A forum on the experience and concerns of the Hmong community in the U.S. and Southeast Asia was presented from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, 2007, in Room 2260 of the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Three prominent authorities on the Hmong people were invited speakers. They are:

Jane Hamilton-Merritt, author of the highly acclaimed book Tragic MountainsThe Hmong, the Americans, and the Secret War for Laos, 1942-1992, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her tireless efforts on behalf of the Hmong people. Hamilton-Merritt has documented the Hmong story in books, magazines, and newspaper articles for 25 years.

Sophia Vuelo, an Assistant City Attorney in Rochester, Minnesota. She was born in Laos and grew up in Eau Claire. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Hamline University Law School.

Chia Youyee Vang, Assistant Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who earned a Ph.D. in American Studies at the University of Minnesota in 2006, and teaches about modern Hmong, Southeast Asian history, and the impact of refugee resettlement.

Submitted by on March 10, 2007

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