Enter Ly Vang, Executive Director of the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota. Incorporated in 1979, AAHWM was one the first Hmong associations formed for Hmong women by Hmong women. Despite the fact that she knew that in forming this organization she would have unique issues and challenges to deal with, she had to ask, “How do we bring about change in the advancement, development and empowerment of Hmong women in all spheres of life?” Even though Ly knew she would hear backlash from all sides—males and females and elders of the community alike, it did not deter her from the fact that it was and is mandatory for Hmong women to acquire the skills, education, and knowledge needed to be able to survive in this country.

With her experiences in Public Health and her social network, Ly was able to form a group in the basement of the Minneapolis Government Center in 1979. “In the beginning we started as a volunteer group. We taught English and math classes and we provided daycare services for Hmong women and men,” shared Ly. As the Hmong population grew, Ly knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to this course of action.

“Back in the day, most women were only able to demonstrate the leadership qualities in their homes,” said Ly. In many Asian societies, men have assumed the role as the head of the household and the decision regarding the issue of women in roles of power was never discussed as they were considered second or lower class. “Hmong women to this day are still seen as individuals who don’t have their own mind from their husbands, in-laws, or the Hmong community,” added Ly.

Growing up as a young Hmong girl in Laos, Ly had the opportunity to see her father as a leader in decision making with other males from her village. She remembers, though, witnessing Hmong women suffering, oppressed, and voiceless. This was not the type of world she wanted to live or partake in. Once in America, Ly did not want to fall into the traditional roles given to Hmong women.

“Women are generally made with compassion and kindheartedness, naturally caring and concerning for others. These are positive signs which imply that women can be leaders, if given the opportunity to lead. Some women have shown great leadership skills and do have leadership qualities in various ways, but were unable to utilize them continuing to live in the traditional way,” said Ly.

Being the executive director has given Ly the opportunity to serve her people, help families be successful, build relationships among husbands, wives, and extended families, and most of all, empower Hmong women. “We can and have facilitated family misunderstandings,” shared Ly.

But obstacles continue to hinder women’s abilities to achieve sustainable livelihoods. Currently AAHWM is revitalizing their role to meet the needs of the newer and more current issues of the community affecting Hmong women. They plan to participate and increase Hmong women’s level of engagement and leadership in the community and foster an environment of education that instills a commitment to life-long practices for the future. “I believe that AAHWM has truly given Hmong women a voice in achieving greater independence in their roles as Hmong women. They have now gone on to higher educational, being income producers, and successful professionals,” said Ly, “we hope you will join in continuing to support AAHWM as we continue to empower Hmong women throughout the generations.”