At the Sacramento Iu Mien Festival, friends could be seen hugging for the first time in years, wearing bright traditional clothing and enjoying home-cooked meals.
Organized by the Sacramento Iu Mien Association, the fourth annual festival, held at Hiram Johnson High School on Saturday, June 21, celebrated Mien culture and brought together community members that wound up in America after the Vietnam War. According to Pew Research Center, Greater Sacramento is home to the largest Mien population in America, after San Francisco.
While events like these help create space for community to gather, there’s still work to be done to preserve the culture in America, especially as more Mien take on more leadership positions locally — from doctors to political staffers — according to Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang, who was in attendance…