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Bill would open legacy grants to ethnic multilingual community media; Beimong TV and other outlets highlighted
Summary
A bill advanced by Representative Vang would allow legacy grants to support ethnic and multilingual community media; Beimong (Be Hmong) TV described its two‑decade history of Hmong-language coverage and large social-media reach. House File 2278 was laid over for possible inclusion; the transcript did not specify an appropriation amount.
Representative Liebling Vang presented a proposal to direct legacy arts and cultural heritage funding toward ethnic and multilingual community media, telling the committee the support would target public, educational and governmental programming that provides language access.
Yang Yee Lor, host and producer for Beimong (Be Hmong) TV, described more than two decades of coverage for the Hmong and Southeast Asian community and provided audience figures: she said Beimong reaches roughly 190,000 followers, generates about 198,500 monthly views and more than 2,000,000 annual views, with monthly viewing hours exceeding 19,500. “When ethnic media is supported, communities are empowered,” Lor told the committee, arguing that elders and limited‑English speakers depend on ethnic outlets for information about policy, health care and civic opportunities.
Committee members supported the concept and clarified administration: Representative Mahoney Huxley asked whether other ethnic outlets could apply; the chair said grants would be administered through the Minnesota Humanities Center or a designated grant board and would be open to eligible community organizations. Representative Cha emphasized Beimong TV’s international reach and urged attention to journalistic training and transparency if public funds are awarded.
Representative Vang moved the bill and the committee laid House File 2278 over for possible inclusion. The transcript did not record a specific appropriation amount in testimony.
