Fresno State, in collaboration with community partners, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Southeast Asian journey to the United States after the end of the Vietnam War with a series of events this week.
An opening reception to catch an early glimpse of the Southeast Asian 50 Years Legacy Exhibition will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, at the Fresno State Library Ellipse Gallery and balcony. The exhibit honors the cultural history of the Hmong and Lao communities since 1975 with historical artifacts, cultural exhibits, personal narratives and oral histories. Among the displays will be a replica T-28 aircraft flown by Hmong fighter pilots during the war.
The full exhibit, presented by Hmongstory Legacy in collaboration with Fresno State and the Laotian American Community of Fresno, opens Monday, May 26 and runs through Tuesday, Sept. 30.
“The Southeast Asian 1975 Legacy Exhibition is a powerful tribute to the resilience, courage and contributions of Southeast Asian communities. To host this exhibit at Fresno State, a campus deeply rooted in the heart of one of the largest Hmong and Lao communities in the nation, is both meaningful and historic,” said Dr. Shimel Her Saychou, director of the Southeast Asian Student Success Center at Fresno State. “It honors the journey of the past 50 years and inspires us to continue uplifting these stories for the next 50 years and beyond. Fresno State is the perfect host for this legacy exhibit, where history, community and the promise of future generations come together.”
The Symposium on Hmong Americans: Origin and Current Topics from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, May 2, at the Ellipse Gallery will explore the origins of the Hmong in China, where they lived for over 4,000 years before migrating to Laos. The symposium will address contemporary social topics and language preservation through a panel discussion and poster presentations from students, alumni, faculty and staff.
Keynote speakers include Zhang Xiao, retired professor of ethnology at Guizhou University; Dr. Liang Yao, associate professor at Shinzen Technology University; and Dr. Dia Cha, retired professor of anthropology and ethnic studies at St. Cloud State University. Together, they will present a retrospective on the Hmong people during this event presented by the Hmong Bilingual Authorization Program, the Asian American Studies Program and the Southeast Asian Student Success Center at Fresno State.
“Whether you’re a student starting to explore your identity, a researcher looking for new perspectives or a community member wanting to feel more connected, my hope is that [the symposium] encourages you to take ownership of our story, to dig deeper and to be part of the ongoing journey of understanding who we are as Hmong people — across time, place and generations,” said Dr. Song Lee, associate dean of the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State.
Fresno State and The Fresno Center, a local community nonprofit, will present a two-day celebration of Hmong American Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, at the Resnick Student Union on campus and in the adjacent parking lot (P31) and outdoor spaces.
The festivities on May 3, presented by The Fresno Center, will honor Special Guerrilla Unit Veterans and Lao Veterans of America Institute and Hmong leaders while raising awareness of the Hmong migration to the United States.
Fresno State will present Sunday’s events with a focus on the future featuring special guests, public workshops and performances by K-12 students from local school districts. Hmong artwork and writing projects will be on display for public viewing.
This year’s high school and college graduates will receive a 50-year commemorative medallion during a ceremony at 12:30 p.m. on the outdoor stage in Lot P31.
“We commemorate a significant milestone in the journey of the Hmong people in the United States, specifically the Central Valley,” said Phong Yang, interim vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Fresno State. “This celebration honors the sacrifices of those who came before us, recognizes the many contributions made to our community in the first 50 years and looks forward with hope and pride to the bright future of the next generations of Hmong youth.”
(Andrew Esguerra contributed to this story.)
