Onward into 2026.
As 2025 comes to a close, I’m reflecting on a year full of storytelling, community work, and meaningful collaboration, alongside an expanding role in project management, creative direction, and cultural consulting.
This year, the other media group (omg) supported and led several meaningful projects across journalism, film, history, and civic engagement. I served as project manager for ThreeSixty Journalism’s Multimedia Storytelling Institute, working with 18 youth as they completed their video news stories alongside professional journalists. I also recorded and edited the first (soon-to-be-released) nonfiction Hmong audiobook, The Hungry Season, a project that connected deeply to my own family’s stories and history.
It was a special experience spending a week this summer with ThreeSixty
Journalism’s aspiring storytellers.
Bee Vang-Moua and I spent many hours recording the book The Hungry Season at community partner POWER 104.7’s studio.
The Qhia Dab Neeg Film Festival returned in full force in 2025, celebrating 50 years of Hmong filmmaking in Minnesota. As project manager, I helped produce six events highlighting youth-made films, music videos, Hmong television, and more.
I also had the opportunity to conceptualize an exhibit with the Ramsey County Historical Society focused on the impact and preservation of Hmong history in Ramsey County—an exciting project that looks both backward and forward, even as we await future funding.
Additionally, omg partnered with the Dendros Group to coordinate and moderate a critical conversation with Hmong disability advocates, ensuring their voices were accurately reflected in Minnesota’s Olmstead Plan.
I worked closely with community translators and talent to produce videos on recycling and composting organics for multi-unit homes in Hennepin County, in partnership with Waste Wise. One of the things I love most about projects like this is how much I learn from the process and the people involved.
These are just a few of the projects we produced this year.
I had the privilege of moderating the Qhia Dab Neeg TV trail blazers conversation, sharing my own experiences along with Sen. Foung Hawj, Zoua Vang, Mitch Lee, and Yau Muas.
Looking ahead, I’m shifting my focus toward managing culturally specific media projects, community conversations, and collaborative programming—work that strengthens and uplifts BIPOC artists and organizers. While I continue to do hands-on video production, my work is expanding to include project management, creative direction, and cultural consulting—overseeing media, programs, and culturally specific initiatives from concept through completion.
As funding priorities continue to shift and the arts face increasing challenges, omg remains committed to supporting artists, immigrants, refugees, and our local creative community.
On a personal note, as we move into 2026, I am committed to supporting immigrant and refugee communities who are increasingly targeted. Immigration is central to this country’s history, and many people seek refuge in the U.S. because of long-term foreign policy consequences. In the face of efforts to divide us across politics, race, class, gender, and sexuality, we must stand together and push back against harm.
In solidarity.
