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Celebrating the 50th Year anniversary of the Hmong Resettlement to the United States.
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WHEREAS, thousands of Hmong in Laos were recruited by the United States Central Intelligence Agency in the Secret War led by General Vang Pao, serving as Special Guerrilla Units alongside U.S. troops from 1961-1975 during the Vietnam War, and
WHEREAS, many Hmong fled their homeland due to political persecution and a significant number resettled in the United States in the late 1970s as political refugees after the 1975 Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act and the Refugee Act of 1980 was signed into law,
WHEREAS, in November 1975, the first Hmong family resettled in Minnesota, and today, the City of Saint Paul is home to more than 36,000 Hmong people, making it the urban city with the densest Hmong population, and
WHEREAS, the Hmong community has contributed to the growth and progress of our city and significantly shaped our economic, social, and political landscape through their cultural contributions and monumental achievements in many fields such as food, health care, education, entrepreneurship, nonprofit, first responders, government, politics and more, and
WHEREAS, we celebrate the latest accomplishments of distinguished Hmong role models in our city such as Marc Heu, an award-winning pastry chef who opened Marc Heu Patisserie Paris in 2019 in the Frogtown neighborhood, Sunisa Lee, the first Hmong American Gold Medal Olympian at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and a proud East Sider, Kaohly Her, the first Hmong American woman elected as Saint Paul Mayor in November 2025 and former State Representative of District 64A, and countless others whose achievements reflect the strength, resilience, and leadership of the Hmong community and continue to inspire future generations, and
WHEREAS, the Saint Paul City Council celebrates Hmong people, history, culture, values, and traditions,
WHEREAS, the city council remains committed to collaborating with the Hmong community to elevate and honor their experiences and identities and ensure they live lives that are dignified and thriving in our city,
BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council thanks the Hmong community for their profound leadership and contributions, expresses support for the community’s endeavors, and wishes for their continued success, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the Saint Paul City Council celebrates and recognizes the 50th year anniversary of the Hmong resettlement to the United States.