Post edit: I didn't like the Drawstring Jogger. I felt like they used the leftovers from those affordable, under $8 sweats from Wal-Mart and added a different 3 inch fabric on the side. I was hoping for close to Nike material sweat pants. I went and returned exchanged them.

***WARNING: This might be a complicated if you do not follow directions :D because it's a glitch

Photo Credits to Stay Strong Dylan Yang

After Chai Vang (St. Paul, MN), Fong Lee (St. Paul, MN), Sao Lue Vang (Pepin, WI), and other unknown Hmong fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, you had to accept each time that it was truly their fault and the court decisions were colorblind, even though you knew deep in your heart it wasn't. If Chai Vang wasn't Hmong, maybe the land owners would've kindly said he trespassed and both would've shared their hunting experiences. If Fong Lee wasn't Hmong, maybe the police would've pulled him over and got to know his freshman year in college. If Sao Lue Vang wasn't Hmong, Kevin Elberg would've gave him directions back to his car. If Dylan wasn't Hmong, he would've gotten a verdict proportioned to those who did what he did out of self defense. I don't know how else to understand why these individuals were tortured and overreacted in response for simple mistakes they made. I have never heard a Caucasian man point a gun to another Caucasian hunter for being in their area or trespassing. I have never heard a police chasing Caucasian boys on their bikes on the road. I have never heard people using excessive force on another person that's at their residence.

He survived a physical attack only to live through an attack from the court.

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From Stay Strong Dylan Yang

A year ago, I wrote two responses to Dylan Yang's case here and here, and I still stand the same today when his trial took place. I knew it was unfair all along. What ticks me off about the article reported by the Wausau Daily Herald was that they added a year to Dylan's age, making him 16, and didn't add it to Powell's. If you're adding a year to Dylan's age to your headline, you should add another to Isaiah. Don't write a 16 vs 13 story. It's a 13 year old, who was transported by a legal adult over age 18, who also provided a BB gun, to a 15 year old's residence. Why would you say "one group" when you can specify that the 13 year old made the effort and had intentions to go to one's house? To Marathon County Assistant District Attorney Lesli Pluster, I'd like to see your own family handle their "haters" with a bb gun at their own residence to know what it feels like to be unprepared for an attack. There's very little time for anyone to identify if a gun is real or not. What about the owner of the bb gun? What happened to gun control? What about the bb gun owner's punishment?

I read a few comments from the newspaper site, and I'm glad some non-Hmong commenters actually asked why he was trial as an adult, and that it was reasonable for his panic response.

Dylan is a victim of the injustice system in the US. A victim of the silenced Hmong.

A few comments throughout Facebook asked where were the Hmong leaders, where was the 18 clans, where were the Hmong Associations/Centers out there? I think I'm more concerned of where the educated Hmong professionals were, maybe someone like me (if I fit that term).

After Chai Vang, Koua Fong Lee, Fong Lee, Sao Lue Vang, and other unknown Hmong fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, where are our Hmong lawyers? You think a non-Hmong person is going to stick up for us? ! There are so many cases that barely justifies anything close to the conditions of Dylan's.

All these hunting cases, the Hmong hunter was wrong for going to property that wasn't theirs, and that was what Isaiah did to Dylan. Sao Lue Vang was injured for going to private property, which I don't believe so to this day, and Kevin Elberg only served "10 days in jail and two years probation. He must also serve 72 hours of community service in the Hmong community." Koua Fong Lee was chased and shot by police because he wasn't suppose to be where he was. Chai Vang "trespassed." And they were found at partial or full fault. But not Isaiah. He was not wrong for going to someone else's residence, along with aiming a bb gun at them. That's just totally normal in all neighborhoods and Dylan's family didn't get the memo.

Recently, a man in Milwauke, WI killed a Hmong couple and Puerto Rican father. He argued mental illness and is only at a $150,000 bail, while Dylan's was set at 1 million. That guy killed 3 people, and he's fricken 38! Dylan was only 15 and killed 1. How does that math work? You can read about two other cases in my previous posts.

This case should show educators the importance to have Hmong dialogues. 

No teacher or university out there is ready to talk about the discrimination and injustice Hmong people are facing upon their arrival in the US. This case should show educators the importance to have Hmong dialogues. And since that won't be happening any time soon, we must seek that knowledge ourselves, which was I took a group of high school girls to the International Conference on Hmong Studies, St. Paul, MN when I worked at a high school in 2014. It happens every two years, and this weekend was their 6th conference.

This case is a cry for unity or fear, since he/we can't pay our way out of the law. Our educated professionals need to get on this, or we continue to fear for being Hmong. This is where education comes in. Education is the only card you can play to change the system. Get a damn degree, so you have a higher card to play in the system. It'll be a long time until someone will reopen these cases and prove their innocence.

Politics matter. Imagine if we had a Hmong person. They'd probably write or take a stand. For now, you can at least worry about who the next president is.

I've had my job for over six months now, and I guess I never really imagined myself there/here, with my "title" and responsibilities.

It may be hard to believe, but I struggled with my self-esteem growing up. It took me a while (exactly 18 years; no, I'm not 18) to believe in myself and what I could do/be. I've accomplished some pretty amazing things, but when you're Asian, female, and a refugee, how does one dream?

When you grow up with basically ZERO influential Hmong leaders (unless you want to go in the army like GVP), it's almost impossible to dream because you don't look, speak, and act the part [of a Caucasian]. I honestly didn't really dream...I just knew to avoid pregnancy and marriage.

I've always seen Caucasian females for my position. I never thought I'd be the center/main headquarter for so many employees to communicate with. Anyway, so after six+ months, I think I'm pretty good at this. In fact, it was kind of over rated when I applied for the position. This position showed me that most of the time, it had nothing to do with skills I actually have (which I don't want to brag, but is pretty above average) and almost what the hiring team "feels." I have truly proven that I have the skills in what I do. I've always been able to communicate with non-Hmong people; I just see everyone as my teammates and we have one goal: get shit done (and make money in the process).

I'm telling you guys, this whole "interview" thing is just a game of feelings. 

If I wasn't given this opportunity, my self-esteem wouldn't have upgraded (and validate my worth). Before this, I was just the "assistant" who ran the show and the bigger person got the credits. I've always had these skills, but just never had the opportunity to be in charge. The Caucasian appeared to be a bit better because they had a better conversation at the interview and the main audience. Psh. I'm telling you guys, this whole "interview" thing is just a game of feelings. Do they "feel" like you get along with them? Do they feel like you're "White" enough? Do they "feel" like you'll be accepted there as an employee? For lack of opportunities, I will give half the lack of my success for that reason. But hey, this is only a call for YOU to CREATE your own OPPORTUNITIES, like channel your loves and hates on blogs like me :D.

Today, I'm telling you that you are good enough and there are simply doors not ready for you to enter and people not ready for your perspective. Do not give up. Do not think any lower of yourself. Do not try to be someone you're not. Be you. Tell your story. Claim your accent, if you have one. You are an amazing person. You work hard. You are equal to all the opportunities out there. You will have to work a little harder, but you already knew that. You will get there. Do not quit. And if you continue to get reject, smell the grass for all of us who are too busy working. :D

Just a shout out to the men who don't understand what respect is

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You're in for a short and sweet Hmong History 101!

I came across a clip of Gia Vang, a breaking boundary Hmong female news anchor, on my facebook newsfeed this morning. First, I would like to congratulate her like many others did. I thought it was amazing that another Hmong female broke boundaries for females like me. In addition to that, other people commented that other Hmong females that already reached such heights.

I clicked on the play button to get to know her story...

Everything was good and she sounds like a cool person.

However, one thing I didn't stand with her was her word choice to describe her family's journey here. She said they (her Hmong parents/family) "immigrated" here. (A little fun fact about me, word choices matter; I can be a word Nazi sometimes).

For 16+ years of my life, I used that word to describe mine, my parents', and the Hmong's history. All because my teacher told me I was one. Life made sense until I ran into the word, refugee. I got confuse all over again of what my identity was. It was the middle of my college years that I decided who I was/am and how to tell the story of mine and my people's history. Clearly, my teacher didn't tell me the right one, and I don't blame her; the Hmong history is still in the making.

No dude. It was not like that at all. The decision to seek refuge outside of Thailand, where they initially escaped to from Laos, was the biggest decision of their life. The Hmong were forced out of Laos for their involvement and commitment with the US to fight and prevent communism. As a result, the country they had settled in saw them as traitors. Their only option was to flee and maybe have a chance at life or get killed in Laos. The fortunate ones made it to Thailand, where they lived in crowded refugee camps in Thailand, with limited food source, and most importantly, education. Once the camps were crowded, people were sent back to Laos. However, reports and rumors at that time said it was a dead land for the Hmong; you die on the way or you die once you get back in. Finally, this lead the United Nations and Thailand to request other nations to open their borders to the Hmong. The top three are US, France, and Australia.

Next time someone ask you "Why did the Hmong immigrate?" You must correct them that the right question to ask is, "Why are the Hmong refugees [in whatever country]?" By describing the Hmong's relocation experience as an immigration movement/decision, people will misunderstand that they came to where they are by choice. That is not true. My mother often stressed to me that she would rather be working her garden in Thailand or Laos and know she's in control to provide for her family than work at a job that would fire her any day. Of course, only due to a "business decision that's best for the business."

I'm not a historian, but I don't want anyone to tell my parents' history that it was an easy choice to make. They were happy. They were free. Then their lives were destroyed. People need to know that.