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Recognizing the life of Tswv Mas Donald Yang for his contributions to Saint Paul and Proclaiming Sunday, May 31, 2026, as Tswv Mas Donald Yang Day in the City of Saint Paul.
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WHEREAS, Tswv Mas Donald Yang was born on May 5, 1950, to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Xhiav Tshob Yang, as the youngest son among five brothers and two sisters. His grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Tshuas Lwm Yang; and
WHEREAS, he pursued his post-secondary education at College Sam Thong, located in the town of Sam Thong in Xiangkhouang Province, Laos, laying the foundation for a lifelong belief in the importance of learning and education; and
WHEREAS, he later married his beloved wife, Ma Alice Vue Yang, in 1970, forming a steadfast partnership grounded in love, endurance, and shared sacrifice, as she too served with distinction as a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) nurse in Military Region II of Laos during the 1960s and 1970s, providing critical care to soldiers and civilians during a time of war; and
WHEREAS, during the Vietnam War era, he courageously served in support of the United States’ efforts through USAID, contributing to Civil Operations and Rural Development Support (CORDS), providing humanitarian aid, logistics, and medical assistance to Hmong soldiers and their families during the Secret War in Laos, including work connected to Operation Momentum and efforts based in Sam Thong (LS-20); and
WHEREAS, following the war and in pursuit of freedom and opportunity, he and his family immigrated to the United States in 1976, first settling in Arlington, Ohio, and later in Toledo, Ohio, embodying the resilience and sacrifice of refugee families seeking a better future; and
WHEREAS, through extraordinary determination and work ethic, he labored tirelessly to provide for his family by working multiple jobs simultaneously as an English As A Second Language teacher in the Toledo Public School District, a small business owner operating a bait and t...
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