THE UNITED HMONG FAMILY INC

THE HMONG NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONTHE HMONG NEW YEAR (HNY) IS A AN ANNUAL HMONG CULTURAL CELEBRATION THAT IS CELEBRATED ALL THROUGHOUT ASIA WHERE DENSE HMONG POPULATIONS LIVE. THIS ANNUAL CELEBRATION IS ALSO CELEBRATED HERE IN MINNESOTA AND TAKES PLACE DURING THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AT THE RIVER CENTRE. THIS EVENT HAS BEEN IN EXISTENT FOR 42 YEARS NOW AND IS HELD BY THE UNITED HMONG FAMILY, INC (UHF). THE HMONG NEW YEAR IS A TIME TO GATHER WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO HONOR ANCESTORS AND GIVE THANKS FOR THE HARVEST OF THE YEAR. IT IS ALSO A TIME TO CLOSE OUT THE CURRENT YEAR AND WELCOME THE NEW YEAR WITH BLESSINGS AND GOOD FORTUNE. CELEBRATING THIS EVENT IN AMERICA, WE HAVE INCORPORATED COMPETITIONS INCLUDING PAGEANT, DANCE, SINGING, AND CORN HOLE. THESE COMPETITIONS HELP BRING A LARGER SCALE OF AUDIENCE OF OTHER CULTURES TO OUR EVENT AND HELP EXPOSE THE HMONG CULTURE TO OTHERS. THIS EVENT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST ETHNIC EVENTS IN MINNESOTA AND HELP GENERATE A LARGE PORTION IN SUPPORTING THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND CITY OF SAINT PAUL.THE HMONG INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM FESTIVALTHE HMONG INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM FESTIVAL (HIFF) IS AN ANNUAL CELEBRATION THAT TAKES PLACE DURING THE 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. THIS EVENT STARTED BACK IN THE LATE 70S WHEN THE FIRST HMONG FAMILIES RESETTLED AFTER LEAVING THE REFUGEE CAMPS IN THAILAND, FROM WAR-TORN LAOS. OVER THE YEARS, THIS ANNUAL EVENT HAS WOVEN INTO THE FABRICS OF MINNESOTA AND BECAME A PART OF OUR MINNESOTA ADDITION IS ALSO KNOWN AS HMONG J4TH IS HELD OVER THE INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND NOT ONLY TO CELEBRATE THIS GREAT NATION BUT ALSO GIVE THANKS TO THE HMONG VETERANS THAT BROUGHT US TO THE UNITED STATES. AS A PART OF PROGRAMS, THE EVENT OFFERS AN ARRAY OF ETHNIC FOOD AND DRINKS BY VENDORS, TEAMS COMPETE IN VOLLEYBALL, SOCCER, KATAO (FOOT VOLLEY), TOP SPIN, AND FLAG FOOTBALL AT THE MCMURRAY FIELDS. THE HMONG MINNESOTA PAGEANTTHE HMONG MINNESOTA PAGEANT IS DESIGNED TO OFFER A PLATFORM IN PAGEANTRY COMPETITIONS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES CHALLENGE YOUNG HMONG WOMEN IN STRENGTHENING THEIR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, OFFER MORE FORMAL LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND NETWORKING WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS, COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, WHILE SUPPORTING PROGRAMS FOR SUSTAINING SELF-IDENTITY, BUILDING CULTURAL VALUE AND CULTURAL PRESERVATION. THE PROGRAM OFFERS TRAININGS SEVERAL MONTHS FOR INTERESTED CANDIDATES, PRIOR TO THE MINNESOTA HMONG NEW YEAR, WHERE THE COMPETITIONS IS HELD DURING ITS TWO-DAYS CELEBRATIONS. IN COMPLETING THE COMPETITIONS, AND GOING INTO A REIGNING PAGEANT COURT, EACH OF THE THREE YOUNG WOMEN WHO PLACES FIRST, SECOND, AND OR THIRD IS COMMITTED TO A YEAR'S WORTH OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICES AS THE LIAISON FOR THE UNITED HMONG FAMILY, INC. TO THE HMONG COMMUNITY AND REMAIN ROLE MODELS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS IN PROMOTING THE HMONG LANGUAGE, CULTURE, AND ARTS.