HERE Conference 2022

On September 2022, HMong American Leadership and Economic Development (HALED) hosted the first HMong | Economic Advancement| Research |Equity (HERE) Conference presented by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. The HERE Conference was the first economic conference geared specifically towards HMong Entrepreneurs throughout the United States. Its theme, “Igniting HMong and Ethnic Entrepreneurs’ Prosperity” is intended to address wealth equity for HMong and other ethnic entrepreneurs by examining what systemic barriers currently exist. It will also explore non-traditional models of wealth building. The 2022 HERE Conference brought over 250 attendees and attracted and engaged over a thousand local community members at the Mekong Night Market.

The HERE Conference consisted of a two-day conference and a one-day summit where speakers, presenters, and participants will engage in impactful workshops, roundtables, keynotes, and panels focusing on professional development and cultural competencies for entrepreneurs, community members, business professionals, and policy makers. Speakers include experienced leaders from the HMong and Ethnic community who discussed their shared experiences as ethnic business owners. Attendees of the conference were provided the opportunity to meet and network with industry experts and leaders; participate in cultural programming like the Little Mekong Night Market Networking Event; connected with mentors; and provided and received free business consultations during the conference.

To inform presentations at the conference, HALED conducted research to better understand the economic experiences and needs of aspiring and current HMong American entrepreneurs. The research, was shared during the one-day Summit and offered insight to help align and shape local and statewide programs seeking to increase support for HMong and ethnic businesses, assist financial and other business institutions in creating and providing culturally competent services, and empower HMong Americans in the U.S. to advocate for policies that address the economic needs of their community.