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.
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 MapMake 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, #144Circled 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: FREE to all
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 43rd Annual Hmong Freedom Celebration Sport Tournament will be hosted by The United Hmong Family on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th, 2025 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
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
When: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 6:30 pm Doors Open Social time and a light dinner; 7:00-8:00 pm State Legislators Give Updates; 8:00 to 8:30 pm Q & A
Where: American Legion Post 577, 1129 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106Map
Cost: Suggested Donation $20
The American Legion Post 577 asks that once you arrive you go straight to the room in the back. If you want to get something from the bar you can but keep the political stuff to yourself in the bar area and be respectful of the Veterans there.
The Minnesota State Legislators Confirmed to be speaking are:
Senator Mark Koran (SD 28 North Branch) Mark grew up in the Frogtown Neighborhood of St Paul.
Senator Eric Lucero (SD 30 St Michael)
Rep Walter Hudson (HD 30A Albertville)
Rep Patricia Mueller (HD 23B Austin)
American Legion Post 577, 1129 Arcade St, St Paul MN 55106
This is an event post. The event is a fundraising event. It is also a chance learn what’s going on from Republican State Legislators that hasn’t been filtered by a news agency. –admin
The Republican Party of Minnesota (MNGOP) had a State Central Committee Convention; BPOU State Central Delegates and Alternates Converged on Saturday December 14th, 2024 and had State Party Leadership Elections.
The Elected Positions were State Party Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary. The Candidates for each office ran separately and did not run as slates. The Treasurer is an appointed position.
RPM Chair
Alex Plechash, won the Chair position over the last Chair, David Hann on 3 Ballots. chair@mngop.com
Alex Plechash is the New Republican Party of Minnesota Chair
Alex Plechash was elected Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota in December 2024. He is a first generation American who was a multi-sport student-athlete before gaining an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy where he graduated with distinction, being the No. 1 Aerospace Engineer and Marine officer in his class after which he served out his military commitment as a Marine Corps fighter pilot.
After his military service, he built a successful career in business and finance while dedicating decades to veterans’ advocacy. He has held top leadership positions in a host of organizations including being Chapter President and a National Trustee of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, President of the Twin Cities Council of the Navy League, Chairman of the USS Minnesota pre-commissioning task force, Governor-appointed Board Member and Finance Chair of the Perpich Center for the Arts, past President and Chairman of Tee it up for the Troops, and served as a church deacon, leading their largest outreach program.
He has served on the Wayzata City Council as well.
Alex has been involved at every level of the Minnesota Republican Party since attending his first precinct caucus in 2004. He has lived a life of service and continues to do so now for the Republican Party.
RPM Deputy Chair
The State Party Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom was elected in a very close race by 5 votes on two ballots. deputychair@mngop.com
Donna Bergstrom was re-elected to the Deputy Chair position.
Donna M. Bergstrom was appointed Deputy Chair by Chairman Hann in October of 2021 upon his election to the chair position. She was elected to the position in December of 2021 by the State Central Committee. She lives in Duluth with her husband and son.
Donna graduated from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 1985 with a degree in Political Science. She obtained her Master of Jurisprudence degree from Loyola University Chicago-School of Law (Civitas Center) in Children’s Law and Policy. She also holds a degree in American and Anishinaabe Education from the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.
Donna is a 20 year Veteran of the United States Marine Corps, achieving the grade of Lieutenant Colonel. She was one of the first two American Indian women in the state of Minnesota to run in the general election for Lieutenant Governor on a major party endorsed ticket. Donna is an enrolled member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
Joy Orvis was elected as the State Party Secretary. Her office email is secretary@mngop.com
Each Republican State Party Organization in all 50 States and the District of Columbia have a National Committeeman and Committeewoman. This year the Republican Party of Minnesota has 2 new Committee People. The last Committeeman was Alex Plechash who was edged out by the current Committeeman AK Kamara at the 2024 State Central Convention which was held separate from the State Convention. The last Committeewoman was Barbara Sutter. She did not seek another term. The new Committeewoman is Emily Novotny Chance.
AK Kamara creates content in both written and video form discussing political, cultural, and social issues. He’s a regular weekly guest on the Jon Justice radio show heard on AM1130 Twin Cities News Talk. He has gained over 150,000 followers across various social media platforms creating overtly Conservative political content.
Professionally, AK owns and operates a small courier business in the Twin Cities metro area.
Politically, AK was elected State Chairman of the Minnesota College Republicans. He has worked and volunteered with several campaigns for Governor, Senate, Congress, and many local elected offices. He has held various positions with several local Republican basic organizational units and has also worked for several ideologically conservative organizations. He is also member of Project 21, a group of black Americans who advocate for right of center policies. Most recently, he was elected to serve as Minnesota’s National Committeeman, representing our state on a national level at the RNC. He enjoys connecting with Republicans nationally and learning about new ways to help Republicans succeed in Minnesota.
AK is an active member of his community, belonging to both philanthropic and fraternal organizations. He and his wife reside in Forest Lake MN.
Emily Novotny Chance was elected Minnesota’s National Committeewoman in 2024 at 26.
She graduated from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, SD, majoring in political science and communications. As a lifelong Minnesotan, she has been an active volunteer in the MNGOP since the age of 14- creating deep connections and becoming a respected, tenacious worker. Emily’s first job in politics was as an intern on Congressman Tom Emmer’s first congressional campaign in 2014. She traveled the country as an Advance Staffer for President Trump in the 2020 campaign and continued to do events for him following his election.
Emily has been on her local republican board since 2015, served as the State Chair for the South Dakota College Republicans, worked in the Minnesota Legislature, campaigned for hundreds of candidates, and currently also serves as the Minnesota Young Republicans National Committeewoman.
Professionally, she currently works for a public affairs firm in Minneapolis and owns and operates Flamingo Events, her event-planning business. Emily, her husband Kent, and their cattle dog puppy reside in Elk River, MN, and are active church members.
The biographies are from the MNGOP.org/party-leadership page. There were a couple of edits for clarity. — admin
Minnesota House District 66B Republicans 