Hmong in the Past, Present and Future Conference
July 11, 2009

WIPPS co-sponsored a statewide conference, held at the UW- Marathon County campus in Wausau, on domestic violence and healthy family relations in the Hmong American community. Other co-sponsors included the Women's Community of Wausau, the Women's Studies Program of the UW Colleges, the Wausau Area Hmong Mutual Association, and the Village of Weston.

The conference concept emerged from a group of young Hmong women who wanted to call attention to domestic violence in the Hmong community and the ineffectiveness of traditional clan-based approaches to addressing this growing concern.

Attendees included members of the statewide 18 Clan Council, along with numerous local leaders in the Hmong community, and numbered over 300. Keynote speaker was General Vang Pao, the controversial leader of the Laotian-Hmong population worldwide.

The women who organized the conference selected General Pao, knowing his position would encourage state and local clan leaders to attend and respect conference outcomes. The General spoke out against domestic violence and "international marriage" (the practice of taking multiple wives). He also advocated allowing Hmong young women more educational opportunities.

As a result of the conference, the Wisconsin 18 Clan Council created a special task force charged with revamping clan procedures for addressing domestic violence throughout Wisconsin communities.

The driving force behind the conference was Southeast Asian coordinator for The Women's Community in Wausau, Mao Khang, who recently won a national award for her efforts and was part of a special audience of everyday heroes selected from their communities to attend Oprah Winfrey's "Ultimate Favorite Things" show.


Two years later, the Hmong 18 Clan Council adopted a set of protocols generated by the task force. The revamped protocols still make use of the Hmong clan structure, but introduce mediation into the process as well as frequent access points to the state legal system. On July 9, 2011, over 60 Hmong clan leaders were trained in mediation skills. WIPPS contributed by putting together the protocol documents. That evening, in an historic occasion, over 400 Hmong residents from around Wisconsin attended a special celebratory event in Wausau to recognize the endorsement of the protocols. WIPPS was one of the few sponsoring organizations of the event and received an award from the Hmong 18 Clan Council for its work.