Building a better Hmong future?

[3miao]

What do you feel we as Hmong need in terms of institutions  to build a better future.   Below are my two cents.
1. Knowledge institution to preserve our collective knowledge and teach the next generation.
2. Succession institution to insure a peaceful transfer of leadership.
3. Enconomic institution to guide our enconomic development.
4. Dispute resolution institution to meditate diferrences.

[sprite]

And how would these institutions be funded?

[Reporter]

What do you feel we as Hmong need in terms of institutions  to build a better future.   Below are my two cents.
1. Knowledge institution to preserve our collective knowledge and teach the next generation.

Hmong Archives in St. Paul, MN is already established for this purpose. Just send in your money to support it.

2. Succession institution to insure a peaceful transfer of leadership.

Aren't the various political organizations already doing this? 

3. Enconomic institution to guide our enconomic development.

Hm...I haven't seen this one out yet. So, good idea. How to get it together though?

4. Dispute resolution institution to meditate diferrences.

18 Clan Council is already doing this and it seems to be expanding its services--from family matters to things such as nonprofit organizational conflicts.

[Reporter]

And how would these institutions be funded?

Good question. I've heard and met a few Hmong who wanted to create nonprofits to help the Hmong. Their expectations have been that each Hmong donate $1.00 to the particular organization.  Then out of 350,000 Hmong, we would have $350,000.00 to start with.

But the reality is that that isn't going to work smoothly that way.  You may have someone who donates 1K or even more. But you are not going to get everyone to donate $1.00 each. Some people won't ever donate.  So, if the organization is lucky, it might get a few dollars!

But it is true that we need money to run all of the activities needed to improve Hmong lives. The elders had sacrificed too much of their volunteer times without success. That's because they also have had to support their families and they simply could not keep up with the needs we have in our community.

[Lady_Fallin]

And how would these institutions be funded?

You'd be surprised how much grants are out there.

I'm so pissed off that the grants the Hmong American Friendship Association here in Milwaukee is getting is going to waste. -_-

[3miao]

The archives need to more than just collect.  It needs to engaged the community to spread knowledge.  

The poli groups tend to focus on mainstream politics only.  Also much of it is in the Twin Cities.  We need something that will deal with Hmong issues and organize the community for a common cause.

The 18 is a start but ligitimacy is a concern of mine.  How do you ensure fair and impartial findings?  What.is the appeal.process?  I personally think the 18 is trying to do #2.  The problem is ligitimacy.  Many of the group just appear.  Who do they really represent?

As for #3, I feel we need to look to Alex Hamilton for the answer.  This one needs #2 to solved.  

[3miao]

As for funding, we need to resolve #2.  Everyone want $$, but #2 is not dealt with.  Who wants to contribute when there is no ligitimacy.  The reason a lot of these nonprofits are dying are constituency and ligitimacy. 

[Lady_Fallin]

How much did the Milwaukee organization get?

Their budget from two years ago was somewhere around 800,000 but have been cut in half this this year.

Remember that incident with the executive director who abused his wife? Well... funding dropped after that.

 

[Lady_Fallin]

As for funding, we need to resolve #2.  Everyone want $$, but #2 is not dealt with.  Who wants to contribute when there is no ligitimacy.  The reason a lot of these nonprofits are dying are constituency and ligitimacy.  

Agreed.  Make sure those nonprofits aren't lining their own wallet.

We need a service that's not afraid to do the right thing.

-_-

[sprite]

The next step is:

How to ensure funding goes toward programs that are effective and measurable.

[3miao]

Lady_Fallin's point is what I'm getting at.  35 years of waste.  All the millions of $$$$ got us nothing because there is no ligitimacy.  There was no way to ensure the grant got spent for the community benefits.  #2 needs to be resolved first.

[Reporter]

Their budget from two years ago was somewhere around 800,000 but have been cut in half this this year.

Remember that incident with the executive director who abused his wife? Well... funding dropped after that.

 

I see. Thanks.

[Lady_Fallin]

I think another important program: youth work.

Which is one of the only program here in Milwaukee that I hope grows and gets more involvement from youths...  and the only program that I believe is in good hands.  

[Lady_Fallin]

I see. Thanks.

How much do other nonprofits receive? Like the ones in MN?

it'll be interesting to see where all those money go...

[3miao]

We need to ensure the boards are elected by the community.  Next, we need to hold all the leaders to a tight leash.1 yr term revocable at anytime.  Top leadership can not be held for more than 8 yrs.  

Currently we people who are in leadership positions over 10yrs and they answer to no one.  This needs to stop.  It takes only 5 yrs  to get a something done.   In addition, it allows fresh ideas to emerge.