Hmong Service Center previews 50th‑anniversary Labor Day festival; asks DEI committee to attend

Ming Yang, board president of the Hmong Service Center, told the Oshkosh City Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee on July 28 that the nonprofit’s Labor Day festival will mark the 50th anniversary of Hmong resettlement in the United States and that the organization is inviting DEI committee members to attend.

The presentation outlined how the volunteer-run Hmong Service Center operates, its community work and plans for a multi-day festival the center described as a national event that draws Hmong communities from across the country.

Yang said the Hmong Service Center is self-funded and run by volunteers. She told the committee the group owns a building at 726 North Main Street and meets people there by appointment. "We do have a building at 726 North Main Street. We close most of the time. We meet people by appointments," Yang said. She said the center focuses on project-based work, funds scholarships for Hmong students and sometimes makes donations to other organizations.

The presentation focused mostly on the Hmong National Labor Day Festival, which Yang said will be a national gathering this season marking Hmong resettlement since 1975. The program aims to honor Hmong veterans who fought alongside U.S. forces in Laos during the Vietnam era; Yang said some former soldiers — described in the meeting as members of a "special guerrilla unit" — will be invited to speak and be honored. Committee members were invited to receive VIP wristbands and attend.

Yang described several festival highlights: traditional dance performances in multiple categories, an expanded "bridal" performance program for women and girls, volleyball and other sports tournaments, and a traditional Hmong game called topspin. She said organizers expect large participation: dance and sports teams from states including California, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas, and what she described as roughly 60 to 70 volleyball teams. Yang said the event will include more than 20 food vendors, a dozen or so bubble‑tea vendors, eight fresh produce vendors and, overall, more than 120 vendors; she described hours of activity in the 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. range on event days.

On services, Yang said the center primarily connects community members to other agencies and resources — for example, helping people find pastors, providing translation and outreach about cemetery practices, and assisting with information about naturalization and other services. She said the center accepts donations and raises money through events rather than relying on paid staff or grants.

Committee members used the meeting’s round‑table segment to share other community items: recognition of National Black Business Month, a clothing drive hosted by Celerity Staffing in partnership with Discover Oshkosh to supply interview clothing, and an upcoming participation with the Winnebago Area Literacy Council. Several members suggested the DEI committee discuss ways to better reach populations that may not be represented in existing surveys or that lack internet access.

No citizen statements or public comments were registered for the meeting. The committee approved the minutes from its June 23 meeting by roll call vote during the meeting, and adjourned by voice vote.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: Approve minutes from the June 23 meeting. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Roll call recorded votes: Grama — yes; Knack — yes; Miller — yes; Rupes — yes. Outcome: approved.

- Motion: Adjourn meeting. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Outcome: approved by voice vote.

The committee did not take any further formal action related to the Hmong Service Center presentation. Yang left committee members with contact information and printed flyers for the festival and encouraged committee attendance and outreach to the wider community.