Join us for a night of stand-up and storytelling featuring the Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK). Curated by May Lee-Yang, the event features local Hmong women artists Houa Moua, Kazua Melissa Vang, Tsuab Yang, and May Lee-Yang using comedy to converse with the exhibition Pao Houa Her: Paj qaum ntuj / Flowers of the Sky and the artist’s powerful photographs documenting the Hmong diaspora in the United States.
Please note that a photographer will be present to document the program. If you prefer not to be photographed, please let a staff member know when you check in at the desk upon arrival.
The Green Roof Poetry series returns on three Thursday evenings between June and August, bringing together some of the Twin Cities’ most dynamic writers for literary evenings at the Walker.
About the Participants
Houa Moua describes herself as an old maiden who lives alone but isn’t fond of cats. She is an educational assistant and an advocate for disability justice in her community. As a Hmong woman with a disability, navigating multiple layers of marginalized spaces, she has developed what she describes as an outgoing, slightly bitter spirit that desires to put an end to ableism, racism, and the patriarchy.
May Lee-Yang (she/her) is a playwright, poet, prose writer, performance artist, and educator. She is a cofounder of Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK), a group that uses comedy to combat the dehumanization and invisibility of Asian women. Her theater-based works have been presented at Theater Mu, the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT), Illusion Theater, Intermedia Arts, Out North Theater, the National Asian American Theater Festival, the Minnesota Fringe Festival, and others. A former Bush Leadership Fellow and fellow at the Playwright Center, she is a recipient of the Ordway Sally Award for Arts Access and holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of Minnesota.
Kazua Melissa Vang (she/her) is a Hmong American multidisciplinary artist, filmmaker, photographer, and cultural producer. She cofounded the Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) Minnesota Film Collective to create, promote, and empower underrepresented MN filmmakers. Vang has performed in the Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) Supershow (2019) and the FAWK Trunk Show (2020). She has been awarded multiple grants and fellowships from organizations such as Forecast Public Art, the Jerome Foundation, and the Saint Paul Foundation. Her current projects include Preserves, which focuses on the grief and loss of her father and her role as a caregiver; and Hmoob Dubbers, a feature documentary film and portrait series in development.
Tsuab Yang is a queer Hmong American filmmaker and comedian based in the Twin Cities. Born in California, the artist spent the majority of her childhood growing up in Minnesota. From a young age, she’s had a passion for movies, especially early 1990s Hong Kong action films. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor’s degree in cinema and media studies in 2015.
Event Information
Please check back closer to the date for program details and current COVID-19 guidelines.
Admission is free on Thursday nights, 5–9 pm. Gallery admission tickets must be reserved separately; quantities are limited. Mask-wearing is encouraged indoors for visitors ages 2 and older.
This event may be documented with photography. By attending, you consent to having your image documented.
Accessibility
Green Roof Poetry on Thursday, August 4, will have ASL interpretation.
For more information about accessibility or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
For more information about accessibility at the Walker, visit our Access page.
Attendance Requirements
Masks are strongly encouraged inside the museum for all visitors ages 2 and older regardless of vaccination status. On Free First Saturdays and Sensory Friendly Sundays, we require visitors ages 2 and older to wear face masks inside the building to support the safety and comfort of families and attendees.
If you have questions or require additional assistance, please email orders@walkerart.org or call 612-375-7600.
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