Hmong exhibit preview to stop at Merced College
A preview showing of a Valley-focused exhibit celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Hmong migration to the United States is making a stop in Merced on Saturday.
Organizers for the exhibit are calling for photos, artifacts, stories and other contributions to what’s called “Hmongstory 40, 1975-2015.” The completed exhibit is scheduled for a kickoff presentation in Fresno in December and will come to Merced in 2016.
The exhibit preview will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the Merced College Theatre, 3600 M St.
Mao Moua, who is organizing the display in this area, said previewing the exhibit is a way to drum up interest and spread the word about “Hmongstory.”
“We have so much history here,” she said. “We’re really calling on – not just the Hmong community – but the larger community as well that has worked with us so long.”
Merced College and the Merced County Office of Education are teaming with the organizers to commemorate, celebrate and highlight accomplishments by the Hmong in California.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Hmong migration from the mountains of Laos and Thailand to the United States, specifically to the Central Valley.
The larger exhibit will focus on four eras in the migration with segments titled: Life in Laos, Laos & The Secret War, Thailand Refugee Camps and California.
Though contributions to the exhibit can come from people anywhere in the state, Moua said, the organizers are focusing on the three cities with the largest Hmong populations in California – Sacramento, Fresno and Merced.
She said the exhibits could not only give people a glimpse of traditional Hmong life, but also clear up misinformation related to the secret war in Laos. Organizers are hoping to have a full-scale model of a refugee camp and tell the stories of California families, she added.
For more about the exhibit or to find out how to contribute to it, call Moua at (209) 233-7113 or go to www.hmongstory40.org.
Sun-Star staff writer Thaddeus Miller can be reached at (209) 385-2453 or tmiller@mercedsunstar.com.
This story was originally published January 22, 2015 at 4:49 PM with the headline "Hmong exhibit preview to stop at Merced College."