“Collaboration, especially in these times, is so powerful,” says John Flory, Special Projects Director for the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC). For the past 13 years, LEDC has been working to support Latino entrepreneurs throughout Minnesota. Like LEDC, the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) too works to uplift Hmong entrepreneurs. In fact, it was through […]
It’s More Than a Dish: A Conversation with Chef Yia Vang
Why do we love food so much? Obviously, it is necessary to our survival, and no one enjoys feeling hunger pains. But mere sustenance alone does not warrant hours of labor in a hot kitchen, or toiling in a field on a humid day, or treating generational family recipes like sacred treasures. Surely, our fascination […]
How farm to school programs help foster community
Farm to cafeteria programs are skyrocketing. In 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) found that 42% or 42,587 schools in the United States had a program where they were buying locally grown produce. These programs, combined with farm to school activities such as farm tours, were especially effective with pre-K students. But less […]
What Does Community Wealth Mean To You?
What Does Community Wealth Mean to You? Community wealth is created by people coming together and sharing their strengths in order to advance and lift up the entire community. It is something that has happened over and over in this country in both rural and urban settings, at Black churches and inside Jewish synagogues. At the […]
“Hmong farmers constantly inspire me”: A Conversation With Mary Ellen Frame
“Hmong farmers constantly inspire me,” says Mary Ellen Frame, “their adaptability is impressive, they brought knowledge from a place where the climate, soil, pests, weeds, let alone the economy are all so different, yet they still are such skilled farmers here in Minnesota.” Mary Ellen was acquainted with HAFA when she attended Pakou’s convocation at Carleton […]
We are dedicated to advancing the prosperity of Hmong farmers through cooperative endeavors, capacity building and advocacy. HAFA was started and is led by family farmers. Organizing is in our DNA.