Hmong Institute Open House

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Mai Zong Vue

Hmong Language and Cultural Enrichment Program participants.

An initiative of the Madison-based Hmong Institute, the Hmong Language and Cultural Enrichment Program was named a 2021 Human and Civil Rights Awards winner by the NEA in June. Learn more about the impact of the program, serving Madison Hmong students ages 6-13, during this open house event. The program was honored with the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award; it is named for the first NASA astronaut of Asian or Pacific Islander heritage, who lost his life in the 1986 Challenger explosion.

media release: On June 29, 2021, the National Education Association (NEA) named the Hmong Institute the winner of the Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Award at the 2021 NEA Human and Civil Rights Awards. The award recognizes significant impact in education and the achievement of equal opportunity for Asians and Pacific Islanders. 

“We are so honored to have received the Onizuka Memorial Award,” says Peng Her, CEO of the Hmong Institute. “The award recognizes the Hmong Language and Culture’s belief that if a student know who they are, where they are from, and speaks their native language they will increase their self-esteem, self-confidence and self-pride to do better in school and in life.”

Founded in 2013, the program grew out of efforts by a group of Hmong parents who were concerned by Madison School District data that showed their children were falling behind academically. They determined that giving kids a sense of belonging and cultural identity would increase their confidence academically. On average, 60 Hmong children ages 6-13 attend the Hmong Language and Cultural Enrichment Program (HLCEP), receiving education in reading, writing and speaking in their native language. Meanwhile, their parents learn how to advocate for their child’s needs and support their development. 

The award is named for Ellison S. Onizuka, a Japanese American aerospace engineer and the first Asian/Pacific Islander chosen by NASA for the astronaut program. He served as mission specialist on the space shuttle Challenger, and was killed when it exploded in 1986. The NEA awards remind members about NEA’s multicultural roots and to reinforce the NEA’s crusade for human and civil rights.  

“In memory of the trailblazing space traveler for whom this award is named, the Hmong Learning and Cultural Enrichment Program is teaching on a daily basis that embracing one’s culture can help children soar,” noted the NEA in presenting the award. 

The awards ceremony was conducted virtually. A short video about the award and the program can be viewed at https://youtu.be/irIl7csc1tM 

The Hmong Institute is hosting an open house to demonstrate the power of the HLCEP program to potential participants and the community at large. It will take place Wednesday, July 21, from 10 am to 12 pm at the Life Center, 4402 Femrite Drive in Madison. 

About the Hmong Institute: The mission of the Hmong Institute is to empower community through educating, preserving, and promoting the Hmong heritage. In addition to the HLCEP, they operate programs in health, community building, economic development, food security, and professional development. Wisconsin has the third largest Hmong population of any state.