Name: Preserving Our Stories: A Practical Guide to Family Archiving - Exhibition
Start: 2025-05-01T17:30:00-05:00
End: 2025-05-01T19:30:00-05:00
Location: XIA Gallery & Cafe

Preserving Our Stories: A Practical Guide to Family Archiving - Exhibition

XIA Books & Cafe

This exhibit is a deeply personal exploration of family, memory, and cultural preservation—rooted in my journey as a 1.5 generation Hmong

XIA Gallery & Cafe

This exhibit is a deeply personal exploration of family, memory, and cultural preservation—rooted in my journey as a 1.5 generation Hmong American and inspired by the life of my father, Nhia Sue. Like many, I only began to explore my family’s history after his passing. Through everyday objects, photographs, and stories, I came to understand how family archives serve as vessels of identity and legacy. Preserving Our Stories: A Practical Guide to Family Archiving was developed as part of my capstone project for the Master of Professional Studies in Arts and Cultural Leadership at the University of Minnesota. The work emerged from a fellowship with the Ramsey County Historical Society, in partnership with the Center for Hmong Studies. I had the honor of learning from leaders in the field, including Mollie Spillman (Ramsey County Historical Society), Olivia Thanadabout and Nicole Grabow (Midwest Art Conservation Center), Rebecca Newberry (Science Museum of Minnesota), and Lee Pao Xiong (Center for Hmong Studies). This exhibit and the accompanying guide offer practical tools and encouragement for preserving family histories—especially within the Hmong community—so that cultural heritage can continue to live, grow, and be passed onto future generations. This fellowship was made possible in part by the people of Minnesota through a grant funded by an appropriation to the Minnesota Historical Society from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. MEET THE ARTIST:KaoLee Vang is a Hmong American artist living between Minnesota and Colorado. With a background in graphic design, her practice has evolved to center community engagement, cultural preservation, and storytelling. Her artistic vision is inspired by the balance between the natural and the modern, often combining simplicity and boldness to reflect both tradition and change. ​She is currently pursuing a Master of Professional Studies in Arts and Cultural Leadership at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, with a focus on leadership, community engagement, cultural programming, and storytelling. Graduating in May 2025, her work explores practical approaches to cultural preservation, particularly through the lens of immigrant narratives and community-based histories. ​Through visual art and socially engaged projects, KaoLee is driven by a deep commitment to equity, belonging, and the power of story to create meaningful change.

Our {communityGuidelinesLink} describe the sort of content we prohibit on Eventbrite. If you suspect an event may be in violation, you can report it to us so we can investigate.

To report other categories of prohibited or illegal content, submit {link}

Preserving Our Stories: A Practical Guide to Family Archiving - Exhibition

More events from XIA Books & Cafe

Discover more events from XIA Books & Cafe, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Saint Paul and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.

Preserving Our Stories: A Practical Guide to Family Archiving - Exhibition

More events from XIA Books & Cafe

Discover more events from XIA Books & Cafe, from Arts to other experiences you might love.

You might also like...

Browse more events with different dates, prices, and formats to find your next great experience.

Still looking for the right event?

Explore all events in Saint Paul and filter by date, category, and more to find the perfect fit.