On May 11th 2009, I attended the rally for justice for the family of Fong Lee. Fong Lee was a 19 year old Hmong man shot and killed by Minneapolis police on July 22, 2006 after officers alleged that he threatened them with a gun. Members of the Hmong community, joined by activists and organizers from other communities, stood in solidarity in front the Federal Building in St. Paul, demanding justice for Lee's family and an end to racial profiling and police brutality here in Minnesota. The community members are asking for an independent federal investigation into Lee's death, as well as an appointment of a Hmong community liaison officer to the Minneapolis Police Department, the protection of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Complaint Department and the revocation of Officer Jason Andersens' Medal of Valor (given in recognition of the killing).
As a recent transplant to Minneapolis, I was deeply unsettled when I learned about the Fong Lee case at a recent Campus Camp Training for Hmong youth. I left the Bay Area in the midst of outcry surrounding the very public killing of Oscar Grant III by Bart Police on New Year's Day and this case seems all too familiar. These types of unjustified deaths take place far too often with young men of color most frequently being targeted. So here at the Hmong Camp, where the participants were mostly teenage boys and young men, the story of Fong Lee held much significance- not only as a cautionary tale but as a moving force towards activism.
The account of Fong Lee's death was presented through spoken-word during a session on Arts and Social Change at the Hmong Youth camp on May 2nd. The focus of the overall camp was to encourage Hmong youth to become more politically active and involved while providing the participants with real skills to make change within their community. The training focused on subjects of power, leadership, arts for social change, grassroots organizing and lobbying. Trainer Tou Saiko Lee, a Hmong activist and local hiphop artist, kicked off his session by reading the spoken-word piece he wrote about the unjust killing. The poem captivated the room and resonated strongly with the audience.
For many of the students, art -- be it dance, hip hop, spoken word -- are familiar forms of expression that they partake in on a regular business. But from Tou they saw the bridging of art and activism, how to use art to move people to act consciously. In arts and social change, students started to understand the power of having a voice and speaking up for themselves and their community. As we moved into the leadership development and grassroots lobbying sessions, a transformation occurred among the participants as they began to see themselves as vehicles for social and political change. The participants recognized themselves as potential leaders in their community and identified issues that affect Hmong people, and in particular Hmong youth. The lobbying exercise allowed the participants to argue the importance of language preservation within their community, while incorporating real skills to use when talking to Government officials. By the end of the camp, the participants left feeling inspired and empowered to become more aware and involved in the community, local, national and global struggles.
As I looked at the faces of the many young men holding signs objecting police brutality, I realized that this type of training needs to be available for more people within the community so that young Hmong folks have the confidence to stand for justice. The Hmong Camp provided tangible skills that are relevant to the lives of all young people looking to strengthen their voice.
Today, a jury exonerated the officer that fatally shot Fong Lee, finding that he did not use excessive force.
COMMENTS
POST NEW COMMENT