Press Release – 10/1/2019

Fresno, CA – October 1, 2019 — Celebrate Hmong aims to encompass and serve as an incubator and a springboard for underserved local Hmong artists and creators.

The Hmong are an underrepresented ethnic group from the mountainous regions of China, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. They represent nearly 5% of the population of Fresno. Their migration into the US followed the end of the Vietnam War.

Adjusting to life in a highly industrialized American society has not been easy for the Hmong. Almost 35 percent of Hmong Americans live below the poverty level. Their median household income is one of the lowest of any ethnic or national group in the United States.

Hmong Americans difficulties result from inadequate educational preparation. Having lived in a society based on agriculture and hunting, formal education has not been a part of Hmong traditions. Most adults have very few educational credentials –40% of Hmong adults aged 25 or older possessed less than a high school diploma, and only 14% have completed bachelors degrees. This is notable against the 30% completion rate of all Asian communities combined. Despite these handicaps Hmong born or raised in the United States have shown surprisingly high rates of college attendance.

Celebrate Hmong
This art and media festival is for all Hmong and supporters of Hmong across California. We are seeking creators that may not have found a platform for their art. Celebrate Hmong has created a space to share with the Hmong community and help inspire creativity.

Why are we doing this?
“As a member of the Hmong Community that grew up and entered artistic and creative industries without these resources, I know what it’s like to feel lost and discouraged in our creative aspirations,” said Celebrate Hmong founder Renee Ya. “I am passionate about sharing the war-torn history and the challenges around immigrating that the Hmong community has to share. We are growing and changing, therefore our storytelling through art has evolved.” Renee shares, “This is a one-of-its-kind event and we look forward to making it a good one. For that, we need the Hmong community to come out and represent.”

Celebrate Hmong wants to be a place where artists can gather, share their talents, and realize what they truly have to offer to the world.

Support excellent Hmong artists and young people. Mark your calendars for December 26, 2019 – January 1, 2020 and make sure to visit the Celebrate Hmong exhibit during Hmong New Year.

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For Media Inquiries:

Tiger Byte Studios
Celebrate Hmong
Renee Ya
press@tigerbytestudios.com
(415) 997-9433

ABOUT TIGER BYTE STUDIOS, LLC:
Tiger Byte Studios is a technology and media company established in 2015 with distributed teams operating throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. The company is focused on creating a bridge to connect creators with their communities and has proven it through its innovative, first-party developed live operations platform.

Founded by video game and tech industry veterans, Tiger Byte Studios is driven by its desire to use its employees’ individual expertise to engage and cultivate unique experiences for its customers.

ABOUT CELEBRATE HMONG:
Formerly known as Hmodern Hmong, established in 2015, our initial project was of curating powerful and positive messages of the Hmong American community. Now, as Celebrate Hmong, our focus has broadened to cultivating Hmong creative excellence. We operate with the following values:

• • Internalizing authenticity, integrity, and imagination to cultivate our best selves
  • Driving innovation to create a powerful impact that will continue to generate positive relationships

By creating a cultural ecosystem of discovery, mentorship, and community-sponsored funding for aspiring, emerging, and established creators, our hope is to create a platform that empowers future generations to come.