Kindred Journey 7 - Hmong BBoys

I saw this documentary called "Among B-Boys" by Christopher Woon and R.J. Lozada this week which is an amazing piece of documentation that is necessary watching for students of Hip Hop and Asian American studies. I have heard of the Hmong people but there were many things that I didn't know such as their people coming from a region that encompassed more than one country(Laos, Thailand, China, and Vietnam). I also didn't know that there was such a huge concentration of Hmong immigrants and refugee families in places like Minneapolis, Fresno, Merced, and Oklahoma. Some of the crews like Velocity, Soul Rivals, Airsteps, and Underground Flow were in the film. And this brought me back to high school because I remember a hole gang of B-Boys at my school who were South East Asian. I think hip hop culture touches so many and speaks to a lot of people no matter where they are from. I also think that for the young men and women in the film, to grow up here in the states or in any country that is different than your parents birthplace is a balancing act. The challenge for artist and storytellers is to make the stories that often seem invisible or weird to the mainstream more readily available; and told in a way that is well executed. Shout out to the Hmong Bboys!

Source: Among B-Boys

Kindred Journey 6 - Diane Yang

I heard about Diane Yang from the Zagat series by Jessica Sanchez on Foodways. Diane was born and raised in the states, but her parents are Hmong from Laos/Cambodia. She is the executive pastry chef at a restaurant in Minneapolis (home to a big Hmong population) called "Spoon and Stable" where she makes beautiful, yet simple creations influenced by modern and classic techniques. Diane began school at Le Cordon Bleu in 2000 and began working for some incredible restaurants and chefs not long after. I was intrigued by the amazing look of her pastries because I love them, but also by her cultural pride and achievements.

Sources: Foodways/Zagat, Spoon and Stable