Unfortunately, first impressions are lasting impressions, and quite a bitch if i don’t say so myself. It only takes a couple seconds for another person to evaluate and square you up. That is why the handshake is so important. Your handshake defines who you are.

I am involved with the military and do a lot of advocacy with non-profits. I have shaken hands with the average Joe, to politicians, high ranking officers, and even entrepreneurs and millionaires. So i have had my fair share of handshakes. Are you a “Limp Fish” or are you “Confident”. Unfortunately I encounter more of the “Limp Fish” when meeting Hmong people.

There are three keys to a successful handshake:

1. How you do it
2. When you do it
3. Where to do it

Continue reading this article at HmongMen.com

What happened in 2011 and what stood out most for you? 18XEEM looks back on a year of loss, triumphs and most discussed stories of 2011! Tell us what you think in the comments area below, or let us know what else should have made our Top 10.

1. Former leader General Vang Pao dies on January 6 and a statue is unveiled to commemorate his life on December 28. TIME magazine names Vang Pao one of the “TIME’s People Who Mattered in 2011“
2. Hmong National Conference resumes after a year on hiatus in St. Paul, MN on April 22
3. Brothers Abel Vang and Burlee Vang Win 2011 Motion Picture Academy Fellowship.
4. Thousands of Christian Hmong protestors demand religious freedom in Vietnam
5. Phagna Touby Lyfoung honored at Lao, Hmong and American Veteran Memorial on May 30 in Sheboygan, WI
6. Fresh Traditions holds successful fashion show for the fifth year in a row on October 7
7. Jerry Yang releases book “All In” in July
8. Non-Hmong singing contestant wins big at Hmong New Year in Fresno, CA
9. Community members rally at KDWB Studio on April 15 in response to racist remarks made on the radio show
10. All-star high school football players featured in Sports Illustrated’s November issue

“Activities like these give the community an opportunity to compete in a productive manner and allow for different ethnic groups to come together to interact on another level. The HHH organization has consistently provided athletic support to the youth and continues to extend its help to all those wanting to participate in sporting events.” –Bee Her, President of HHH, a youth-led sports organization

Bee Her

Being the oldest of five sons to Nhia Cheing Her and Yer Lee, I was born in Santa Ana, CA. By the time I was five years old, my family moved to Pennsylvania where we lived for a short period of time then settled in Michigan. I met my wife, Nancy Moua, in high school and have been married to her for 13 years.

Growing up I always had a passion for sports especially basketball, football, and soccer. Not only do I participated in sports –I also organize and host basketball tournaments for the Asian community. In 1998, my brother-in-law, Nong Lee, and I started our very own soccer team named “Broncos.” Our very first victory was at the 2002-2003 Hmong Michigan New Year in Lansing.

In 2005, my friends, Tony Yang and Johnny Lee and I created the Hmong flag football team “East Coast Scorpions” when it was still a fairly new sport to the Hmong Michigan community. I eventually became a captain and continue to carry the team to this day.

The sporting events that we organized would not have been possible without the help of my family and friends. In 2006, wanting these competitions to become annual events, we decided to come together and start “Hmong Haib Heev Community Organization” or “HHH” for short. I was elected President of our organization. Our mission is to build unity in the Asian community by hosting sporting events to keep teens and young adults stay off the streets.

Our goal one day is to have our own community center to provide after school programs, curricular activities, and sports for children, teens, and young adults We also hope to provide available space for Hmong elders, as they play a big role in shaping our youth community.

In addition to participating in HHH, I also volunteer with non-profit organizations such as Great Lakes Hmong Association and Hmong of Oakland County Association.

My hope is that the Hmong community and its organizers will continue to come together and build a strong relationship to help guide and teach one another.

WANT TO SEE YOUR ORGANIZATION FEATURED IN 18XEEM? Use this form to send us your organization’s bio.

Model wearing outfit from Once Upon A Time Collection by Kao Lee Thao, Photo by Yeng Yang

Friday, October 7, 2011 – Minneapolis, MN The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) held the Fresh Traditions V Fashion Show (FTV) at the beautiful McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. FTV is an annual fashion show featuring all Hmong fashion designers and Asian models.

Each designer is given creative control over their collections, with one exception. Because there is little documentation as to why the unique palette of traditional Hmong fabrics were used, designers are challenged to make sense of the traditional fabrics in today’s contemporary world.

They are all required to design at least one full outfit using a combination of the 5 Hmong fabrics: black satin, black velvet, neon green chiffon, florescent pink chiffon and a royal blue satin.

As the doors opened at 6pm, the line at the entrance quickly filed out into the hallway and the room filled with excitement and curiosity for this year’s 5 featured designers. With only an hour left before the show, attendees were entertained by DJ Luchie’s music spinning in the background.

At the stroke of 7pm, the VIP audiences quickly got into their seats as the general audiences pushed their way as close to the runway as possible. Katie Ka Vang, Director of Navigate at CHAT, came from behind the curtains in a red and gold Chinese dress and a floral-feathered hairpiece that made just the right statement of high fashion for an event like FTV.

“Is everyone excited?!” Katie screamed at the audience. She received a buzzing response that confirmed a positive answer to her question. With that the fashion show began.

FTV opened with a video that set the mood of enchantment while a beautiful woman appeared and danced among weeping willow trees. Next was the introduction video from the first designer, Sai Chang featuring her collection, Essee.

“Sai’s collection, Essee, is designed for the woman who enjoys the simple things in life, but also want to look fresh, edgy and fashionable.” Influenced by both hip hop and punk rock, Sai was able to deliver the look as her models walked the runway with an upbeat, fun and fierce determination. The Essee collection was a mix of black, white and occasionally pink accents. Sai successfully executed a look that combined sporty, sexy and rebellious elements.

The next designer was Marlena Thao with the Bombshell Collection. “Marlena’s vision and concept was inspired by the 1940’s pin-up girls. She wanted to accentuate the female figure with sultry yet flattering garments.” The Bombshell Collection had a summery pastel pallete with floral prints –a sweet contrast from Essee’s bold black and white. Besides the feminine appeal, each of Marlena’s outfits offered versatility as each model walked the runway twice, showing two different looks in one – such as reversible pieces, a skirt that transformed into a hooded cape, and a mini ensemble that turned into a full-length dress.

Fresh Traditions V Fashion Show, Photos by Yeng Yang

[Show as slideshow]

The third designer was Dokiang Thao, the only out-of-state designer from Madison, WI with her bITTERsWEET Collection. “bITTERsWEET originates from the girl who loves tea parties and lipstick, but is a risk-taker, someone who loves to stand out and is not afraid to get her hands dirty.” Dokiang’s collection delivered a “hardcore” feeling of rawness as each model walked out with asymmetrical Mohawk hairdos carrying a large lollipop as a prop. The innocent deviance was even more emphasized by the dark black and green fabrics she used with her short and body-hugging designs.

Next was designer, Ashaley Yang with the Color Me Beautiful Collection. “The design focus is to embrace females with larger structures encompassing bright and bold colors to contrast with an edge of drama.” Ashaley is the first FT designer to design for the fuller-figured woman. She designed full-length dresses using free-flowing fabrics in daring colors that her models wore with confidence and elegance.

The final and most dramatic designer of the show was Kao Lee Thao with the Once Upon A Time Collection. Kao Lee’s line was a collection of wearable art that demonstrated her talents to go beyond the brush and canvas. Already having an established reputation as an amazing painter, Kao Lee’s collection was an extension of her imagination as she brought to life characters from Hmong folktales. Starting with a theatrical opening, her required pieice, the “Hmong Warrior”assassins an orphan boy. The Once Upon a Time collection was a dramatic ending to the entire show.

The Fresh Traditions Fashion Show’s unique format of allowing each designer their own creative team and models makes for 5 different fashion shows in one event. As the show came to a conclusion, there was a clear desire to see more. There were cameras flashing and offerings of congratulations and admiration as people eagerly approached designers and models that made their way from the backstage to join the audience after the show.

With the wide range of styles from this year’s designers, FTV left audiences with an up-lifing impression of great things to expect for the future of fashion.

Subscribe to 18XEEM’s print publication for in-depth coverage and interviews with featured designers in the next issue. To see more photos, videos and reactions to CHAT’s Fresh Traditions V Fashion Show, go to www.freshtraditionsfashion.com or visit their facebook page.

Center for Hmong Arts and Talent exists to nurture, explore and illuminate the Hmong American experience through artistic expressions.

Read The GVP Phenomenon, originally published on Feb 10, 2010.

In an effort to bring you quality content and amazing details in cultural photography and design, 18XEEM will now be published as an annual publication. Any previous subscriptions will be honored prior to this update until subscription renewals are required. All future subscriptions will be billed at $5 per issue. Our next issue will resume printing in 2011. Thanks again for all your support. Any questions about your subscription should be sent via our contact form.

We apologize for any inconveniences.

Sincerely,

Hlee Xiong

Editor-in-Chief

The Hmong Stout Student Organization (HSSO) is a student run organization at the University of Wisconsin – Stout. Established in 1988, HSSO works to provide social, cultural, and academic enrichment to its members and to build relationships with other student organizations, as well as the surrounding community. For over two decades now, HSSO has organized and supported many initiatives to promote diversity awareness on our campus. One of those initiatives that have been held for many years now is the Annual Educational Conference.

The Annual Educational Conference was established to bridge the gap between Hmong and non-Hmong youth on campus and in the community. This year HSSO will be hosting the 24th Annual Educational Conference on Saturday April 10th; the theme will be Weaving Cultures with Success: Integrating Hmong Culture into Mainstream Professions. The conference will consist of motivational speakers/workshops by individuals who have found a way to integrate their culture with their profession. In each seminar, speakers will detail their stories of success and triumph, learn how they have incorporated their culture into their work – and through these stories, HSSO hopes to be able to spark inspiration inside each participant that comes through the conference to be able to integrate their passion with their profession. This is what HSSO hopes you will gain, and this is what the organization hopes to bring to every one of you.

Additional information:

What: HSSO 24th Educational Conference
When: Saturday, April 10th, 2010
Cost: Free for UW-Stout/ $6 for non-Stout students (Lunch included)
Where: Memorial Student Center at UW-Stout, Menomonie, WI 54751

Night Party: 7:30 pm – Free for Conference attendees/ $2.00 for public
Dress Code: Semi-formal/causal

Parking Information:
Campus map: http://www3.uwstout.edu/guide/upload/Campus_Map_6-08_3.pdf

- You can park on the side of the student center on 3rd St.
- You can park in lots 14, 18, 29, or 24

For more information, or to view promotional conference videos, please visit our website at: hsso.uwstout.edu. You may also contact Gao Nhia Vang at hmongconference@uwstout.edu.

Conference Committee
Hmong Stout Student Organization
University of Wisconsin – Stout
Menomonie, WI 54751

He is a walking hero, a legend who is still living and breathing among us. What makes one a legend in his community? Although he was raised in a tight-knit community, over the years he has risen to become a worldly leader and an example of the tragic aftermath of wars. He is known throughout the universe. People love him, people hate him. People are loyal to him, and some may equally despise him. Wherever he goes, his presence is honored, familiar and stirring. This is what we call, The GVP Phenomenon.

When General Vang Pao was arrested by the United States government on charges of trying to overthrow the government of Laos, we witnessed an event that caused an uproar in the Hmong community. One of the most significant things about this event was how much involvement there was among the younger generation, otherwise known as “Gen Y” and Millennials. New media tools, such as Facebook and blogs, opened the door for global communication. As a result, people were brought together because of their shared concern about war, persecution, betrayal and issues surrounding Hmong genocide. Supporters of General Vang Pao utilized grassroots efforts, enhanced by modern technology, to educate and inform the greater population about the importance of the General to the Hmong people. Much of the awareness surrounding his high profile arrest, was established and organized by local community groups.

For the first time in over 30 years, people from around the world, and most importantly, in the United States, learned about the historical ties of a small ethnic group known as the Hmong. Led by General Vang Pao, they had a significant involvement with the United States C.I.A. in the Vietnam War. The aftermath of their contribution and ties to the United States ultimately resulted in mass massacres of innocent Hmong people.

With no questions asked, on September 21, 2009, all charges against General Vang Pao were dropped. Contrary to the coverage and attention of his arrest and prosecution, the United States government and the media downplayed the decision. Finally, he was quietly released.