Nyob zoo (Hello)! My name is Cha Yang. In the Hmong language it is Txawj Tsav Yaj. I am proud and humble to take the helm of YWMA MN, Inc. I have been involved with nonprofits for decades, committing my time largely to the development and improvement of the Hmong community. My vision is to address the immediacy of the new and ever changing social, politic, and economic challenges that are being faced by members of the Hmong community. I hope to find actionable solutions to combat these challenges so that everyone, not just the Hmong, can live a full life.

Hello, my name is Moua Yang (Hmong npe laus Txiaj Moua Yang). I was born in Laos and a refugee in Thailand. My parents and the family immigrated to Minnesota, USA in 1994

I am a proud husband, been married for 27 years and a proud father to my beautiful eleven children, four boys and seven girls; ages range from 23 years old to 6 years.

I am a people person and I have lots of compliments of my humblest. I have devoted my time to the Hmong Community since my late 20s and I still today, I am still involved within the Hmong Community through Minnesota and Wisconsin, because I believe that collaborative mindset will make everyone fosters the culture.

My position as a Vice President in Yang Wang Meng Association of Minnesota, Inc., I will engage with the President and Board Members to collaborate my ethical leadership and integrity. I will devote my essential leadership to lead the team to develop long-term strategies, improving efficiency, and building relationships to collaborate with Yang sub-clans and other Hmong clans throughout Minnesota, and to also promote relationships with all ethnic groups.

“The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live.” Mortimer Adler

My name is Amy Vang. I have worked in customer service for over 15 + years. I am currently working as a Service Delivery Associate for a PBM servicing clients. I am certified as a pharmacy technician and enjoy my job. The most rewarding part of my job is knowing there is someone on the other side that is in need of help and finding a way to assist them, whether it’s the person themselves or the client at hand. 

I am overjoyed to be part of this organization. I am endeavored to share my years of experience in the customer service industry and to give back to those who need it, or find ways to help my community and others. 

Hello, my name is Dao Yang. I'm am a father to five sons. I've been in the warehouse industry for 14 years and have been currently a shipping supervisor for four years. I am skilled in organizing warehouse spaces and ensuring timely and efficient workflow. Also, to maintain accurate records of incoming and outcomes shipments. During my free time, I love hanging out with family and friends. One of the reasons why I am part of YWMA MN is to learn new skills and take on new challenges.

Levi Sou Yang(Tswv Huaj Yaj) was an immigrant from Thailand and moved to the United States in 2004. Levi and his wife(Nalee Thao) and their five children enjoy outdoor activities such as fishing, camping, and boating. He graduated from Hamline University with a Bachelor of Business Administration focus in Finance. Currently, Levi Yang’s line of professional works is a Lead Cyber Security Engineer. He has been working in the technology domain for the last 10 plus years and has experienced different areas in the Cyber space.

As one of the Public Relations Directors of Yang Wang Meng Association of MN, Inc. organization, he is looking to gain experience in public speech and bridging the generation gap involvement in the Hmong community for the younger people as the older generation slowly disappeared. In doing so he hopes to strengthen the community and family relationship between the Yang clans and other clans in Minnesota.

Hello, my name is Say Thong Yang. My wife, Shoua Her, and I have been married for 18 years. We have four wonderful children. We enjoy spending time together as a family doing outdoor activities such as fishing, camping, and exploring what nature has to offer.

I chose to be a part of YWMA-MN because as a parent to a teenager with special needs, I see there are many families who find it difficult to request and locate support to help their child thrive. There are also many misconceptions and a lack of acceptance of mental health in the Hmong Community. I hope to help educate families on both of these subjects along with bringing truth and awareness.

I am a certified professional Hmong interpreter specialized in the areas of: dental, farming, healthcare, legal, mental health, immigration, and civil court interpreter. I am one of the Hmong language experts in Minnesota where I also taught “Hmong Pawhauh” and Hmong Romanized Alphabet known as “Latin (las tees).” After earning my bachelor degree in “political science” from St. Mary’s University, Minnesota in 2003, I entered the healthcare profession to provide exceptional services to his Hmong community. Lastly, during my own time I am also a down to earth family man where I enjoy time with my wife and children. I love playing guitar and singing.

I am a child refugee from Laos. I did not start formal education until third grade while already at the age of ten years old. I flunked my first year in third grade. This set me back two years and I did not graduate from high school until I was 20 years old. My parents were illiterate and weren’t able to help me throughout my schooling; however, they always made sure that I did my homework. Through sheer discipline and determination I was able to graduate cum laude from Gustavus Adolphus College and with honors from Capella University. I hold a doctorate in psychology, with specialization in research and instructing.

I believe in the importance of education; however, I understand that higher education is not for everyone, nor does everyone want to pursue higher education. I seek to nurture individual skills and passion beside just education. I strongly believe that knowledge should be shared and passed down; that is why I joined YWMA MN. I am also the president of the nonprofit Yaj Neej Tshiab.

My name is Nhia Blia Yang, and I currently serve as the Program and Event Director at the Yang Wang Meng Association of Minnesota (YWMA-MN). Becoming a part of YWMA-MN offers an amazing chance for me to give back to my community, while also learning, developing, and making a meaningful impact. I’m excited to work alongside passionate and dedicated individuals, and I’m fully committed to supporting YWMA-MN's mission in any way I can.

 I have been a proud resident of St. Paul for many years. Outside of my professional work, I enjoy traveling, camping, engaging in outdoor activities, and embracing spontaneous adventures. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from the University of Minnesota, and I am currently serving my second term as a Naiban for the Yang Family Unity. I am passionate about meeting new people and making a positive impact within the Hmong community. I have been happily married to my wife for 27 years, and together we have seven wonderful adult children. In addition to my community service, I find great joy in spending time with my family and supporting my children’s educational journeys.

Ong Yang is the Human Resources Manager for Metro Care Human Services overseeing all the core departmental areas. She obtained her bachelors in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources and a minor in Human Development. Ong has been working in the HR field for over 10 years. She’s looking to gain insight to non profit management and building network within her community. 

My name is Kong Meng Yang, and I serve as the Athletics and Fitness Director with Yang Wang Meng Minnesota. I graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2013 where I pursued a major in Family Social Science alongside a minor in Social Justice. Following my graduation, I began my professional journey with a nonprofit organization known as Community Action of Ramsey and Washington County. During my tenure at CAPRW, I assumed various roles, with my most recent position being the SNAP Outreach Coordinator.

Growing up, I love being active. I enjoy hiking to see beautiful sights, playing football, basketball, and bodybuilding. From an early age, I have exhibited a competitive spirit and a desire to succeed. While I take pride in my victories, I acknowledge that I can be overly expressive in my triumphs. Conversely, I find defeat challenging and admit that I can be a difficult competitor in such circumstances. Nevertheless, I uphold the principles of good sportsmanship and recognize the importance of respect in all competitions. I value the elements of intensity, cohesion, discipline, motivation, interconnection, and teamwork that sports and competitive endeavors foster in individuals. Sports, in all their forms, are continually evolving, and I aspire to harness their inherent positive qualities for the benefit of all individuals with whom I engage.

Bruce is the 4th son of Zam Ntaj Yang and Ying Ly. His Father is the younger brother of Colonel Churchill Yang, a military commander under the great General Vang Pao during the secret war in Laos.   

His parents took him and all his brothers and sister, and left Laos at the end of the war back in 1975.  Like so many of our Hmong families, they spent 4 years at refugee camps in Thailand before coming to the U.S. on 10/16/1979. 

From the age of 10 to 18, Bruce spent his childhood growing up in Sheboygan, WI. After high school, he attended the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and received his Bachelor’s degree in Physics and Math in 1992, and then went on to earn his Master’s Degree in Physics from Mankato State University in 1995.  After graduating from Mankato, he worked as an engineer for Honeywell from 1995 to 1999, and then he switched to the IT profession from 2000 to the present.

His involvement with Hmong community organizations started back in his high school days, during his college days, and then after his college days. For the past 20+ years, his volunteer work in Hmong community includes serving as ‘Nais Npab’ role for his Yaj Rhawv Cag family, serving on the Board of Directs of Hmong Chamber of Commerce, and then the council of Hmong Nationalities Organization.  So, serving the Hmong community is in his blood. 

Currently, he is the Yang Council/Presentative on the Hmong 18 council board of directors.  This position also requires that he is a part of the board of directors of Yang Wang Meng Association of Minnesota (YWMMN), a 501c3 organization in MN that advocates for and serves the Hmong community in promoting better life, better education and the pursuit of the American dream for the Hmong people in MN. 

His reasons for participating, serving and involving in Hmong 501C3 organizations such as YWMMN is because of his passion and care to see the Hmong people in MN become successful in economic independent, achieve more in higher education graduation, and keeping the rich culture and language of the Hmong for the young and future generations.

I am a Hmong American woman. I was born and grew up in Minnesota and have lived here almost my entire life. As a child, my parents settled our family in two other states before coming back to Minnesota in 1996.

I graduated from Saint Paul high school, MN and continued schooling after I started my family. I graduated with my Certification in Medical Office Support, Diploma in Medical Administrative Support and AAS in Medical Office Assistant in Coding in 2013.

I am a creative person. Crafts allow me creative expression, help relieve stress, and give me self-esteem by creating something tangible with my own hands. My favorite toys are Cricut designs; DTF designing t-shirts; Sublimation designs cups, tumblers, mugs, shot glasses, t-shirts; and candle makings.

I am honored to hold the position of Women Leadership Development in Yang Wang Meng Association of Minnesota, Inc. My mission is to promote and empower women to become leaders across Asian communities, specifically for young girls and women. This will cultivate and maximize inclusivity and equity in leadership roles and positions, regardless of gender status.

Hello, my name is Neng Zoua Yang, and I serve as Yang Wang Meng Association of MN’s Cultural Director. In my role, I work to preserve and share the richness of Hmong traditions and customs with our community. I assist with organizing and coordinating cultural events, ceremonies, and gatherings, ensuring that our heritage continues to thrive across generations.

Beyond my official role, I support families in the community during both joyful events, like weddings, and difficult times, such as funerals. I value building strong connections and offering support during these meaningful moments.

A fun fact about me is that I love being outdoors. Hunting and fishing are two of my favorite hobbies, and they remind me of the skills and traditions our ancestors have passed down.