REFUGENIUS

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APPOINTMENTS

2021 - present City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Board, appointed by Mayor Melvin Carter 

2021 State Poet Laureate Selection Committee, appointed by MN Humanities Center/Governor Tim Walz 

2021 Governor's Asian Pacific Islander Roundtable

2020 State Poet Laureate Advisory Board, appointed by MN Humanities Center/Governor Tim Walz 

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RESIDENCIES

​2021 Children’s Museum and COMPAS, National Endowment for the Arts ArtWorks 

2020

• National Playwright in Residence, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (through 2023)

• Artist on Retreat, Everwood Foundation 

 

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FELLOWSHIPS

2022 Leadership Fellowship, Bush Foundation (2021 Semifinalist, 2020 Quarterfinalist)

2021

• Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in Theater, Jerome Foundation

• Community-Engaged Practice Art Fellowship, McKnight Foundation

2019 Mirrors and Windows CYA Fellowship, Loft Literary Center 

2018 Our Space is Spoken For Public Art Fellowship, Twin Cities Media Alliance 

2017

• Aspen Ideas Festival Fellowship, Bush Foundation 

• Many Voices Fellowship, Playwrights’ Center 

• Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center 

2015 and prior

• Folk and Traditional Arts, Lao Assistance Center/Minnesota State Arts Board (2015, 2013)

• New Performance, Mu Performing Arts/Jerome Foundation (2012, 2011)

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GRANTS

2021

• Mid Career Research Grant, Forecast Public Art 

• Creative Support, Minnesota State Arts Board 

2020

• Visual Art Fund, for Dear Neighbor project, Midway Contemporary Art 

• Visual Art Fund, for FAWK Trunk Show project, Midway Contemporary Art 

• Cultural Identity Grant, Minnesota Humanities Center 

• MAP Fund (awardee 2020; Finalist 2019 and 2018)

• PEN America Emergency Fund for Writers, PEN America 

• Messages of Hope Minigrant, Forecast Public Art 

• Emergency Relief Fund for Artists, Springboard for the Arts 

2019

• Creative Capital (Finalist)

• Joyce Award (Finalist)

• Asian Pacific Endowment Fund, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (2019, 2017, 2015)

• Arts Activities Support, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council

2018

• Community Arts, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, 2014)

• Travel and Study Grant, Jerome Foundation 

• Emerging Artist Project Grant, Forecast Public Art 

• Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, Finalist 2014)

2017

• Open Meadows Foundation 

• Joan Aldous Grant, University of Minnesota 

• Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (2017, 2016)

• Cultural Community Partnership Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board 

• VERVE Grant for Spoken Word Poets, Intermedia Arts 

• Solidarity MN Grant 

• Building More Philanthropy With Purpose Grant (2017, 2016)

2016 Bush Foundation grant for Community Artists Leadership Initiative

2015

• Community Innovation, Headwaters Foundation for Justice 

• Artist Initiative, Minnesota State Arts Board 

2014 and prior

• Arts Access, Lazy Hmong Woman/Minnesota State Arts Board 

• New Media Project Grant, Independent Filmmaker Project (Finalist 2014)

• Minnesota Emerging Writer, Loft Literary Center (Honorable Mention 2011)

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AWARDS

2019 Sally Ordway Award for Initiative, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts 

2018 MN Original feature, PBS/Twin Cities Public Television

2017 Fan Favorite Guest of Honor, CONVergence 

2013 Best Production of 2013, L’Etoile Magazine (Kung Fu Zombies vs Cannibals)

2012 Lao Minnesotan Artists Certificate of Recognition, Office of Governor Dayton 

2011 Change Maker, Intermedia Arts 

2010 Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry, New York 

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PUBLIC DISCOURSE (selected)

As Keynote

• Leadership Conference, Midwest Asian American Student Union

• NEA Big Read, Illinois

• Southeast Asian Diaspora Gala

• Minnesota College Professionals Association Conference

• Greater Than 7 Summit, University of Minnesota Twin Cities

• 4th Lao American Writers Summit, Seattle

• National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum Conference, U of MN

• Power in Diversity Leadership Conference, MN State Colleges and Universities

• Women Empowering Women, Metropolitan State University

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As Panelist

• More Than A Single Story/Hennepin County Library

• Ask Me Anything, Springboard for the Arts

• McKnight Foundation/FilmNorth Media Arts Fellowship

• Asian Women Healing & Creative Collective

• Thank You No Thank You Exhibit, Laos in the House/Asian Arts Initiative Philadelphia

• Eastside Freedom Library

• Giant Steps, Minneapolis Convention Center

• Center for Refugee Poetics, Smithsonian APAC, Philadelphia

• MN Theater Alliance Conference, St. John's University

• Mn Artists, Walker Art Center

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As Speaker

• Perspectives: What We Hunger For, Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

• Lunch & Learn: Philanthropy and APIs, Minneapolis Foundation

• API Roundtable, City of Saint Paul, Mayor's Office

• Colorado College

• TruArtSpeaks Writing Group

• Minneapolis Institute of Art

• Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers

• Grantmakers for Education

• 3M Leadership Summit

• Diverse Books, UNICEF Houston

• KidLitLab!, University of Minnesota

• Art of Survival, Guthrie Theater

• NCAA Inclusion Forum, Indianapolis

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​OTHER

Guest of Honor (for life), CONvergence 2017

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COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2014-16 Ananya Dance Theatre 

2012-16 Saint Paul Almanac 

2011-16 Intermedia Arts

2011-14 Dispute Resolution Center 

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ADVISORY

2022 - present More Than A Single Story 

2021 K-12 Curriculum, Minneapolis Institute of Art

2019 - present Asian Pacific Islander American Film Collective

2020 Victoria Theater and Arts Center 

2013-16 Asian Economic Development Association’s Little Mekong Arts District 

2011-16 St. Paul Foundation’s Asian Pacific Endowment Fund 

 

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PANELIST for GRANT PROGRAMS

2022 Seeding Cultural Treasures, Propel Nonprofits

2021 Race Exhibit Mini-Grant, Science Museum of Minnesota 

2019 Forecast Public Art 

2019 Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council 

2017 Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center 

2017 Artist Neighborhood Partnership, CURA 

2017, 2016 Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

2015 Sidewalk Poetry Contest, Public Art Saint Paul 

2014 Night Market Arts Program, Little Mekong C4/Springboard for the Arts 

2013-16 Asian Pacific Endowment Grant, Saint Paul Foundation 

2012 MN Humanities Center Reading Together Project 

2011-12 Legacy Artist Fellowship, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans

2011 MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant 

2011-13 MN State Arts Board Artistic Site Visitor 

 

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PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

2021 - present Playwrights' Center 

2020 - present PEN America 

2018 - present Dramatists Guild of America

2016 Minnesota Theater Alliance

2015-17 Horror Writers Association 

2014-15 Science Fiction Poetry Association 

2014 -17 Association of Asian American Studies

2013-15 MN Young Women’s Collaborative 

2013-14 National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development 

 

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MENTORING (as mentor)

2021-22 Write Like Us, MN State Colleges

2013-15 Lao Students Association of U of MN 

2011-13 Legacy Artist Fellowship Program, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans

2009-12 Chicago Avenue Project, Pillsbury House Theatre

2010-12 Asian Pacific Youth Council, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans

2002-04 MN Spoken Word Association Youth Slam 

2003-05 Center for Hmong Arts and Talent 

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