Apr 13th, 2006
SOY named “Group to Watch”
Congratulations to Phia Xiong and SOY for landing ink in the Advocate (April 25, 2006, p.30). The article by Bao Ong was appropriately titled “Group to Watch.” SOY (Shades of Yellow) was founded by Xiong three years ago to support LGBT Hmong people. I interviewed Xiong, a 33-year-old father, on KFAI and learned about the particular challenges Hmong youth face in coming out. There is no word for “gay” or “LGBT” in the Hmong language. As I have learned from Xiong and other Hmong individuals who share their coming out experience, most elders have absolutely no concept.
Lack of awareness goes both ways. The LGBT community for the most part, does not even have Hmong outreach on its radar. Until I heard Phia Xiong speak at a Philanthrofund event, I was one of the clueless about this population. Minnesota has been primary immigration area for Hmong people since the 1970’s, so their children have been my classmates since kindergarten. All the more reason that I’m ashamed to admit I hadn’t considered inclusion of Hmong people in the LGBT community.
There is next to nothing on the web about this group, but here’s an article in Hmong Today about the GLBT New Year Celebration, a packed event that I attended.
SOY really needs a website. To the best of my knowledge, they simply have an email address: hmongglbt@earthtones.com
Please alert me if/when a website is developed.
UPDATE 10/7/2007: SOY now has a website.
Thank you SO much for this article. I have been on the WEB for hours trying to find information about SOY … I am in the process of proposing a grant that might help Hmong students in terms of culture and sexual orientation.
Again, thank you!!
Hello guys/gals,
I am the Event Coordinator for SOY. Thank you for the wonderful comments. SOY is entering into its second phase this year (meaning we are coming up with a bylaw, electing board members, recruiting, and branching out to other organizations). As for the website, we are still working on it, and as soon as it is in the works, the link will definately be distributed. We, once again, will be having the Second Annual SOY New Year in January, to which we will add a Drag Pageant. Once the flyers are made, it will be distributed as well.
J.B. please let me know how that grant is going. Let me know if you need help with that process.
Once again, thanks for the wonderful comments.
Hello,
I am the Outreach Coordinator and one of the co-founder of SOY. Thank you for your kind and wonderful comments. After four years if watching SOY grow, I’m very happy to see all the great leaders that will and is taking SOY to the next level of suporting and outreaching GLBT Hmong. For more information please visit SOY at,
http://www.shadesofyellow.com
Thanks,
Xeng
i wish there was one in california. there is a huge hmong population here and it been hard to find LGBT program just for hmong students or hmong people in particular. keep it up people.