zoo to look at animals. When it gets very hot I go to LAKE ELMO<br />
and swim around for fun until it gets cool and then go home. I like to make good memories. When it gets very cold I’m just happy that I<br />
have a home to protect me from the cold winds. St. Paul may not be a very good place for some, but for me St. Paul is the PERFECT place.<br />
If you have experienced what I had then you would know what I mean. But if you haven’t, then you should try to get out and experience.<br />
Everybody should have a place to call HOME. I know I do…<br />
The people in your house<br />
are what makes a home<br />
unique.<br />
Families are What Makes a<br />
House a “Home”<br />
By Tou Khang, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
The only thing you hear every day is argument after argument. The house is fi lled with chaos and drama. You never have time for peace<br />
and quiet. Is that a place you can call home? Or just a place you stay in? I see a home as a place where you can relax and do your own<br />
thing. Sure, there are times when you have to do a lot of work, but that isn’t as bad as argument, or the family breaking apart.<br />
The people in your house are what makes a home unique. Unless you live by yourself, then you are what makes the house a home. The<br />
people affect the surroundings around you, and they affect how you feel about the place. If you go back home after school or after work<br />
and just get into family fi ghts, would you want to stay there? You would probably fi nd a place where you can relax and be away from<br />
that stuff. The place where you once called home is no longer a home anymore; just a place to sleep, eat, shower, change clothes, and all<br />
that.<br />
Isn’t home a place where you do that stuff? A home is a place for that, but what really matters are the people. If you’re stressed out all<br />
the time because of that, what are you going to do? You can’t tell them because they are the ones making it worse. You might want to tell<br />
them but you think they might take it the wrong way and get even madder.<br />
A home is built for comfort. People come home and are like “Finally, I’m home!” after a long day. They can relax and the people around<br />
them help them relax and give that person comfort. You can have all the things you want, but a real home is a place where there are<br />
people waiting for you to come back after a long day.<br />
14 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
Check Nws Out!<br />
Pheng Lee<br />
By Nhia Lee, HmoobTeen Editor, 17, <strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
If you are currently in high school you should ask yourself, “Do I need to volunteer<br />
and what do I get from it? Is volunteering a waste of time?” This article should<br />
answer your questions and tell you the benefits of volunteering.<br />
After interviewing Pheng Lee, a sophomore at Patrick Henry High School in Min-<br />
neapolis, Minnesota, I have learned how important volunteering can be.<br />
Volunteering has helped Pheng to participate in the Hmong community and has taught Pheng many things. He learned<br />
how to be patient with younger kids and how to work along with them as well. Pheng does volunteering in Minneapo-<br />
lis at the Hmong American Mutual Assistance Association (HAMAA) and takes on duties like tutoring, manufacturing<br />
cafeteria, cleaning tables, and handing out snacks and drinks.<br />
Pheng lives in a big family with four sisters, three brothers, and his parents. When he does not volunteer, he goes out<br />
and enjoys the weather by playing sports or fishing. Pheng helps out his parents with important house chores during<br />
part of his free time. Pheng also volunteers in many programs such as the Youth Program, T.E.P..., Asian Coalition<br />
against Tobacco, and plays sports with the SEACC program. This is part of the reason why Pheng does not have time<br />
to be involved programs inside of school.<br />
Pheng says that volunteering is not just a waste of time but it helps prepare him for future because of the many<br />
experiences. He encourages his younger brother as well because volunteering is part of the way to achieve success.<br />
He has gotten higher self esteem after volunteering. He wouldn’t know where his experiences would be if he never<br />
started volunteering.<br />
“I would encourage many young teenagers to volunteer. It’s the right path<br />
and away from the drugs and violence,” says Pheng Lee.<br />
“I would encourage many young teenagers to volunteer. It’s<br />
the right path and away from the drugs and violence.”<br />
HmoobTeen Editor Nhia Lee<br />
and Check Nws Out feature Pheng Lee<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 15
TEACHER FEATURE<br />
MRS. SONG: STUDENT LEARNER ADVOCATE<br />
By Ricki Vang & Sherri Xiong, HmoobTeen Editors, Brooklyn Park, MN<br />
In our high school careers we’re told to build strong relationship with our teachers for the simple<br />
fact that, they have and are resources that may help us in the future. Such resources may be: job<br />
opportunities, recommendation for extracurricular activities, and simply improving our academic<br />
achievements. One teacher/advisor that is one of the best person to build a great relationship<br />
with is simply your high school Student Learner Advocate (SLA). An SLA is a combination of all<br />
teachers in one position.<br />
Mrs. Song Yang at Champlin Park High School (CPHS) is an great example of an SLA. In her interview<br />
she states, “An SLA is the voice of unspoken students, staffs, and parents.” The difference<br />
between her job and other teachers’ job is that she has an open door policy where students,<br />
staff, and/or parents may talk to her about personal concerns or academic concerns at any<br />
given time. An SLA is simply a counselor, teacher, and advisor all mix into one single person. Mrs. Song has been working as the SLA at CPHS<br />
for six years, but she has been working in public schools for 18 years. Throughout her career she has defi nitely enjoyed working as an SLA<br />
because every day is a different day. She doesn’t just sit in the offi ce making phone calls, she comes to work and offers her personal time to<br />
students who is in need of expressing their train of thoughts and stress.<br />
Factors that make Mrs. Song enjoy her job the most is that at the end of each week she’s able to put a smile on her face and be grateful that<br />
she has changed someone’s life and has set them in a different direction in life. From all the personal concerns that she deals with each week<br />
Mrs. Song is most proud of being able to take part in changing someone’s life by putting more delightful thoughts and positive inputs into their<br />
mind set.<br />
What more can you ask from a teacher who provides most everything you need to succeed in high school? As an SLA Mrs. Song’s words of<br />
encouragement to all Hmoob teens out in the society are: “Education is the most important aspect of your life as of today. Open doors to new<br />
adventures and with education you’ll get far in life.”<br />
SEEXENG LEE: THE ARTIST OF THE GOLD LEAF<br />
By Nhia Lee & Panhia Lee, HmoobTeen Editors, Mpls & N. St. Paul, MN<br />
|NHIA LEE & SEEXENG LEE<br />
At a young age, Seexeng Lee said he felt “assimilation was the only way to survive”. Lee began to<br />
integrate and add bits of Western infl uence into his artwork. On his Web site, Lee states, “Art was<br />
the only way I knew how to conceive images and meanings”. The use of gold leaf has become a<br />
signature use to his artworks. Lee recalls that he likes working with gold leaf. He said a professor<br />
once told him that gold leafi ng should be saved for the sacred and important. At fi rst he wasn’t<br />
immediately sure what elements of the Hmong culture were fi tting to this description. It wasn’t<br />
until after his father passed away that he fi nally realized the signs were all around him.<br />
Lee took back a painting of his father’s that Lee had given to him years ago. On the portrait,<br />
he added the gold-leafed to his father’s military uniform. That painting now hangs in his<br />
home as a reminder of both his father and sacredness. His work revolves mainly around the<br />
core element of what it is to be Hmong.<br />
Lee’s art work often brings refl ection back into his childhood times from drawing with a stick in his dirt fl oored house in Laos. He remembers<br />
sketching visual images of his father’s tales. Lee says “Each story visually came alive in my imagination, so did the dirt canvas.” He also said<br />
one of his fi rst drawings was an elephant.<br />
While Lee was in grade school, he would draw while listening to English words taught in class. As time went on, “What” was the English words<br />
he felt confi dent to say at school. He said it to his teacher and she did not comprehend him. Eventually, Lee’s teacher found an interpreter. “The
teacher was concerned that there was something wrong with my ears,”<br />
Lee said. From then on, Lee said, “I went right back into my shell.”<br />
Years later, after Lee graduated from Augsburg College, he returned<br />
to fi nd that teacher. The moment his former teacher saw him, she said,<br />
“The Artist!” She told Lee that she didn’t remember his name, but she<br />
had one of his pictures still. She told him that she would’ve held him<br />
back if it had not been for his drawings.<br />
The two driving forces that keep Lee going are: the influence and assistance<br />
of others with a similar background and upbringing. “I have<br />
had a diffi cult time transforming and adjusting to this role. I have to<br />
admit that the journey was quite bumpy and at times the thought of<br />
giving up seemed simpler. It took a lot of self-sacrifi cing,” Lee said.<br />
Since he didn’t have a Hmong teacher while attending school, he<br />
made up his mind to become one. He felt that there was a need to<br />
have a Hmong teacher in the school system who can guide and lead<br />
students with similar needs.<br />
The second driving force was the realization of his love for arts. While<br />
Lee is an artist at heart, he is a teacher by trade. He said that the<br />
idea of becoming an artist wasn’t accepted by his parents. He wanted<br />
to please them and be happy at the same time so he became an art<br />
teacher.<br />
For the last 10 years, Lee has been working in the <strong>Minneapolis</strong> public<br />
schools. He is currently at Patrick Henry High School, where the population<br />
is 28% Hmong and 60% African American. As a teacher, Lee<br />
has nurtured and encouraged many students to follow their creative<br />
passion. Some have now completed degrees in art and are exhibiting<br />
work as professionally trained artists.<br />
His work has been showcased at the Dragon Festival in St. Paul, at the<br />
Northpoint Health and Wellness Center lobby in <strong>Minneapolis</strong>, and at<br />
CHAT’s Arts & Music Festival. He also shows his artworks at the Hmong<br />
New Year. “If people see my work and it stops them to stop and refl<br />
ect, I’ve done my work,” Lee said.<br />
For more information, and if you would like to see the work of Seexeng<br />
Lee, visit his website at www.seexeng.com<br />
INTERVIEW WITH MR. JOHN ERET OF CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL<br />
By Meng Yang, HmoobTeen Editor, 17, Blaine, MN<br />
Respectful, open-minded and humble are just a few words used to describe Mr. John Eret. The kids at school call him “The Einstein of Centennial”<br />
because he looks so similar to Albert Einstein, and he‘s incredibly smart. Mr. Eret views himself as a simple, regular teacher at Centennial<br />
High School, but many students would disagree. This man welcomes everyone with open arms and has a promised dedication to each and<br />
every student. If you want to go fi shing in his backyard, he’ll take you, if you want to throw a party in his classroom, he’ll allow it. (Well most<br />
of the time.) He’ll even spend 60 dollars out of his own pocket on about 10 students, and pretend they’re his adopted children just so they<br />
can all get into a museum that has a line about a mile long. It’s happened before within The World Cultures Club, a club made for students of<br />
different cultures and ethnic backgrounds or for anyone who would like to learn about different cultures in the world.<br />
Every day Mr. Eret takes time out of his busy schedule consisting of correcting hundreds and hundreds of papers and fi nds time to take the<br />
students of the WCC to planned events. From skating, bowling, fi shing to even Valleyfair, Mr. Eret does it all. The fact of the matter is that Mr.<br />
Eret actually makes school fun and worthwhile, but most of all he makes us feel welcome. It doesn’t matter what he does, his wise words always<br />
seem to guide us in the right direction. Mr. Eret is an ideal citizen and a great teacher, and on behalf of The World Cultures Club and students<br />
at Centennial High School, personally, I believe he’s changed the world for the better, just a little bit. Mr. Eret is an amazing teacher and adult<br />
role-model, but he’s even a better human being.<br />
Meng: How many years have you been teaching and what made you want to become a teacher?<br />
Eret: 34 years. Wanted to help people make wise decisions. My religious beliefs infl uenced me as well. I also wanted to make the world a<br />
better place. Growing up in 1960s had an impact on it too.<br />
Meng: What gave you the idea of the World Cultures Club?<br />
Eret: I thought it would be a good place to have for the foreign exchange students and other students of different cultures. I also wanted to<br />
inform the rest of the school about the world because a lot of people that live up here don’t know what’s going on outside of the Centennial<br />
district.<br />
Meng: Which awards received throughout your teaching career mean the most to you?<br />
Eret: Probably the three Full Brights Memorial Fellowship Awards and Centennial Teacher of the Year.<br />
Meng: How many countries have you traveled to?<br />
Eret: <strong>About</strong> 30 to 40.<br />
Meng: From your involvement in the World Cultures Club, you seem to believe in diversity. What makes you believe in teaching and learning<br />
about different cultures?<br />
Eret: Expand your life and expand your mind. Education is the ticket to everything. You work hard and it will surely pay off in the long run.<br />
Meng: Final question Mr. Eret. Do you have any words of wisdom for teens?<br />
Eret: I always tell kids this, “There’s no free lunch.” People think there is but there isn’t. Students come to me and say “Oh Mr. Eret I passed your<br />
class without reading.” They may have passed the class but how does that help them? It doesn’t. It will effect them in the long run and in their<br />
future. Also kids in the Cultures Club, they come to the events and eat everything but don’t help set up or plan it. Sure they get something free<br />
to eat but they didn’t learn or gain anything.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 17
Did you know. . .<br />
*1 out of 10 teenagers deliberately harm themselves<br />
*People who self-mutilate/harm themselves are NOT trying to kill themselves<br />
*Self-mutilation is most common in 15-24 year old females and 12-34 year old males<br />
*People who self-mutilate often try to hide it<br />
*It is NOT self-mutilation if the purpose is:<br />
oFitting in or being cool<br />
oA cultural or traditional ritual<br />
What is Self-mutilation?<br />
*Self-mutilation is purposely hurting oneself (destructing body tissue) to cope with overwhelming<br />
emotions. Self-mutilation is also known as self-injury, self-harm, para suicide, self-destruction, aggression<br />
against the self or intentional injury.<br />
There are three types of self-mutilation:<br />
1) Major self-mutilation is the least common and most extreme type. Major self-mutilation<br />
often results in serious injury or permanent damage due to the severity of the wound. Examples of major<br />
self-mutilation include amputating a limb, eye-gorging or self-castration. This type of self-mutilation is<br />
often associated with individuals with psychotic states or acute drug intoxication.<br />
2) Stereotypic self-mutilation is a form of mutilation that occurs in fi xed, rhythmic, repetitive<br />
patterns like banging one’s head. It occurs mostly in institutionalized mentally retarded, autistic, psychotic<br />
or schizophrenic individuals.<br />
3) Superficial self-mutilation is the least lethal (deadly) form of self-mutilation and the most<br />
common. Superfi cial self-mutilation occurs as a result of emotional distress. The most common method of<br />
superfi cial self-mutilation is cutting. Other methods include burning, biting, bone breaking, carving, hairpulling,<br />
hitting, picking scabs, or pinching.<br />
18 / HmoobTeen Spring 2008
Why do people self-mutilate?<br />
~It is diffi cult to specifi cally pin-point “why” people self-mutilate.<br />
A general explanation is that self-mutilating serves as a way for<br />
people to cope with overwhelming emotion. It offers quick and<br />
temporary emotional relief. If a person often feels empty or numb,<br />
injuring themselves can make them feel more “alive.”<br />
~People who self-mutilate injure themselves because they don’t<br />
know any other way to handle their emotions. They either grew<br />
up lacking someone to show them how to effectively cope with<br />
distress or were taught that their feelings were wrong and should<br />
be suppressed. Also, people who self-mutilate tend to come from<br />
abusive backgrounds.<br />
~Another reason why someone may hurt themselves is because<br />
he or she has a mental disorder. Self-mutilation is often associated<br />
with borderline personality disorders, depression, substance<br />
abuse disorder, post-traumatic disorder, obsessive compulsion disorder<br />
or eating disorders.<br />
What to do if YOU self-mutilate:<br />
~Understand that it’s hard to overcome self-mutilation on your<br />
own. Tell someone you trust, a friend, a parent, a teacher, doctor<br />
or an adult. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Get treatment from a<br />
mental health professional.<br />
~Seek sites and resources that support your effort to stop selfmutilation.<br />
Take a look at the hotlines and websites we’ve listed<br />
here under “Resources.”<br />
~Avoid alcohol and illicit drugs. They increase your risk of infl icting<br />
more severe injuries, maybe even death.<br />
~If you feel that an injury is life-threatening, call 911 immediately.<br />
Resources<br />
SAFE Alternatives<br />
(Self Abuse Finally Ends)<br />
www.selfi njury.com<br />
1-800-DONT-CUT<br />
Crisis Intervention Center<br />
Hennepin Country Medical Center<br />
701 Park Avenue South<br />
<strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN 55415<br />
612-647-3161<br />
Teen Central: a help-line website for<br />
teens, by teens. Teens can anonymously<br />
tell their stories online and read and respond<br />
to other anonymous teen’s stories.<br />
www.teencentral.net<br />
Crisis Connection<br />
When life hurts and talking would help.<br />
Confi dential, non-judgmental, free counseling<br />
support. 24 hours a day.<br />
You won’t get a lecture. You’ll get help.<br />
612-379-6363<br />
Information gathered from:<br />
Focus Adolescent Services<br />
www.focusas.com/Selfi njury.html<br />
MayoClinic.com<br />
www.mayoclinic.com/print/self-injury<br />
Self-Mutilation Behavior in Youth and Adults: Causes, Treatment<br />
and Prevention, Joseph Shannon<br />
Cutting the Pain Away: Understanding Self-Mutilation, Carol C.<br />
Nadelson, M.D.<br />
What to do if someone you know self-mutilates:<br />
~Finding out that someone hurts themselves is often shocking and frightening. Show your support in a<br />
gentle and caring way. Make it clear that you’re open to talking about it. If the person you know wants<br />
to talk about it, do not avoid the subject. If he or she refuses, do not push it.<br />
~Have the person you know tell someone who can help. Offer to go along with him or her. If they refuse,<br />
talk to a knowledgeable adult and fi nd out what you can do to help.<br />
~Take care of yourself too. Be honest about your feelings. Do not blame yourself or anyone. He or she is<br />
not trying to make you feel guilty. Talk to someone you trust about your feelings.<br />
~Call 911 immediately if you think someone’s injuries are life-threatening.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 19
Where The Heart Is<br />
By Manee B. Thao, 15, St. Paul, MN<br />
When I was one-year-old, my family moved into the house we currently live in now. Of course I have always known it as home because<br />
I’ve known it all my life. Although, to many others it isn’t the same story. I believe that “home is where the heart is”. Whatever a person<br />
cherishes most in their heart is like their home. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a house; it could be your family or friends whomever you<br />
consider your home.<br />
Maybe your family or friends are your home because with them you get such feelings of welcome. The kind when you walk into your house<br />
on a great day from school or work and your bed seems perfect to be on. Sometimes it’s just the love that makes you feel like home. It all<br />
goes to the heart of a person.<br />
Turning an Apartment<br />
to a House, to a Home<br />
By Sonah Yang, 15, St. Paul, MN<br />
Since our move to Minnesota, the only house that I find unique is the<br />
apartment that we lived in by the state capital in Frogtown. I thought<br />
there was something unique about that apartment. It’s not the people that<br />
live there, not the interesting families we met over the years. It’s nothing<br />
that we can see, but instead it’s what we remember from the memories<br />
we created.<br />
My family lived in the apartment for so long. It brings back a lot of<br />
memories from my childhood. I remember when my siblings and I were<br />
little, my mommy would always take us to the parking lot at the other end<br />
of the block, by White Castle, and ride bikes over there. When summer<br />
would come, we always cooked good food and ate it upstairs on the<br />
porch outside, watching people passing by. The best part was Independence<br />
Day. The Taste of Minnesota is usually held by the state capital,<br />
which was just a block away and we didn’t even have to fi ght for parking<br />
space. We just sat on the porch watching the cars moving slowly, and tons<br />
of people walking by. And when the fi reworks started, we would rush to<br />
the side of the porch and watch.<br />
I grew up in this apartment. Living there since I was fi ve years old, and of<br />
all the other families in the building, being the longest family who lived<br />
there, it’s hard to imagine living somewhere else. My family turned this<br />
small four room apartments with two bedrooms into a house, welcoming<br />
every family that moved there also. Then we turned it into a home with<br />
so many memories to be told. The hardest thins about moving out of the<br />
apartment was knowing that whenever I drive pass, I’m no longer found<br />
in there. It was exciting to move out, experience a different place, but at<br />
the same time, it was sad leaving everything behind.<br />
Then something terrible happened. A year after we moved out, they tore<br />
down the apartment. It was one of those moments when I feel like breaking<br />
down. So many things happened in this apartment, and now it seemed<br />
like it all vanished. Now it’s all a pile of dirt. Everything’s gone. The rocking<br />
chair up on the porch where I wrote my name, the stains my brothers<br />
put on the bedroom wall, the plants my mommy plant in the backyard,<br />
the eagle sticker we stuck on our living room; it’s all gone. Even though<br />
all the visual stuff is gone, the memories that lie within me from that home<br />
will never be lost. I still remember and cherish every event that had happened.<br />
20 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008<br />
Artwork by Blia Vue, 17, St. Paul, MN
A Unique Home<br />
By Yeng Yang, 15, St. Paul, MN<br />
Something that makes my home unique is how it looks on the inside.<br />
Even though its dirty at times and has graffi ti and art on the bedroom<br />
doors and walls because of me.<br />
Also, there are some cool places to hang out. My bedroom is the<br />
biggest room in the house, so my cousins and I always go upstairs<br />
to hang out. I do art on the walls to make my house look cool and<br />
unique. I write on doors and walls like how a baby scribbles on paper.<br />
My house is basically fi lled with art and imagination, I write all<br />
over the walls like its my piece of paper.<br />
Artwork by Mary Xiong, 14, St. Paul, MN<br />
HmoobTeen tries its best to screen websites listed in the magazine. However, the content, views and opinions<br />
displayed and expressed by the websites and/or their respective organizations may, or may not reflect those<br />
of HmoobTeen and HAP.
Please Litter... Not<br />
By Shu Lor, HmoobTeen Contributing Editor, 18, Morganton, North Carolina<br />
I was strolling along with my head held high. The air was fresh, the day was bright, and my nerves had me thinking “Who will I run into<br />
today?” Thirty minutes and 15 seconds, in line I stood. “Nyob Zoo Tub Hluas,” Mrs. Ticket-master greeted. “Oh, nyob zoo nyob zoo.” I then<br />
purchased a ticket from the ticket booth and entered with showing excitement. Into the Great some-annual Hmoob Southeast Puavpheej<br />
Soccer Tournament (In Newton, North Carolina) I went.<br />
Two steps forward after the entrance and I step on a plate of half-eaten eggrolls. I kicked it off making sure the thin vermicelli noodles<br />
did not mush under my left heel. With an additional two steps to the left I fi nd my right foot buried in a plate of Hmoob-sausage. “Well at<br />
least the sausage had a nice crunch to it. Which means good food,” I try not to ruin this bright-sunny-supposed-to-be-fun day. Shaking off<br />
the excess hot-pepper that stained a good portion of my right foot, I reach back with my left for balance. You just can’t have Hmoob-sausage<br />
without sticky-rice. My toes bathed in a warm batch of purple sticky-rice and I loved it… not. I finished the day with a red-garnished<br />
foot and a pair of sticky sandals that would detect all kinds of plastic/paper plates. Must have been miserable, you think? It was indeed<br />
wretched; up until the night party where I had the chance to pull off the sweet dance move I learned from stepping on all that trash. Better<br />
known as the “cha-cha” or “4-legged something...?” And while dusting off dirt on my pants, trying to block the sun, and attempting to<br />
dodge mosquitoes all at the same time, I learned how to “get low,” ... real low. So there you have it, free dance lessons.<br />
And so while trying to soak in a good time at the tournament, one of the biggest issues that prevented me from doing so was the amount<br />
of litter. In all seriousness, littering should not be taken lightly. It’s not only bad for the environment but it can also create a bad image that<br />
would refl ect Hmoob events such as New Year Celebrations and Tournaments. In addition, it is hazardous to the people attending the event.<br />
Visitors in town would not think as highly or respectively of Traditional Annual Events if there is so much litter. Litter was never written down<br />
or booked as a main attraction and it should not be. Wet plastic/paper plates and tipped-over-canned drinks could result in a terrible<br />
fall. We can prevent issues like this by not only making sure plastic/paper plates are dry or that canned drinks are upright, but by simply<br />
walking to the nearest trash can and placing our garbage neatly inside, inside, inside, the trash-container.<br />
All in all, while visiting annual events such as New Year Celebrations or Tournaments, you should treat your surroundings as if you were a<br />
respected guest since the Organization hosting the event respects you enough to let you attend. Be sure to pick up after yourself. I guarantee<br />
that the closest trash can is not but 52 seconds away. On a lighter note, you do not want other attractive girls or boys to see you litter<br />
because it is a “turn-off”; you might just ruin the chance to meet that love of your life.<br />
“Litter was never written down or<br />
booked as a main attraction and it<br />
should not be.”<br />
22 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
Repatriation of the Hmong in Thailand<br />
By MaiNhia Xiong, 19, St. Paul, MN<br />
I am on my weekly stroll on YouTube, trying to focus on things other<br />
than school, I type in the key word “HMONG”. At fi rst, I was browsing<br />
through Hmong music videos, “dubbed” videos, and clicking on other<br />
random links. I scrolled down to see a link with these very words:<br />
“Hmong Facing Repatriation”. I sat staring at my screen, watching<br />
innocent Hmong treated like prisoners: fenced in areas with barb<br />
wires like the concentration camps during the Holocaust. I continued<br />
my research on the web, trying to fi nd other reports based on the<br />
deportation of the Hmong in Thailand to Laos. What bothered me<br />
the most was how the Thai offi cials labeled the Hmong refugees as<br />
illegal immigrants.<br />
“Illegal Immigrant” seems to have similar defi nitions in every dictionary:<br />
someone who illegally enters a country and takes up residence in<br />
the country using their resources; selling drugs or even killing citizens.<br />
How can Hmong refugees of 31 years be considered as entering the<br />
country illegally when the Thai government designed these refugee<br />
camps specifi cally for the Hmong. Lillian Faderman’s book, I Begin<br />
My Life All Over emphasized that the Thai government adopted a<br />
policy called, “The Humane Deterrence” in 1981, which was design<br />
to reduce the food rations and support services to helping the Hmong<br />
refugees. The United States approved the policy believing that “the<br />
ones who were leaving Laos, after the policy was approved, was not<br />
war-related”. This indicates that the Thai government in the early 80’s<br />
was well aware of the Hmong coming to resettle in the camps that the<br />
U.S. established for the Hmong.<br />
Step up to the<br />
plate and make a<br />
change!<br />
The media also agrees. The director of the International Human Rights<br />
Watch, Bill Frelick, commented, “By forcing these Hmong refugees<br />
into a unknown future, Thailand is now violating international laws.”<br />
These international laws, stating that all immigrants are human beings<br />
and they have the same human rights that we all do. According to the<br />
Hmong International Human Rights Watch website, Thailand’s General<br />
Surayud Chulanont stated, “If these Hmong refugees volunteer<br />
to return home (meaning Laos), they can. If they want to go to a third<br />
country and that country wants to take them, we will allow them to<br />
go”. A recently recorded interview by the International Human Rights<br />
Watch representative, Hannah Belcher, General Surayud Chulanont<br />
then commented after the agreement with Laos, “There is no time for<br />
these Hmong refugees to fl ee to a third country. We have to abide<br />
the agreement between the Thai and Lao government”. This agreement<br />
“vowed” to resolve the problem with the Hmong in Thailand, but<br />
Laos is not allowing outside resources to screen all Hmong refugees<br />
who is getting forced out of Thailand.Therefore no outside resources<br />
will have access as to how the Hmong are doing once they are repatriated.<br />
Moreover, a Lao Government spokesman went public with this statement,<br />
“There is a lot of speculation and lies told by the Hmong and<br />
other organizations about how the Laos’s government and military is<br />
treating the Hmong. And one should be very cautious”. So, by reading<br />
this passage I’m getting the message that the Hmong in 1975 decided<br />
that they wanted to run into the jungles of Laos to watch their loved<br />
ones suffer, die from starvation, get shot at, and planted their own<br />
bombs which they’ve “FORGOTTEN WHERE THEY’VE HID IT”; just to<br />
catch the nation’s attention? How can the Hmong in the jungle “lie”<br />
when there are recorded documents distributed all over the world? It<br />
makes absolutely NO SENSE to me!<br />
But my opinions can be bias, therefore I selected students and carefully<br />
explained to them about the situation in Thailand. Here are their<br />
responses:<br />
“It’s wrong!” said Madgan Lee, 15, “Something needs to be done!<br />
Why is the United States sitting around doing absolutely nothing?”<br />
Richard Vang, 20, says, “If the Hmong community, all over the United<br />
States, protested day in and out when General Vang Pao was put into<br />
jail, how come we are not venting in anger, holding signs, and protesting<br />
our way across our nation’s capital about this wrong doing?”<br />
James Yang, 19, said, “It shouldn’t be so highly emphasized because<br />
these Hmong refugees had their opportunity to come over to the<br />
United States, so if they get deported they were asking for it. If they<br />
were law abiding citizens they won’t be bothered by the Laotian<br />
government.”<br />
Director Bill Frelick quoted, in an interview with the International Human<br />
Rights Watch representative Hannah Belcher, “Lao authority<br />
sees these Hmong population as a thorn in the side. They want to<br />
keep these Hmong refugees inside Laos so they can “deal” with them<br />
without any prizing eye from the international community. Lao is using<br />
the vulnerability of Thailand that is in a GREAT FALL of resources and<br />
offering the national resources in Laos, using that as a bargainingship,<br />
forcing and pressuring Thailand to return these Hmong back to<br />
Laos.”<br />
In conclusion, I am someone who is passionately driven for change<br />
in the Hmong community. We, as Young Hmong, as the next generation,<br />
need to step up to the plate and make a change. On April 4th,<br />
1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., spoke at a church in New York City,<br />
giving one of his remarkable speeches against the Vietnam War: A<br />
Time to Break Silence. And I will end my article reciting a part of his<br />
speech: “Some of us who have already begun to break the silence<br />
of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation<br />
of agony, but we must speak. We must speak with all the humility<br />
that is appropriate to our limited visions, but we must speak. Perhaps<br />
a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movement well<br />
and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance,<br />
for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that<br />
seems so close around us.”<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 23
Poems<br />
I Tell Them…There’s No Place Like Home<br />
By Pa Tong Thao, 16, <strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
I told my mom no matter how far I travel,<br />
I will always come back home.<br />
Even if I climbed the highest mountains,<br />
Even if I cross the ocean,<br />
There is no place like home.<br />
I told my dad no matter how long I go away,<br />
I will always come back home.<br />
Even if I become famous,<br />
Even if I got married,<br />
There is no place like where I grew up.<br />
I told my sister no matter what I miss,<br />
I will always come back home.<br />
Even if it’s her graduation,<br />
Even if it’s the memories,<br />
There is no place like shelter.<br />
I told my brother even if I’m not there now,<br />
I will come back one day.<br />
Even if I’m not there for them,<br />
Even if I can’t help them,<br />
There is no place for my guardian to be, but home.<br />
It’s just for now, but not forever.<br />
Same goes to my friends and my love ones,<br />
Same goes for each day that will past them by.<br />
I may fi nd love, happiness, and laughter someplace else,<br />
But there is no place like home, because it was the start of everything.<br />
Home Sweet Home<br />
By Paula Lor, St. Paul, MN<br />
A home with a happy family inside,<br />
they are generous and kind.<br />
They’ve overcome thin and thick<br />
and when someone is sick,<br />
they always help out<br />
but what is all this about?<br />
That is why I’m here to express<br />
to get it through fast.<br />
Every home is unique somehow<br />
and here’s what I have to say out loud.<br />
A home is a family’s warmth and happiness<br />
if you want to know what I mean, guess.<br />
My family’s warmth and happiness<br />
is what makes a home sweet home.<br />
Life Changes<br />
By Mai Vue, 12, Crescent City, CA<br />
We had our distances beyond the sky.<br />
Life was hard,<br />
Didn’t see each other often.<br />
It made me miss our smiles and laughter.<br />
Days, weeks, years passed,<br />
Life changed.<br />
We went our own ways.<br />
Artwork by Blia Vue, 17, St. Paul, MN<br />
24 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
The Latehomecomer<br />
By Lee “Yolei” Yang, HmoobTeen Editor, 18, St. Paul, MN<br />
The Latehomecomer is a family memoir written by Kao Kalia<br />
Yang. Yang writes about her family’s escape from the Vietnam<br />
War and the adjustment to a new life in America. Looking<br />
at Yang’s perspective of the Vietnam War, where were the<br />
Hmong in history books?<br />
Yang sweeps her family history in to a transverse storybook,<br />
like existing Hmong cloth stories, but with written words. She<br />
begins with the meeting of her parents and their marriage during<br />
the escape from genocide and persecution in Laos. Yang’s<br />
grandmother is a medicine woman who is fi lled with strength<br />
to secure her family. She managed to keep Yang’s father and<br />
all of her uncles together until the escape. The crossing from<br />
Laos to Thailand and Thailand to the United States’ lifts the anticipation<br />
of a place to call home. The changes Yang and her<br />
family are facing do not separate from each other – it bonds<br />
the heart of family in a deep decision of life or death.<br />
Do the Hmong people have a place to call home? Yang’s memoir helps acknowledge that home is wherever<br />
family is, no matter how life is lived. This book does not only carry Yang’s journey, but the journey<br />
of every Hmong.<br />
Tragic Mountains<br />
By Jonny Xiong, HmoobTeen Editor 19, <strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
“Tragic Mountains” is a published account of the author’s interaction, testimonial<br />
interviews, and historical accounting of the Hmong plight stretching from the end<br />
of Japanese occupation of Indochina to the fall of the infamous Hmong military<br />
base of “Long Tieng”: from the struggle of the Ly and Dang factions, to the rise<br />
of great leaders such as Touby Lyfong and General Vang Pao, to the tragic and<br />
sorrow of the Hmong Exodus from Communist Laos to America. The book opens<br />
readers to the stories of soldiers and war victims, both who came face to face<br />
with the hardship of leaving their homes and facing total decimation from the<br />
communist regime. “Tragic Mountains” is a read for those who are interested in<br />
the historical value of Hmong history, the point of views from individuals who<br />
have endured the struggles, and our brothers and sisters who have been forgotten<br />
by our modern community. Although not everything can be considered as<br />
solid fact, the contents of this book should be considered as something not to be<br />
forgotten from our oral history and timeline.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 25
Comics<br />
26 / HmoobTeen Summer 2008
Blia Vue, 17<br />
St. Paul, MN<br />
Living a life without my siblings is a<br />
life without meaning, even if everything<br />
in this world belonged to me.<br />
The feeling of joy, warmth, the voice,<br />
and the laughter on everyone’s little<br />
face that I defi ne as “home”.<br />
Blong Vang, 18<br />
Andover, MN<br />
This object is fi lled with clouds as I’m<br />
asleep. This object is my “Homie” pillow<br />
at Home that comforts my head<br />
like clouds as I’m asleep.<br />
Lee Yolei Yang, 18<br />
St. Paul, MN<br />
This photograph of mine reminds me<br />
of alternating mornings–sun, cloud,<br />
or rain. This is the window I pass by<br />
everyday when I leave my house. On<br />
some days, I’d sit on a chair at this<br />
spot and fi nd new perspectives on<br />
life. Beyond the window, I live my old<br />
and new dreams, and continue to connect<br />
them to home.<br />
Mysee Chang, 17<br />
Corcoran, MN<br />
A home without a mother is not a home<br />
at all. As long as I have my mom with<br />
me, I am at home because I have her<br />
love to warm me and her lectures to<br />
guide me. Ua tsaug kuv Niam. Thanks<br />
Mom, for everything. ^_^<br />
HMOOBTEEN<br />
EDITORS<br />
Ricki Vang, 16<br />
Brooklyn Park, MN<br />
The good old childhood days where<br />
nothing matter and the only thing<br />
you cared about is yourself and<br />
only yourself. Childhood is what reminds<br />
me of home.<br />
Nhia Lee, 18<br />
<strong>Minneapolis</strong>, MN<br />
To me, the concept of home is<br />
where you feel like you’re a part<br />
of life. I feel like home when I’m<br />
around my family and friends. A<br />
person can’t feel like home without<br />
any joy.<br />
Shu Lor, 18<br />
Morganton, NC<br />
Whenever I am home I do not notice<br />
the amount of shoes scattered<br />
before my front door. But when I go<br />
out to a friend’s house and see a<br />
pile of shoes it takes my right back<br />
to my front door.<br />
Panhia Lee, 16<br />
North St. Paul, MN<br />
My concept of home is in this illustration.<br />
The hands and heart<br />
represents my family and my<br />
love for them. The tree growing<br />
out from the heart represents nature,<br />
which I love. The music symbols<br />
surrounding the tree and the<br />
heart give me the comfort just like<br />
being at home.<br />
Summer 2008 HmoobTeen / 27
HmoobTeen presents...<br />
A Knight for a Princess<br />
~ Saturday, June 14th ~<br />
Hmong American Partnership<br />
~ Over 200 people in attendance ~<br />
Many thanks to our awesome sponsors who donated their time and talents to make this event successful!<br />
Funny Guy Sai Vang<br />
www.myspace.com/spoofi ggy<br />
DJ SoFresh<br />
A Day Forward<br />
www.myspace.com/adayforward<br />
Where Endless Ideas Become<br />
“Edible” Realities...<br />
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