Shades of Yellow (SOY)

379 University Aveenue West, St. Paul, MN (2003-Present)

Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, and other ethnic populations that lived on the Indochinese Penninsula migrated to the United States following the fall of Saigon, which ended the Vietnam War in 1975. The United States government initially granted only 3,466 people asylum from communist-controlled Vietnam—in 1976, this number jumped to 11,000.

Soy Pageant, photo by Diana Vang.

Time progressed, and the initial immigrant communities California, Washington and Texas resettled in Minnesota. These people, many of whom assisted the U.S. government in Vietnam War, were in danger of losing their lives. By 1981, this community included 9,200 people. In 2000, the population amounted to an estimated 42,000. The Capital City maintains one of the largest urban Hmong populations in the United States. Social worker Phia Xiong and community member Xeng Lor established the group as the first social organization for GLBT Hmong people in recorded history.

The two began with simple social gatherings that served as a forum for community discussions—coffee hours, potlucks, and other informal meetings brought up “issues [GLBT Hmong people] face at home, school, work, and/or in the community.” As the population of Hmong people increased exponentially, so did the pressing need for a formal organization. The “conservative” traditions of the Hmong population leave little room for family acceptance of same-sex relationships. A 2006 issue of the Advocate noted that “there’s not even a word for gay in Hmong.”

In 2006, Shades of Yellow established bylaws, created a board of directors, and, in 2009, Kevin Xiong became the group’s first Executive Director. Soy New Year, the group’s main annual event, includes a drag pageant that encourages young Hmong men and women to don the traditional clothing of their culture in a completely untraditional way. In 2009, Philanthrofund granted the organization $7,500 to continue its important work in the present year.

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Part of Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN: 100 Queer Places in Minnesota History, (1860-1969), (1969-2010)