Honors

APPOINTMENTS

City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Board, appointed by Mayor Melvin Carter (current)

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

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

RESIDENCIES

National Playwright in Residence, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (2020-2023)
Children’s Museum / COMPAS, National Endowment for the Arts Art Works (20/21)
Artist on Retreat, Everwood Foundation (Fall 2020)

FELLOWSHIPS

Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, Jerome Foundation (2021-2022)
Community-Engaged Public Art Fellowship, McKnight Foundation/Pillsbury House + Theater (2021)
Mirrors and Windows CYA Fellowship, Loft Literary Center (2019)
Our Space is Spoken For Public Art Fellowship, Twin Cities Media Alliance (2018)
Aspen Ideas Festival Fellowship, Bush Foundation (2017)
Many Voices Fellowship, Playwrights’ Center (2017-18)
Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center (2017-18)
Folk and Traditional Arts, Lao Assistance Center/Minnesota State Arts Board (2015, 2013)
New Performance, Mu Performing Arts/Jerome Foundation (2012, 2011)

GRANTS

Mid-Career Professional Development Grant, Forecast Public Art (2021)
Creative Support, MN State Arts Board (2021)
Visual Art Fund, for Dear Neighbor project, Midway Contemporary Art (2020)
Visual Art Fund, for FAWK Trunk Show project, Midway Contemporary Art (2020)
Cultural Identity Grant, Minnesota Humanities Center (2020)
MAP Fund (2020; Finalist 2019 and 2018)
PEN America Emergency Fund for Writers, PEN America (2020)
Messages of Hope Minigrant, Forecast Public Art (2020)
Emergency Relief Fund for Artists, Springboard for the Arts (2020)
Bush Leadership Fellowship (Quarterfinalist 2020)
Creative Capital (Finalist 2019)
Asian Pacific Endowment Fund, Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation (2019, 2017, 2015)
Arts Activities Support, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2019)
Community Arts, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, 2014)
Travel and Study Grant, Jerome Foundation (2018)
Emerging Artist Grant, Forecast Public Art (2018)
Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2018, 2015, Finalist 2014)
Open Meadows Foundation (2017)
Joan Aldous Grant, University of Minnesota (2017)
Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (2017, 2016)
Cultural Community Partnership Grant, Minnesota State Arts Board (2017)
VERVE Grant for Spoken Word Poets, Intermedia Arts (2017)
Solidarity MN Grant (2017)
Building More Philanthropy With Purpose Grant (2017, 2016)
Bush Foundation (2016)
Community Innovation, Headwaters Foundation for Justice (2015)
Artist Initiative, Minnesota State Arts Board (2015)
Arts Access, Lazy Hmong Woman/Minnesota State Arts Board (2014)
New Media Project Grant, Independent Filmmaker Project (Finalist 2014)
Minnesota Emerging Writer, Loft Literary Center (Honorable Mention 2011)

AWARDS

Sally Ordway Award for Initiative, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts (2019)
MN Original feature, PBS/Twin Cities Public Television (2018)
Fan Favorite Guest of Honor, CONVergence (2017)
Best Production of 2013, L’Etoile Magazine (Kung Fu Zombies vs Cannibals)
Lao Minnesotan Artists Certificate of Recognition, Office of Governor Dayton (2012)
Change Maker, Intermedia Arts (2011)
Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry, New York (2010)

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

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

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

OTHER

Guest of Honor (for life), CONvergence 2017

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Ananya Dance Theatre (2014-2016)
Saint Paul Almanac (2012-2016)
Intermedia Arts (2011-2016)
Dispute Resolution Center (2011-2014)

ADVISORY

Victoria Theater and Arts Center (2020-present)
Asian Economic Development Association’s Little Mekong Arts District (2013-2016)
St. Paul Foundation’s Asian Pacific Endowment Fund (2011-2016)

PANELIST for GRANT PROGRAMS

Race Exhibit Mini-Grant, Science Museum of Minnesota (2021)
Forecast Public Art (2019)
Next Step Grant, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (2019)
Spoken Word Immersion Fellowship, Loft Literary Center (2017)
Artist Neighborhood Partnership, CURA (2017)
Knight Arts Challenge, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation (2017, 2016)
Sidewalk Poetry Contest, Public Art Saint Paul (2015)
Night Market Arts Program, Little Mekong C4/Springboard for the Arts (2014)
Asian Pacific Endowment Grant, Saint Paul Foundation (2013-2016)
MN Humanities Center Reading Together Project (2012)
Legacy Artist Fellowship, Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans (2012, 2011)
MN State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant (2011)
MN State Arts Board Artistic Site Visitor (2011-2013)

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

PEN America (2020-present)
Dramatists Guild of America (2018-present)
Minnesota Theater Alliance (2016)
Horror Writers Association (2015-2017)
Science Fiction Poetry Association (2014-2015)
Association of Asian American Studies (2014-2017)
MN Young Women’s Collaborative (2013-2015)
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (2013-2014)

MENTORING (as mentor)

Lao Students Association of U of MN (2013-2015)
Legacy Artist Fellowship Program (2011-2013)
Pillsbury House Theatre’s Chicago Avenue Project (2009-2012)
Asian Pacific Youth Council (2010-2012)
MN Spoken Word Association Youth Slam (2002-2004)
Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (2003-2005)