Category Archives: Action

Action, Family, HD66B

44th Annual Hmong International Freedom Festival June 27-28th, GOP Booth #144

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Republican Booth is #144 Near Gate 2 on the Northeast corner of the area the Hmong International Freedom Festival (HIFF) J4 is at.  See the Map below. Gate 2 is near the Eastbound 3A Bus Stop for the Como Park Aquatic Center.  Just west of Como-Horton & Lexington Intersection.

We have a sign up to serve at the booth that was sent out to our delegates and CD4 GOP activists.

J4 as it is known to Hmong as a time to celebrate freedom with family, food, and sports.

It’s that time of year again, the first weekend prior to July 4th, when the Hmong people celebrate freedom at McMurray Fields of St Paul, MN (1151 Jessamine Ave W).  Hmong International Freedom Festival J4 Street Map  Make a note that there are 2 intersections of Como Avenue & Lexington Ave as seen in the Street Map link. The northern one has Como Avenue on the west side of the intersection and Horton Avenue on the east side. The southern intersection has Como Avenue on the east side of the intersection and Wynne Ave on the western side of the intersection with Lexington. So if you tell someone you’ll meet them at Como & Lexington, tell them which one.

The Republican Booth is in the Northeast part of this map (upper right, in the light green area) near the intersection of Como & Lexington Ave nearest to Gate 2, #144
Circled in Red is Booth 144. On the Top of the page is West Como which across from Horton Ave. Gate 2 is near the Eastbound Aquatic Center Bus stop (3A Bus)
McMurray Field looking North from Jessamine Ave W to Como Avenue at the top of the photo. Como Regional Park Pool just north of the Tournament Fields on Wynne Avenue. Lexington Avenue is to the East of the Fields.  The Metro Transit 3A Bus travels along Como Avenue, and the 83 Bus travels north and south along Lexington Avenue.

The Hmong People who have settled here in the St Paul MN area really know what Freedom feels like.  General Vang Pao brought the Hmong people here from the refugee camps in Southeast Asia after the end of the Vietnam War.

Hmong International Freedom Festival (J4)

will be open from 8 AM to 8 PM Both Days

There are many things to do, see, buy, and taste at the celebration.

COST: $10

  • Events start at 8 am on Saturday & 8 am on Sunday.

Park & Ride Shuttle from the MN State Fairgrounds

  • $20 per Vehicle (Cash Only)
  • Shuttle Buses from the Fairgrounds to the Festival from 6:30 am to 9:30 pm

It is with great anticipation that this year’s 44th Annual Hmong Freedom Celebration Sport Tournament will be hosted by The United Hmong Family on Saturday, June 27th and Sunday, June 28th, 2026 at the Como Park’s McMurray Field. The event will provide ample spaces for various vendors that are not just local community members, but from all over the world.

Booths will be set up for food, traditional and culture items, educational and informational and other general merchandise. Most of the festival goers are relatives and friends who travel a short distance of a couple of miles to across the ocean from former homeland in Asia. Others are spectators who come to cheer on one another as well as taking part in one of the competitive sporting venues in flag football (both men and women’s), Sepak Takraw (Kato), Soccer (men/women’s), tuj lub (top spinning), volleyball (men/women’s) and other fun and games for all ages, and physical ability. They have a lot to accomplish within the short amount of time.

Hmong Sports Tournament includes Flag Football, Soccer and Hmong specific sports.
A Hmong player kicks the ball across the net during a game of Sepak Takraw (Kato), a volleyball-like sport without the use of hands. Traditional balls are made of wicker.

Also known as KATO

There is a pair of pitches for this sport at the Marydale Park. On any given weekend you can see people playing this sport with their friends. Marydale Park is in HD 66B where Maryland Avenue intersects with Dale Street. Conny’s Creamy Cone and a used car dealership are nearby it. Marydale Park hugs Lake Loeb mostly.

Volleyball of both Men & Women’s teams.

The above information was found at the theunitedhmongfamily.org website, and photos were found online. We found the parking information and the event fee, as well as the explanation of the rules of Kato on VistSaintPaul.com website. The posting is a courtesy to our Hmong friends & neighbors.  We will post the winners from each sports category. — admin

 

Action, HD66B

2024 End of Session Cookie Drop May 17th

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If you watch the end of the Minnesota Legislative Session drama on public tv or some streaming website, you’ll see a lot of last minute debates, some last minute trickery, and a lot of “gotcha” politicking. No matter what party is in the majority there is sometimes a lot of unnecessary drama and demonstrating in the hallways of the State Capitol.

This can be very stressful on all parties involved in the end of session marathon. In passed years some groups have brought their party’s legislators treats and comfort food for the breaks they have in these marathon sessions. This is where the idea of a Cookie Drop started.

Our last chair, Tom Polachek (2017-23), commented to Rep Pam Altendorf a week prior to May 17th of the ability to make a bunch of cookies from the recipes on our website posted some years ago during the lockdown conventions of 2020. Since he and our current Chair, Donna Liew weren’t attending the State Convention occurring at the same time, they decided to bring a bunch of cookies to both the MN House Republicans and the MN Senate Republicans. That’s a total of 97 Legislators to bake cookies for.

The cookie recipes from our site Tom Polachek made were Peanut Butter Chip, Healthified Chocolate Chip, Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip, and Oatmeal Raisin with Molasses.

Peanut Butter with Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips Cookies
Healthified Chocolate Chip Cookies have less fat, and have whole wheat flour instead of regular white flour. Tastes like a Chips Ahoy cookie
Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin with Molasses Cookies

Chair Donna Liew made some Gingerbread Cookies, and Blueberry Crumble Bars.

Chair Donna Liew made Gingerbread Cookies on the left and Blueberry Crumble Bars on the right of the tray

Distribution of the 6 kinds of Cookies to the MN House Republicans took place first with the help of Rep Pam Altendorf of Red Wing MN. She left the House Chambers and met Donna & Tom in the Capitol Rotunda and then escorted them to a room the MN House Republicans use for recesses, or breaks just off the floor of the House Chambers. Afterwards they went to the MN Senate Office Building just north of the State Capitol Building and met with a Legislative Assistant in the MN Senate Republicans Wing of the building.

Baking for just 33 Senators was a lot easier and the cookies were put into an old candy box in rows of 3 and an over flow of the Chewy Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie into an old Folgers Jar.

An old Folgers Jar can contain quite a few dozen cookies.

Why did we do this?

There was a need and because we still live in a society that free will reigns.  Americans can still rise to a challenge and say I CAN.

Action, HD66B

The Fred Factor

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At the Cross Cultural Workshop, August 14, 2023, Waihon Liew mentioned some books to read about. An attendee named Jason said he is a mailman and there are some Kareni or Hmong on the block he delivers to. When he has to interact with them their kids run inside the house to hide and close the shades. Jason asked how he could let them know he is friendly and the mail carrier is not the police.

Waihon, the instructor, told some key ways to bridge the gap, as the Kareni were a persecuted people in Myanmar (formerly Burma). They learned to be leery of anyone in a uniform.

Waihon gave him a book called, “The Fred Factor,” by Mark Sanborn. The book was inspired by a mailman named Fred Shay.

Do You Know a “Fred” Who Needs to be Recognized?

While eating lunch at the Roseville MN Chick-fil-A, I spotted a “Fred,” named Conrad. He is a Senior Citizen Black Man who is a store Ambassador who makes sure people feel welcome and kids have fun especially when he MOOs out loud so everyone inside hears him. He also takes trays when customers are done and gives out mints and hand cleaning wipes. Conrad goes above and beyond the job to earn the title of a “Fred.”

If you would like to recognize a “Fred” you can let us know at our Twitter/X Account @HD66BGOP and use the hashtag #FredFactor, then explain why he or she is a “Fred.”

Action, HD66B

Crossing Cultures & Being Influential

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Waihon LIew

The Cross Cultural Workshop on August 14th was a success. We had several members of our bpou as well as other bpous across the Metro and even Linwood, MN. Thanks to Mikki Murray and Tawn Johnson and others in promoting the event to other local party units.

Presentations by May Lor Xiong & Waihon Liew

The first presentation was by Asian American Republicans Chair May Lor Xiong, who was the endorsed MN CD4 Republican candidate in 2022 talked about some of the lessons learned when she ran for office. One might think the Karen of Myanmar (formerly Burma) would have the same cultural ties to Hmong but they are completely different cultures.

May Lor Xiong stressed that people in general want to be part of the solution to problems that present themselves. The best practice is to listen to people and find common values you share and start from there.

May Lor Xiong, the endorsed 2022 CD4 Republican Candidate

Next Waihon Liew, Chair Donna Liew’s husband has many accolades in connecting those from other cultures

Waihon Liew’s Background

Originally from Malaysia, Waihon has his M Sc in Education Leadership and Masters in Cross Cultural Studies.  Waihon taught comparative religions and cross cultural studies at St Mary’s University, Winona, as well as similar courses at North Central University, Minneapolis . He has taught under the American Degree Transfer Program at two major universities in Malaysia and has been teaching / mentoring Karen immigrant students at Sejong Academy (K-12), St Paul since 2016.

Through his alma mater, Winona State University, Waihon started a Continuing Education program for schools in Malaysia in March 2023. Because of his work with immigrants and efforts to improve education in Malaysia, he was named Distinguished Alumni of the Decade by Winona State in 2023.

3 Core Values We Share

  • Freedom
  • Faith
  • Family

Waihon talked about the 3 Core Values Karen Immigrants from Myanmar have in common with us.  They are Freedom, Faith, and their Families.

In Myanmar they had no concept of politics but they would get dictates from their government what they were supposed to do. So when someone in a uniform shows up at their house there is an element of fear.  Jason a BPOU leader from SD 33 Stillwater is a mailman and he expressed how when he shows up at houses were Karens live at, the children run and hide and they close the shades. 

Waihon Liew said how they were taught by experience to fear anyone in a government uniform. They were targeted for their Christian Faith and they were forced to flee their homeland for the safety of their families.  The Hmong were no different when they fled the country of Laos pursued by the Communists.

Malaysian Flag. See how close to the US Flag this is.
The Karen of Myanmar Flag

Books and Movies

Waihon talked of different books and movies to learn valuable lessons from. Here are two of them.

  • The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn (there’s an audiobook at the Ramsey County Library using the Libby App). Also probably available at Half Price Books. It’s about a mailman named Fred who gives the best possible customer service to those on his route in Denver.
  • McFarland USA (Movie). It’s about Coach Jim White

Mark Sanborn has several videos online that cover the exceptional service by Fred Shay his mailman for over a decade in Denver.

Ways to Cross Cultures and Be an Influential Leader

Waihon said the best way to be an influential leader is to be a servant to others first. The best example of this is Jesus Christ. In his ministry he was first to serve others before he taught lessons.

In his ministry to the Karen of Myanmar Refugees he was welcomed into their community and given a robe of the Karen colors.

He suggests to listen to others as everyone has a story to tell. Once hearing them, you can relate a story of your own the people you are talking with can understand.  Praise others and nurture their values.

If you would like to know more here are some assignments you can do until the next workshop:

  • Read Books
  • Support Groups
  • Servant Leadership
  • Go to Cultural Events with your kids
  • Find ways to volunteer
  • Be intentionally attentive
  • Learn to be patient (it sometimes takes time for people to catch on to understand the ideas you are putting forth)

Thank You to those who attended

We thank all those who attended our workshop. Initially there was a phone number in the first notice of the event to Chair Donna Liew that was in error. We had such a great showing that future events of this kind will be planned.

Thank you to Chair Donna Liew for the meal she made for the event. Thank you to Waihon Liew and also to May Lor Xiong for their great presentations.