While Minneapolis Saint Paul is home to many Asian communities, it is particularly known for its Hmong population. In the mid-1970s, Hmong people began moving here from Laos. Today, of the 180,000 Hmong in the U.S., most are concentrated in Minnesota, Wisconsin and California. According to the 2000 Census, more than 42,000 Hmong live in Minnesota (some counts report up to 80,000). Today, Minneapolis Saint Paul has the largest number of Hmong persons of any metro area in the nation.

In 2002, Mee Moua became the first Hmong senator in the state of Minnesota. She is serving her third term, chairs the Judiciary Committee and holds the highest office of any Hmong American politician. Mee lives on Saint Paul’s east side with her family.

The area’s Hmong community is concentrated in Saint Paul (particularly in the Frogtown area along University Avenue) and North Minneapolis. This influx of Southeast Asian immigrants has brought with it an especially strong Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese and Cambodian dining scene, with restaurants such as Cheng Heng, Mail Village and Que Nha, that is highly praised by local and national culinary experts.

This is just the beginning. We are continuing to develop this section with interesting content and relevant information. We welcome your input and insight about what information is necessary and what should be communicated to the outside world about our cultural community. Please use the comment field below to submit your thoughts and ideas.

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