Young Hmong Professionals Giving Back

Network launches glossy magazine, mentor program to help Hmong youth find guidance, tackle problems

July 2003 - At every conference, to every festival or New Year celebration, to every meeting held by Hmong, the message was always clear…Hmong should be helping Hmong. Hmong helping Hmong is the model for FutureHmong Association (FHA), a privately funded organization made up of a group of young Hmong professionals from a variety of backgrounds from communities throughout Wisconsin. Most members came to the U.S. at a young age and grew up here. Therefore, they have experienced most of what Hmong children are going through today and have the understanding to truly help Hmong children and parents work together to make a difference. "It’s time we stop talking about helping one another and start doing it. This is why FutureHmong Association was formed," said Blong Yang, spokesperson for FHA.

FHA will be working side-by-side with many Hmong and non-Hmong organizations throughout Wisconsin to help address the needs of Hmong people, not currently being tackled by other organizations. A couple of these needs include, but are not limited to, direct mentorship of Hmong youth and businesses; developing a Hmong professional network throughout Wisconsin; professional training for Hmong businesses and others. "My motivation in joining the FutureHmong Association is two-fold. I believe that we live in a dynamic world and it is up to each one of us to do the work that needs to be done, to foster strength and character in our community. Ultimately, I hope the FutureHmong Association will be a vehicle for assisting the Hmong community, in particular Hmong professionals, to actively participate and successfully negotiate a path for positive changes," said Yer Vang, an attorney from Madison.

FHA’s first major task is to create a personal mentorship program aimed at helping Hmong children currently in middle school, high school and college. So often many Hmong kids give up on their goals and dreams because they lack the personal and professional support they desperately need. "I would like to help the Hmong community especially those who are less fortunate. I grew up without a father and a lot of the needed guidance as well. I know how it was like and I would like to provide some guidance to other Hmong kids, especially if they want to go into the medicine field," said Dr. Cha Lee, a family doctor from Milwaukee.

Most Hmong families can offer some financial support along with supportive words but very few go beyond this point. This is where FHA can help. Hmong kids who have tremendous potential to do something great things with their lives will now have the opportunity to earn additional scholarship money for college; participate in professional job shadowing programs and internships; develop personal mentoring relationships with Hmong and/or non-Hmong professionals, who want nothing more than to see kids succeed. "I have always believed that in this life we should help others if we can. One of the greatest things that our generation, the ones born in Laos/Thailand but raised in America, can and must do is to lay down the foundation for future Hmong generations. This opportunity that is before us will never come again. Whether we do great things, or simply act as good role models, it is our responsibility and burden to help mold the future for our people," said Tou Ger Lee, IT Director from Waukesha.

During the months of July and August this year FHA members will be working with schools, universities and Hmong offices/families to locate a handful of Hmong youths to start the mentorship program. These kids then will be trained to mentor younger kids and on and on creating a network of kids who will have the resources to help each other to become a success story in their personal and professional lives.

If anyone is interested in more information about the FHA mentorship program, or if you know of a Hmong child you feel has tremendous potential, but lacks this kind of support, please contact Blong Yang at Future Hmong Association.   There are mentors from all over Wisconsin in many different fields eagerly willing and waiting to help.

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