SSMT Site Visit to Thailand with Tub XaivKos Lis and MaivDawb Lauj March 2015

Here are the latest update for Street Stops to Mountain Tops March 2015:
(This is just the start of many blogs I will be having about this trip.)

Tub XaivKos Lis and MaivDawb Lauj is the Hmong language spelling for Tou SaiKo Lee and Mayder Lor. (I'll explain why I spelled it this way later.)

We were the two people that went on this site visit trip and we hope to incorporate more artists that include Lue Thao Bboy Finisher, Longka Lor Bboy M-pact, Sengvilay KidJungle Aphay and more artists for the future project.

Other supporters have been Mouakong Vang, Hlee Lee, John Lo, and Say Yang with many other amazing people along the way.

The loose translation of Street Stops to Mountain Tops into Hmong is- Txoj Kev rau Saum Roob

The Site Visit

Our purpose for the site visit is

-To create strong connections with orphanages, Hmong Thai students, organizations, artists and influential people.

-To have discussions about the Street Stops to Mountain Tops project and get feedback from Hmong people in Thailand.

-To immerse ourselves into the way of life, struggles and gain a better understanding of Hmong people living in villages and orphanages of Thailand.

-To build partnerships with orphanages, Hmong Thai students, organizations, artists and influential people to collaboratively work on this project and make it a success.

Highlights that I will be blogging about for the Site Visit Trip:

• Our original plan was to have a site visit in December 2014 but it didn't work out.
• The Invitation by Bo Thao of AAPIP (Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy) and Red Green River to visit Thailand to network for our project and participate in The Hmong Women's Gathering in Paklang Hmong Village of Nan Province.
• There were two fundraisers called Midwest Connection to support this site visit trip to Thailand, one in Milwaukee, WI and one in St. Paul, MN.
• Preparation for our site visit trip to Thailand and all those that supported us.
• Our performance based Breakin' Hip Hop dance and Spoken Word / Hip Hop workshops with children in a Child Care Center of a Hmong Village up on a Mountain of Nan Province,  Paklang Hmong Village also of Nan Province, and two orphanages by Chiang Mai.
• The people, culture, society and situation of Hmong in Thailand.
• Our observations moving forward for Street Stops to Mountain Tops.
• Thank you to all those that are involved and supported this project.

We finally have a logo created by friend and co-worker Mark Olivares:

CONTACT INFO

For more information contact:

Tou SaiKo Lee -  tousaikolee@gmail.com

MouaKong Vang - vuemouakong@gmail.com

"Street Stops to Mountain Tops" (Project Description)

Street Stops to Mountain Tops is a dynamic and meaningful project, which provides youth leadership development, creative opportunities, and exposure to the positive influence of Hip-Hop elements of Breakdancing and Music to under-serving Hmong youth and children living in villages throughout the world. The month long project will be in Thailand that will bring Hmong American Hip-Hop Artists from the United States to various Hmong villages in Thailand to establish an impactful movement of unity, expression and cultural connection.

Mission

To nurture a motivational environment for Hmong youth in villages to creatively express themselves through Hip-Hop artforms; to educate and empower Hmong youth to excel in their full capabilities, build self-confidence and make positive decisions in their daily lives

Goals

- Advance Hmong-American Breakdancers as leaders beyond their communities through sharing their skills, gifted abilities, and values of dedication, training and work ethic in rural underserving communities; they will be able to cultivate and share their wealth of knowledge from their experience in Hmong villages back in the United States.

Promote SSMT as an extracurricular activity for Hmong youth in Thailand in the rural communities and emphasis on the importance of creative self-expression

-    Provide leadership and creative opportunities for youth development.

-    Encourage self-confidence in Hmong youth in Thailand through learning new skills and positive reinforcement from mentors and peers

-    Raise awareness on the lack of resources, social issues, and educational disparities facing Hmong youth in Thailand in rural communities

- Establish prospective leaders in Thailand to continue the sustainability of movement and continue to support after the project.

-    Establish and sustain relations between rural Hmong youth in Thailand and local Thai Breakdancing community