About

As  a refugee from Laos, I came to the United States at the age of 10 with my family to resettle in Mobile, Alabama.  Within several months, my father moved our family to join relatives who were living in Lansing, Michigan, where I attended elementary and middle school.  Our next move coincided with my high school years, as my father in looking for work, moved our family to Troy, North Carolina in June 1988.

I did my Master in Library and Information Studies (MLIS) at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro – School of Education – Department of Library and Information Studies.  I was also an ACE Scholar in the MLIS program.

On the 22nd of January 2015, I moved to Sacramento, California where I started working at my current position at the Yolo County Public Library in West Sacramento, CA as Programming and Outreach Librarian.

My journey is from loss to opportunity, and with each move I have achieved a new milestone.  My Hmong culture has taught me about “family” and as a result my adult life has been spent helping and working with immigrant and refugee families.  As a community organizer, I have applied my management skills to lead community organizations  and founded student organizations to address community needs.  As a strong believer in “teaching to fish,” I have implemented programs to connect diverse students and parents to higher education, and taught Hmong language and culture to preserve and disseminate traditional culture.

When I am not working, I like to explore the mountains, which remind me of my ancestral home.  Here I am at the Blue Ridge Parkway: