Hundreds of guests packed Tou Ger Xiong’s funeral Saturday to pay their respects to the activist, whom some described as a “hero” for spreading Hmong pride in his community.
Friends and family remembered Xiong as a brother-like figure who selflessly gave to others, someone who was the life of the party, and a man who never grew out of his “Energizer Bunny” personality. Many also pledged to preserve his legacy by continuing the social justice work he was known for.
Xiong, 50, was kidnapped and killed in Colombia last month.
Mayyer Thao, 46, grew up with Xiong, but said she really got to know Xiong once she began attending St. Paul’s Humboldt High School with him.
“He was just the coolest kid on the block, and he was so warm and welcoming to us younger Hmong kids—Hmong students coming into high school—even though I knew him growing up,” Thao said. “But to just have an older Hmong brother who cared and who also instilled Hmong pride in us, because we were Hmong refugees, and nobody told us we should be proud of who we are, where we come from, and he was the one who was like, ‘Don’t be shy, you don’t need to be shy.’ That’s my earliest real memory of Tou Ger and his impact on my life.”
Local dignitaries in attendance Saturday included Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and state Senators Foung Hawj and Susan Pha, among many other politicians and Hmong community leaders. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, a longtime friend of Xiong’s, was also in attendance. Several of them read proclamations honoring Xiong’s life.
Pha and others called Xiong a “hero” for his work inspiring pride among Hmong community members, and educating others outside of the community.
“There’s a story to be told here that all Minnesotans should aspire to—a kind gentle soul who cared deeply about those around and did it with a sense of humor,” Walz said. “And I think we can all agree we can use a little more of Tou Ger in our lives, we could use a little more of that in our daily lives.”
Walz then read a proclamation in Xiong’s memory.
“Tou Ger made a massive impact with his comedy, his rap, his motivating words, and his presence,” the proclamation said in part. “His unique way of storytelling helped thousands of people feel seen, heard, and understood. He is known for uniting individuals in the face of challenging issues and shedding light on marginalized and excluded communities.”
Xiong’s funeral will continue Sunday from 9 a.m to midnight, and will be streamed live from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. by 3 Hmong TV on GoHmongBoy.com, a family website honoring Xiong’s life.
Xiong’s service is being held at Legacy Funeral Home, 255 Eaton Street, in St. Paul. He will be buried Monday in a private ceremony.
Pangjua Xiong, Xiong’s sister, gave the eulogy Saturday, reflecting on her brother’s activism.
“How do I even put into words for the next few minutes the giant of a character that… Tou Ger was?” she said. “The deep love of humanity that Tou Ger held, the incredible push for justice that Tou Ger had, the contagious positivity that Tou Ger shared, and the tremendous generosity that Tou Ger showed? Many of us have shared experiences in at least one of these ways with Tou Ger.”
She also recalled his ability to connect with people from across all walks of life.
“Tou Ger sought out his own belonging in any group or any place that he went to,” she said. “He made it seem like it was effortless to create friendships and community. Tou Ger was the type of person who could walk into any place not knowing a single person, look around confidently and then find a spot to insert himself.
“At the end of the event, Tou Ger would have many new friends and would leave an impression on others. How did he do that so naturally? Most of us would walk into an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people and still feel unfamiliar upon leaving. Tou Ger did this by just being himself.”
Xiong’s mother, Sao Lou Vue, also spoke Saturday, thanking friends, family, and the community for their support in the wake of her son’s death. She said that while she gave birth to Xiong, he was the Hmong community’s son.
“He loved everyone,” she said. “His heart was pure.”
Carter joked that Xiong was “an absolute genius at karaoke” who would surprise audiences by singing everything from rap to country. Other times, Carter said, Xiong would surprise his friends by submitting their names to sing without telling them.
“He gave us license to do what our heart was telling us to do,” Carter said. “Every single moment I spent with Tou Ger, he’s given me license just by the virtue of the life he lived.”
Before the service began, friends and family members shared their stories about Xiong with Sahan Journal. Xiong’s nephew, Kennedy Her, 25, remembered running into his uncle at random places, including the Las Vegas airport on one occasion.
“He told me to have fun, have a good weekend,” Her said. “He just brought the life everywhere he went.”
Jue Vang, 54, grew up with Xiong at the Dunedin public housing high-rise in St. Paul, and recalled that he had “so much energy.” The two also attended high school together.
“Tou Ger, he is like so much—he has no time to rest,” Vang said. “He loved to be around people all of the time, ever since he was a kid.”
Asked to describe Xiong’s personality in one word, Vang said, “Energetic, that’s the kind of person he is. He has so much energy. He’s more like the Energizer Bunny—just never stop.”
Xiong was born in Laos in 1973, and immigrated to Minnesota as a child refugee with his family. He grew up in St. Paul, graduating from Humboldt High School as valedictorian. He then earned a political science degree at Carleton College.
Xiong was known as a storyteller through stage personas such as “Go Hmong Boy,” which appealed to his own generation, and “Uncle Funny,” a persona aimed at a younger generation. He gave presentations throughout Minnesota and the country about Hmong culture and life in the United States.
Xiong was also known for his activism, which included campaigning for former state Senator Mee Moua; advocating for a fair trial for Chai Soua Vang, who was convicted in 2005 of fatally shooting six people during a hunting trip; and seeking justice for Cha Vang, a Hmong hunter killed by a white man. Xiong also helped establish the first Hmong Minnesota Day at the Minnesota State Fair, among other accomplishments.
Bao Vang, CEO of Community School of Excellence, remembered Xiong as a “pillar of support” for the St. Paul-based Hmong charter school.
“Although you did not have any children, you raised hundreds of children,” Vang said. “Thousands of children graduated from Community School of Excellence because of you.”
Xiong was found dead in December in Medellín, Colombia, one day after he was kidnapped while out with a woman he had been in a romantic relationship with since that summer, according to his older brother, Eh Xiong.
The woman, Sharit Gisela Mejía Martínez, was one of four suspects arrested and charged by Colombian authorities earlier this month in his kidnapping and killing. Eh Xiong said his family has been informed that authorities believe there’s a fifth suspect who hasn’t been arrested yet.
Eh Xiong said his brother called him on December 11, the day Xiong was reported missing in Colombia, and asked him to wire a couple thousand dollars to him in Colombia. Xiong did not say he was in danger, Eh Xiong said, adding that his brother had made similar requests in the past so he didn’t think anything was wrong.
Eh Xiong’s wire transfer did not go through before his brother was killed, but authorities found that Mejía Martínez’s Paypal account received $3,140 that had been sent from one of Xiong’s friends. According to the Washington Post, Xiong had called that friend and told him he was being kidnapped and his life was in danger.
Colombian authorities believe Xiong was kidnapped, held ransom, tortured, stabbed multiple times, and thrown off a 60-foot cliff in a wooden area.
News of Xiong’s death spread quickly in the Twin Cities community, where people shared tributes and expressed disbelief over the circumstances around his death.
Tou Ger Xiong’s funeral service
Where: Legacy Funeral Home, 255 Eaton Street, St. Paul
When:
- Saturday, January 27, 9:00 a.m. until midnight
- Sunday, January 28, 9:00 a.m. until midnight
- Monday, January 29, burial at an unspecified time
Watch: The funeral will be streamed live from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at https://gohmongboy.com/watch-funeral.
Endowment fund: Supporters can donate to three funds established by the Xiong family. They are:
- Tou Ger Xiong Endowment Fund, which will build on Xiong’s activism and community advocacy. Tax-deductible donations can be made online at: https://gohmongboy.com/tougerxiongendowment
- Justice for Tou Ger, which supports the cost of repatriating his body, hosting community events for healing, and any work to hold the people responsible for his death accountable. Donations to the fund should be made to Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA) through Venmo to @aedamn or through Paypal at @aedamn. Donations to the fund are tax deductible.
- Funeral/memorial services. This fund supports the cost of Xiong’s funeral expenses. Donations, which are not tax deductible, can be made online at: https://gohmongboy.com/funeral-donate.
