Alderperson Maiyoua Thao's (District 7) Invocation At 05/04/2022 Common Council Meeting

Council President Van Zeeland: Our invocation this evening will be given by Alderperson Thao.

Alderperson Thao: Thank you, Council President. Good evening, everyone. May marks Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and share the history and contribution of our Asian community. I would like to take this time to share with you my life story. It is so important that each one of us remember our heritage as we celebrate our heritage in many ways.

I was born in Laos. I was lucky to be born after the Vietnam War. When I was 3 years old my family escaped persecution by fleeing the country. We walk over hundreds of miles through the villages and jungles, crossing the Mekong River in a raft and inner tube to seek refuge in Thailand. The images we witnessed last summer regarding the fall of Afghanistan and the images happening now in Ukraine was exactly the image my parents endured in 1975 in Laos at the fall of Long Chieng to the communists.

I don't remember what life was like in Laos, but I do remember what life was like as a little girl growing up in the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand. Playing outside in the dirt, using stick and pebbles to create games such as like Jack and drawing on the dirt to create hopscotch template. There was no electricity. We used lard as a wax for candle unless your family was able to afford fresh lights. We used the moon and the star as the source of light to see the evening to guide us home. The sky--the stars were so bright and beautiful. The stars were so bright and beautiful and hung really low in the sky as if we could almost touch it.

I was the oldest of six children. I barely had a childhood and so many responsibility as the oldest. I helped my mother to take care of my sibling as she could work at the Hmong Paj Ntaub story cloth which she sells at the street market to tourists for some money to buy food for our family. My mother was really skillful of her tapestry and make traditional Hmong outfit which she sells at a street market. My father work with Father [John?] to help new development for newcomers around the Ban Vinai refugee camp. My family lived in the refugee camp for 8 years.

Before we came to America, we had to go through many interview process. My family moved to different camp to learn about the American culture and to make sure that everyone in their family was healthy with no illnesses before coming to America. No one knew where America was, what America is like, but I heard America would be a safe place to live.

In the fall of 1989, my family arrived in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was a big culture shock. We learned to live our new life in the new land. The first time we watch an action movie was the Terminator and it was--scared me for many months. We experience eating snow for the first time, pizza, spaghetti with meat sauce, cereal with milk, and learn how to follow other children sledding down the hill in the winter.

There was so many nights that I wonder how I survive through this life journey. This journey will be a great story to tell my children and my future grandchildren for generations to come. Thank you for listening to my life experience.

We are a strong, vibrant community. This month we can join and learn about our AAPI community by attending some community events that will be happening. Support AAPI community by supporting their small businesses, professionals, neighbors, coworkers. Let's celebrate Asian Americans Pacific Islander Heritage Month here in the city of Appleton. Thank you.