Fresno City Councilman Blong Xiong is heading back to Laos as an invited guest by the U.S. Embassy. Blong Xiong left the country with his parents when he was just five-years-old. He's been there as a tourist before but this will be much different. Fresno's first Hmong City Councilman returning to his roots to reach out to the country he left for a better life.
Xiong said, It's definitely been a long journey and to go back in this capacity will be interesting.
Councilman Xiong has been invited by the U.S. Embassy to speak as part of a lecture series. He's worked toward this for three years. There is a tough screening process and he had to get approval from the Laotian government to talk about American politics.
Xiong said, You always have to be cognizant of where you are it is still a Communist country and you have to be aware of that.
Xiong fled the country with his parents after the fall of Laos to the communists back in the 1970s. Many Hmongs fought with the U.S. against the communists. Xiong's family went to a refugee camp in Thailand before making their way to the United States and Fresno.
Xiong made history in Fresno as the first Hmong city council member and he says this trip is as much about education as it is about building bridges with the old country.
Xiong said, I think is a positive step to build relationship between Lao and Hmong community here and Lao and Hmong community there and the motherland as many consider Lao to be.
Even though he was invited to speak at the lecture series, it still took a while to get approval for his visa. He sent a letter to the Laotian government outlining exactly what he will talk about in order to get approval to enter the country.
The U.S. embassy will pay for the trip because it is their event, so the Fresno taxpayers will not foot the bill. Blong Xiong will spend about two weeks in Laos for the lecture series.
