Hundreds of community members turned out to the Fresno Hmong Coalition forum at the Fresno County Fairgrounds on August 10, 2013 to hear speakers address civic engagement issues including the Affordable Care Act, voter registration and immigration reform. The community also enjoyed food and a raffle provided by SEIU 521 and the Hmong coalition.
Fresno City Council President Blong Xiong was there and addressed the crowd. He talked about civic engagement and how to get involved. Every point tied back to the theme of the event “Our voice is our power.”
The event kicked off a larger campaign that will build civic participation in the Hmong Community. “It’s great to see us get involved with a community that has been overlooked in the past,” said Lucy Perez, a Eligibility Worker III with the Department of Social Services. “So many of the people at our office have ties to this community but there are very few resources out there. The language barriers are very hard to overcome.”
