Jumy Miko learned early that family could extend beyond blood. Born in Myanmar and raised largely by relatives, her grandfather, and a caring church community, she carried those lessons through Thailand and Malaysia before arriving in Minnesota at thirteen. After initially studying accounting, she returned to school to pursue her dream of teaching. Today, as a special education teacher, she helps children feel seen and supported while creating educational resources and serving her Lisu community. Jumy’s story explores the lasting influence of her grandfather, the courage to change direction, and her commitment to extending the care that helped her grow.

For Mulania Bathin, being known and understood has taken on new meaning in Minnesota’s Karen community. After arriving in Connecticut at twelve, she navigated a new language and culture while often introducing people to a heritage they knew little about. Her grandfather’s love and legacy of leadership remained an anchor as she explored her identity and reconnected with her roots. Today, Mulania works as a court interpreter, helping Karen speakers navigate Minnesota’s justice system and encouraging others to enter the profession. Her story explores family, belonging, and her determination to make space for Karen voices and possibilities.

Reh Hte Ru grew up finding adventure in mountain trails, river swims, and games with friends in a refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border. After resettling in the United States, he discovered photography on a road trip, turning his curiosity into a way of capturing everyday beauty and human connection. Today, as a wedding photographer, he preserves milestones for couples, including many from the Knyaw community. Embracing both his Knyaw and Karenni heritage, Reh approaches each photograph with care. His story explores belonging, creativity, and the meaning of preserving joyful moments that earlier generations had fewer opportunities to record.

Growing up in a mountain town in Myanmar’s Chin State, Ram Lian Thang knew hunger and hardship, but also the strength of community. His pursuit of education led him to become a youth pastor, lecturer, and eventually a student in the United States. Since arriving in Minnesota in 2021, he has drawn on faith, friendship, and perseverance to build a new life with his wife and son. Today, he serves as a pastor at a Chin church in St. Paul. Ram’s story explores learning, service, and his hope to create opportunities for the next generation while supporting the community he still calls home.

For Hla Tin, a good life is measured in the well-being of the people she loves. A Pwo Karen woman born in Hpa-An, Myanmar, she has spent a lifetime caring for children across generations while navigating loss, displacement, and new beginnings. After arriving in the United States in her late sixties, she continued her lifelong pursuit of learning through English classes. Now living in Marshall, Minnesota, she finds joy in family, faith, and everyday connections. Her story carries memories of home and a hope that younger generations will embrace their opportunities while keeping their Pwo Karen language and heritage alive.

May Thar remembers a childhood of open fields, school friends, and family life in Myanmar’s countryside. After years of displacement, she chose to resettle in the United States in 2008, hoping her children could pursue the education and opportunities she had been denied. She worked by day and studied English at night, gaining independence one word at a time. Now living in Minnesota, she cares for her mother and helps at her sister’s grocery store. Grounded in faith and love for her family, May Thar’s story explores beginning again, finding peace, and carrying memories of home into a new generation.

As a young girl in Thailand, Lwe Paw found possibility in books—even before she could read the English words on their pages. She carried that love of learning to the United States with a goal: to use her education to serve her people. Her path led through several fields of study and work before bringing her to cultural advocacy and addiction counseling in Minnesota. Today, she encourages Karen families to approach mental health with empathy, open communication, and support across generations. Lwe Paw’s story explores the courage to pursue her own future and a lifelong belief that learning can strengthen a community.

For Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, sharing Karen culture is a way to help people feel seen and understood. Born in Kawthoolei and raised in Thailand, he arrived in the United States in 2008. An early experience of getting lost in the snow, unable to explain who he was or find his way home, shaped his commitment to making Karen stories more widely known. Today, through his involvement with the Karen Community of Minnesota, he helps celebrate traditions and connect younger generations with their heritage. Kyaw Kyaw’s story explores belonging, gratitude for his parents’ sacrifices, and the understanding that grows when people learn about one another.

Saw Lah Ku Paw paints to preserve the people, places, and stories of his Karen community. Born in Myanmar, he developed his craft with teachers in a refugee camp, discovering a lasting love for realistic portraits and landscapes. After resettling in Tennessee and later moving to Minnesota, he has balanced his commitment to art with providing for his family. Today, he shares his skills through an art club for young artists and dreams of opening a studio where they can learn and create together. Ku Paw’s story explores artistic dedication, cultural pride, and the power of paintings to connect generations.

Bi Jae remembers childhood mornings at the market and nights beside the river in Myanmar’s Mon State. His journey through Malaysia to Minnesota taught him independence early, while his family and Mon community showed him the importance of supporting one another. After joining the National Guard, he found a path into the skilled trades, building a career through persistence, curiosity, and hands-on learning. Today, he takes pride in being someone his family and neighbors can call for help. Bi Jae’s story explores forging his own path, embracing new experiences, and honoring the Mon identity his parents encouraged him to carry forward.

For Pa Pra, success means creating opportunities that others can share. A member of the Lisu community born in Myanmar’s Shan State, he built a life in Thailand before arriving in the United States in 2007. In Minnesota, restaurant work helped him support his education and opened an unexpected path to business ownership. Today, he owns Thai restaurants and helps fellow Lisu community members pursue opportunities of their own. Guided by generosity, faith, and family, Pa Pra measures achievement through the people he can support. His story explores starting over, finding purpose, and building a future rooted in shared success.

For Mu Ku Shi, art became a way to explore questions of home, identity, and possibility. Born in Thailand and raised in Mae La Oo refugee camp, he remembers a childhood of marbles, outdoor games, and community. After moving to the United States in 2010 and eventually settling in Minnesota, he found confidence through creativity, exploring painting, photography, music, and tattooing. Today, his tattoo business gives him space to develop his craft and pursue a future on his own terms. Mu Ku’s story celebrates artistic expression and his determination to show the many ways Karen people create, succeed, and shape their futures.

Faith, family, and music have guided Elizabeth Hkwan Taung, also known as Saga Hkwan Taung, across decades and continents. Born in Myanmar’s Kachin State and raised in Mandalay, she came to the United States to study theology before returning home for twenty-seven years of ministry and education. Through teaching children to sing, raising four daughters after her husband’s death, and serving her church in Minnesota today, Elizabeth finds purpose in caring for others. Her story reflects a deep trust in God and a belief at the heart of her Kachin identity: treating others like brothers and sisters.

For Ruth Seng Lon Mai, beauty work has always been a way to connect with people. A Kachin woman from the Jing Phaw community, she grew up in Yangon, where doing makeup for fellow church members helped turn a childhood interest into a career. After Myanmar’s 2021 military coup, Ruth moved to Minnesota to continue her education and build a new life. Today, she works as an independent hairstylist, sharing her culture and helping clients feel confident. Her story follows changing dreams, the support of family, and her hope to one day create cosmetology education opportunities for others from her homeland.

Novia Josiah-Isaac knows what it means to grow up keeping parts of your identity hidden—and to find a community where you can embrace them openly. Born to a Karen family seeking refuge in Thailand, she moved to Minnesota at fifteen, where she found belonging and began discovering her voice. Today, as a psychotherapist and mental health social worker fluent in four languages, Novia helps survivors of trauma and displacement feel heard and understood. Her story explores identity, motherhood, and healing, guided by a belief that honoring our experiences and seeking support can strengthen families and communities across generations.

For Timothy Isaac-Josiah, service is a way of honoring the parents who sought safety and opportunity for their family. Born in Hpa-An, Myanmar, and raised in California and Minnesota, he has navigated questions of language, identity, and belonging as a Karen American. His path led him to the United States Marine Corps, where he received a Purple Heart after being wounded in Iraq, and later to nursing, inspired by those who cared for him during recovery. Today, he supports fellow veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Timothy’s story explores faith, healing, and a commitment to helping others thrive.

Maung Lay’s earliest memories are filled with green—running barefoot through the mountains, exploring forests, and playing with other children in the refugee camp where he grew up. That connection to nature led him to work in parks and find joy in rock climbing, including at Minnesota’s Palisade Head. Grounded in his K’nyaw (Karen) heritage, Maung sees the outdoors as a place for healing, trust, and caring for the land. Through his story, he reflects on finding belonging, preserving his language, and his dream of sharing climbing and environmental stewardship with young Karen people in Kaw Thoo Lei.

Oo Meh carries memories of a hilltop bamboo home and a village that wished her family well, one handshake at a time. A Karenni/Kayah woman born in Myanmar, she resettled in the United States at nine and found belonging in Minnesota’s Karenni community. Today, she helps build that same sense of connection for others—organizing cultural celebrations, mentoring youth, coaching soccer, and connecting families with resources. As a mother and community leader, Oo Meh is committed to keeping language, traditions, and relationships alive. Her story explores how honoring her parents’ sacrifices inspires her to create opportunities for the next generation.

For Tay Reh, the dream of opening a Karenni grocery store began with the childhood excitement of browsing snacks and drinks. Raised in a refugee camp where neighbors shared meals and cared for one another, he brought that spirit of community to Minnesota in 2009. In February 2025, after six years of learning and persistence, Tay opened the first Karenni grocery store in the Twin Cities. His store offers familiar foods, connections to home, and a welcoming place to gather. Through his work, Tay celebrates Karenni culture and hopes to inspire young people to pursue their dreams while giving back to their community.

Tu Lor Eh Paw’s story begins in the mountains of KawThooLei, where family and neighbors nurtured her sense of belonging. After living in a refugee camp in Thailand, she arrived in Minnesota, where the support of fellow Karen families helped her build a new home. Today, as a Cultural Liaison and Community Specialist at the Saint Paul Public Library, she connects Karen community members with resources, learning, and one another. Inspired by her father’s sacrifices, Tu Lor champions a future shaped by more than survival—one where Karen youth preserve their stories, embrace their heritage, and recognize their own capacity to lead.