the Hmongspeak project

My name is Barbara Stachowski and I am a social justice advocate, consultant and Hmong Community Relations Specialist in Detroit, Michigan.

The Hmong were loyal allies to the United States during the Vietnam Era and, for their allegiance, were promised a better life by the US.

I have created "the Hmongspeak project" to document Hmong history, preserve and celebrate Hmong culture, and strengthen and develop Hmong community. My life's work is to bring the proud and tenacious story of the Hmong to mainstream America.

With your support, I will attend the Southeast Asian Summer Studies Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin at Madison to study the Hmong language. It is critical that the Hmong be able to share their histories and challenges with me in their mother language. It is crucial for me to effectively read, write, speak and understand Hmong as "the Hmongspeak project" has developed international partnerships.

I have been invited to travel to Thailand this year to be part of an environmental assessment of farmland contaminated with deadly DDT and threatening the health and lives of Hmong children and families.

Your support is critical to my plans to attend SEASSI. The Hmong have committed to fundraise for some of my expenses during the summer as I will be taking a leave from my regular consulting practice to strengthen my Hmong language skills. YOUR support will allow me to add Hmong language skills to my skills as an Environmental Specialist and Social Justice Consultant.

WITH YOUR SUPPORT, YOU WILL BE PART OF KEEPING AMERICA'S PROMISE TO THE HMONG FOR A BETTER LIFE BASED ON THEIR TENACIOUS ALLEGIENCE TO THE UNITED STATES.