HAP Statement – Trump Presidency

November 14, 2016
CONTACT: Dr. Mai Moua, Ph.D.
Chief Operating Officer
(651) 495-1565 | maim@hmong.org

RESILIENCY AND HOPE IN TIMES OF CHALLENGES
Saint Paul, MN – Hmong American Partnership (HAP) and our collective allies are grieving from the impact of this campaign. We denounce the hate speech and violence that has been directed to immigrants and refugees, the LGBTQ community, Muslims, women and communities of color and Native American communities. We know that there are steep challenges ahead and we need to work in solidarity to protect the most vulnerable.

HAP was founded as a promise between two cultures, Hmong and American, to lift up the lives of and empower New Americans to have an equal and equitable footing in American culture. We carry this promise every day when we serve our clients, who embody the richness and diversity of the cultures they come from.

“HAP does not tolerate discrimination in any form, and we denounce the hate rhetoric that has been directed at our staff, our clients, our allies, our partners, and our communities,” remarked Bao Vang, HAP’s President & CEO. “We must fight harder now, and we will walk in solidarity with those who seek social justice and equity for the betterment of our communities.”

The next years will be critical to HAP’s work as we need to strengthen our programs and systems to effectively advocate for our communities. We remain steadfast in our strategic goals to create jobs and address health disparities, to strengthen the lives of families and their children, and to pursue opportunities that enable us to be innovative and impactful.

Although there are obstacles ahead, we remain hopeful and resilient. We celebrate the re-election of Senator Foung Hawj in District 67, the elections of Fue Lee as the new State Representative for District 59A in North Minneapolis, Susan Pha as the new City Council Woman in the City of Brooklyn Park, and Ilhan Omar, the first Somali American legislator, who will represent District 60B.

Together, let’s keep fighting and let’s keep building our partnerships to stand for love and not hate.

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HAP is a community development organization whose mission is: to empower the community to embrace the strengths of our cultures while achieving our potential. HAP provides critical services and support to more than 15,000 community members annually. For more information about HAP and its programs, please visit http://www.Hmong.org.