This year marks the 50th anniversary of the immigration of many Southeast Asian refugees to the United States after the Vietnam War and other political conflicts. 

Several local Southeast Asian-led organizations are hosting events to honor soldiers who fought in the wars, celebrate trailblazers and preserve their communities’ 50-year histories in Minnesota. 

Walk around a gallery of art and nature crafted by Hmong artists at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, spend a Saturday night listening to Southeast Asian comedians tell stories and jokes, and learn about Cambodian heritage through dance, music and food.  

Here’s a list of celebrations scheduled for the year, which will be updated with new events as they’re organized: 

Bring friends and family from all ages to participate in activities, watch cultural performances and learn about the history of 50 years of Hmong Americans in Minnesota. There will be food and a history exhibit. 

Complimentary food tickets are offered at registration. Food is first-come, first-serve. 

Colors of Southeast Asia Fest 

Celebrate the 50th immigration anniversary at a cultural festival in Brooklyn Park featuring performances, food, storytelling and art that honor the contributions of Southeast Asians. 

Thousands are expected to attend the event, according to the planning committee’s press release. The festival organizing committee is still accepting applications for vendors and sponsors. 

The theme of the event is “WOVEN,” and highlights the stories, traditions and relationships that interconnect Southeast Asian communities. 

Hmong LGBTQ+ and advocates timeline

Transforming Generations, a nonprofit serving Southeast Asians facing gender-based violence, is creating a timeline of Hmong leaders that will be presented at Pride Fest 2025 and Transforming Generation’s annual banquet in October. 

The timeline will feature queer and transgender Hmong leaders who promoted justice against gender-based violence, said Xay Yang, the nonprofit’s executive director. The October banquet is titled “Healing our Soul,” and is focused on honoring Hmong victims killed because of domestic violence or sexual assault.

Yang said an online form will be released at a future date so the public can submit nominees for the timeline.

Verdant Remedies: Unearthing Hmong Art and Nature

Several Hmong artists will present their artwork at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, exploring cultural practices, plants, food and identity through the lens of nature’s healing power. 

The Aug. 9 opening ceremony at the arboretum’s Hmong Botanical Garden will feature a Hmong song poetry performance. Attendees will also have the chance to harvest herbs from the garden to use in an art installation displayed for the day. 

Artist and designer Christina Vang is one of the exhibition’s lead organizers. The show serves as an “accompaniment” to the Hmong Botanical Garden, she said. 

“This being the 50th year, I approached the show like a garden of sorts. I just wanted a wide variety of artistic practice, materials and different points of view because our experiences are really vast and not monolithic,” she said. 

The exhibition will be on display in the Reedy Gallery in the Oswald Visitor Center, and will include sculptures, paintings and textiles. 

Cambodian Heritage Day 

The second-ever Cambodian Heritage Day in Minnesota is being held this year by the Cambodian American Partnership of Minnesota, a nonprofit that launched last June. The event will feature Cambodian dance performances, music and food. 

The first Cambodian Heritage day was a major success, said Chinda Gregor, executive director of Cambodian American Partnership. She expected 300 to 400 people to attend the first celebration, but estimates that around 1,000 people attended. 

“It just overflowed,” she said. 

Gregor said the turnout inspired her and others to start the nonprofit. Organizers will be more prepared to host a large audience this year, she added. 

The event will celebrate the 50th-year immigration anniversary, and will feature a history exhibit and a ceremony honoring Southeast Asian veterans. It will also showcase the cultural differences of Cambodia’s main provinces. 

If you are an organization hosting an event highlighting the 50th anniversary for Southeast Asians migrating to Minnesota and want to include it in this story, please contact Katelyn Vue at kvue@sahanjournal.com. 

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