Karen Organization of Minnesota

Info Session: Interpreter Training Program
2022-05-03 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Online on Zoom
Join one of our online info sessions to learn about our free Interpreter Training Program! Happening on Tuesday, April 5th, 19th, and May 3rd from 6-7PM.

Join the online Zoom Meeting here.

Come learn about the program schedule, requirements, and how to register. Bring any questions you may have! Feel free to share with others who may also like to attend.

Program Structure:
Level I: Complete a 1-credit course at Century College and a language proficiency exam
Level II: Earn the 40-hour Community Interpreter Certificate
Level III: Complete 9 credits at Century College

Contact Lisa Gibson at 651-243-1235 (call/text) or lgibson@mnkaren.org

COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
2022-05-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Hosanna Karen Baptist Church, 1818 E Gervais CT, Maplewood, MN, 55109, United States
Do you or your family members need a COVID-19 vaccine or booster? We are organizing a COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic with the Minnesota Department of Health for everyone age 5 and older.
Come whether you are unvaccinated and need to start your 2 dose series, or completed your 2 dose series more than 5 months ago and are 12 or older. All children age 5 and older can also receive their vaccine. If you’ve already received your 1st booster dose, you may be eligible for an additional booster.

Dates:
First dose: 10AM – 12PM, Saturday, April 23
Second dose: 10AM – 12PM, Saturday, May 14
Location:
Hosanna Karen Baptist Church
1818 E Gervais CT, Maplewood, MN 55109

Karen interpretation will be available.
Call Julyna Loo at 651-202-3128 to sign-up!

*Pfizer vaccines are available for all ages 5+
*Pfizer boosters available for age 12+
*Children age 5-17 must be with a parent/guardian

Art in the Hollow
2022-06-04 10:00 - 17:00 | Swede Hollow Park, 665 Greenbrier St, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
Our Karen Weaving Circle will be at the Art in the Hollow festival on Saturday, June 4th from 10am – 5pm.
Stop by our table to view our weavers beautiful hand-made pieces, including Karen shirts, bags, scarves, and table placements, available for purchase. Hope to see you there!

72nd Commemoration of Karen Martyrs’ Day
2022-08-06 08:00 - 20:00, 2022-08-07 08:00 - 20:00 | HealthEast Sports Center Red Fields, 4200 Pioneer Dr, Woodbury, MN, 55129, United States
We invite you to join us and the community the first weekend in August to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of Karen Martyrs’ Day.
Location
HealthEast Sports Center Red Fields
(near East Ridge High School)
4200 Pioneer Dr
Woodbury, MN 55129
Daily parking fee is $10
Schedule
Dates: Saturday, August 6th & Sunday, August 7th, 2022
Time: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
The main ceremony will be held on Saturday, August 6th from 8:00 am to 9:00 am.
For the remainder of the event, attendees can visit KCM food vendors, participate in games, and observe sport tournaments. Tournaments include men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s volleyball, and men’s cane ball.
For more information please contact: Ku Hser 651-332-9992; Jesse 651-987-3203; Thara Nay Htoo 651-529-5066; Thara Eh Tah Ku: 651-460-0668

Sports Tournament Information
Men’s Soccer: Thara Million 651-442-3351; Gay Moo Hser 651-500-9584; Saw Lah Set 651-500-3876
Women’s Soccer: Tu Lor 651-200-9847
Men’s and Women’s Volleyball: Thara Poe Thay Doh 651-210-4571; Thara KD Soe 651-239-8886
Caneball: Yaza 651-428-6328
Sport Registration due date – 07/25/2022.
For all other questions about the sports tournament please contact Thara Million 651-442-3351 or Thara Poe Thay Doh 65–210-4571.
Note: All sports team players must be in main ceremony because our goal is to honor Saw Ba U Gyi, the first president of Karen National Union and those who have died or been injured fighting for the independence of the Karen. The main ceremony will be held on Saturday morning from 8am to 9am.

Sponsorship
There are four sponsorship packages available with the following benefits:

Bronze: $200 –a table reserved for your business at the resource fair on Saturday, August 6th/7th. (This includes both days)
Silver: $500 – Bronze benefits plus business name on flyers, program schedule, and our website/social media platforms.
Gold: $1000 – Silver benefits plus an opportunity to speak for 5 minutes during our “get to know the sponsors” part of the program (interpreters provided).
Platinum: $2,500 –Gold benefits, plus a 3 minute interview/commercial (translated into Karen if desired) and played during the event and after the event on our social media/YouTube channels (a combined following of 45,000 people)

Register as a sponsor here!

Brief History of Karen Martyrs’ Day
The Karen’s are an indigenous people in the Southeast Asian countries of Thailand and Burma. In Burma, the Karen’s are the second largest ethnic group. The Karen aided the British during World War II, when the Japanese occupied the region. Many Karen were slaughtered, by both Japanese and Burma Independence Army soldiers.
After the war ended, Burma was granted independence in 1948 from Britain. The Karen, led by the Karen National Union (KNU), have been struggling for freedom, national equality, democracy and peace for several decades.
The Karen struggle has the aim of achieving a genuine federal on the political basis of equality and self-determination for all the ethnic people in Burma.
On August 12, 1950, Karen National leader Saw Ba U Gyi, who was the founder and president of the Karen National Union (KNU), was assassinated along with eight of his colleagues in Kawkareik, Karen State (Burma) by Burmese Army. Since then August 12 is recognized as Karen National Martyrs’ Day.
On Martyrs Day Karen people all over the world commemorate and honour fallen leaders, soldiers, and civilians that have lost their lives in the struggle for freedom, democracy, human rights and national equality in Burma.
Due to the ongoing attacks by the Burmese Army, more than one hundred thousand Karen refugees are currently taking refuge in the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border. A significant number of Karen recently migrated to western countries under the refugee resettlement program. And now around twenty thousands are residing in the Minnesota.
Come and join us for the remembrance of our loved ones who had sacrificed their lives for our Karen struggle to live free from oppression.

Solidarity Street Gallery 2022: Resilient Generations
2022-09-09 17:00 - 22:00, 2022-09-10 12:00 - 22:00 | 965 Payne Ave, 965 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, 55106
Our Karen Weaving Circle will be selling and displaying hand-woven items as a part of the Solidarity Street Gallery.
Stop by our table on Payne Ave this weekend, September 9th and 10th to see these hand-woven pieces up closed and in-person. Our weaving instructors, as well as some youth from our summer weaving classes, will be doing live weaving demonstrations on backstrap looms both Friday and Saturday. They will also have items available for purchase including scarves, bags, shirts, and more!
About the larger event
SOLIDARITY STREET GALLERY is an annual Arts and Cultural festival on Saint Paul’s Eastside. The Solidarity Street Gallery, in its 3rd year, is an artistic celebration of the richly diverse community on the East Side of Saint Paul. This year’s festival theme is RESILIENT GENERATIONS; centered around the Southeast Asian Community on the Eastside. All are welcome to attend and take in a curated arts and cultural experience that highlights Southeast Asian Culture and History.
For two days in September, Payne Avenue will transform into a lively street fair including visual art exhibitions in dozens of storefronts along the avenue, a maker’s market with several vendors, collaborative community art projects and community activities, and the main stage where visitors will gather to take in a host of high-quality performance art throughout the weekend. Join us on September 9th and 10th for the 2022 Solidarity Street Gallery!
When:
Friday, September 9th, 2022, 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Saturday, September 10th, 2022, 12:00pm – 10:00pm
Where:
Art displays, stages, and vendors all down Payne Ave in Saint Paul’s East Side neighborhood. KOM Weaving Circle will be at 965 Payne Avenue, at the corner of Payne and Case.
Visit the Instagram and Facebook posts for more information!

KOM Gala 2022
2022-11-03 17:30 - 21:00 | Inwood Oaks, 484 Inwood Ave. N, Oakdale, MN, 55128, United States
We are thrilled to announce that after two years of virtual programming, KOM is bringing back our Annual Gala live and in-person! This year, our gala will be held at the Inwood Oaks Event Center in Oakdale, Minnesota on Thursday, November 3rd, 2022, 5:30pm – 9:00pm.
The Annual Gala is KOM’s premier fundraising and community building event bringing together community leaders, elected officials, service partners, volunteers, and donors for a special evening. This year’s event promises to be a joyful reunion for past event attendees and an opportunity to welcome new supporters to learn more about our work. With more than 10 new staff, 5 new programs, and thousands of people impacted since 2019, we have a lot to share with you whether you’re new to KOM or a longtime friend!

Registration is now closed. Thank you!
If you would like to support KOM’s fundraiser, but are unable to attend the event, you can purchase raffle tickets from KOM staff before November 3rd to be entered into the drawing. Raffle ticket buyers do not have to be present at the gala to win.
Sponsorship
Sponsor registration is now closed. Gala sponsors, please see our chart, 2022 Gala Sponsorship Packages, for details about pricing and benefits for each sponsorship level. Find our full KOM 2022 Gala Sponsor Letter here.
If you have questions about the event, please contact Alexis Walstad at (651)202-3120 or events@mnkaren.org.

Raffle
Not able to attend the gala this year? You can still support KOM by entering in our raffle! KOM will hold a live raffle drawing during the gala for over 15 prizes! Raffle ticket buyers do not need to be present at the event to win. Prizes include the following:
Art & Textiles
Karen Painting | Karen Necklace & Storage Container | Karen Woven Scarf | Karen Woven Shirts | Karen Woven Table Placements and Pieces | Karen Traditional Horn
Experiences
2 Theater Mu Mainstage Tickets | 2 Chanhassen Dinner Theater Mainstage Dinner and Show Tickets | Minnesota United Gift Pack | 4 Theater Tickets from Stages Theatre Company
Food & Drink
Karen Dinner for 8 at your home | Rice Cooker | Coffee and Bamboo Coffee Dripper | $50 Caribou Coffee Gift Card, 2 Travel Mugs and a Bag of Coffee Beans
Other Items
$250 R. F. Moeller Gift Certificate | Amazon Echo Buds, Echo Show, Echo Auto, and Echo Dot | Smart TV | $100 Gas Card and Hoodie | Bailey Nurseries Plants | Impact 1000 Rangefinder
Buy Tickets
Raffle tickets are $20 each and must be purchased in-person from KOM staff or board members. Stop by our office to buy your raffle tickets today!

Read our KOM House Rules for Raffle for more information about who can buy raffle tickets, where to pick up prizes, required payment options, and more.
For questions regarding the raffle, please contact Eh Tah Khu or Alexis Walstad.

Event Details
We welcome guests for a social hour, dinner, live entertainment by Karen artists, raffle drawing, and program to share highlights of our work. Proceeds from the gala will benefit KOM’s expanded services including youth chemical health, financial coaching, housing stability, and youth leadership initiatives.
Attire
Business or cocktail attire. Traditional cultural clothing is welcome.
Parking
Inwood Oaks Event Center offers easy access off I-94, and parking is free in the lot.
COVID-19 Safety
Masks are welcome, but not required for attending the event. We expect to host around 300 guests in a room with a capacity of 800 to allow for appropriate spacing and air flow. Please contact us at events@mnkaren.org if you have any questions.
Live Music Entertainment
We are excited to announce that Eh Ler Tha, Eh Wah, and their daughter Htar Law Eh will be our special guest musicians performing at the gala. Hear a message from them below:

Thank You to Our Event Sponsors
Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors
Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic
Lexdan Automotive
SKD Auto Transport

2762 Karen New Year Celebration
2022-12-17 09:30 - 21:00 | Washington Technology Magnet School, 1495 Rice Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55117, United States
Join us for the celebration of the 2762 Karen New Year on Saturday, December 17th, 2022!
The event will take place at Washington Technology Magnet School from 9:30 am until 9:00 pm. There will be a main ceremony in the morning followed by a resource fair, traditional culture show competition, and a volleyball tournament.

The Karen New Year Celebration is an important event in the community that celebrates new beginnings and reflects on the past year. Over 1,000 Karen and other community members are expected to share in the festivities while cultivating friendships and participating in Karen cultural traditions. A complete schedule of events includes:
9:30 am – 12:00 pm Main Program
9:30 am – 5:00 pm Resource Fair
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Traditional culture show competition
8:00 am – 9:00 pm Volleyball competition
Main contacts for the event: Nay Htoo, Event Chair (651)-529-5066, sawnay@gmail.com and Eh Tah Khu, Resource Fair (651)-460-0668, ekhu@mnkaren.org

Sponsorship Opportunities
Interested in sponsoring the event? Your sponsorship will show your agency’s support for the Karen community and keep this event free and accessible for all community members. Contact Alexis Walstad at awalstad@mnkaren.org, 651-202-3120 or Eh Tah Khu at ekhu@mnkaren.org, 651-202-3114.
Register Online for 2762 Karen New Year Sponsorship

2762 Karen New Year Sponsor Letter (PDF)
2762 Karen New Year Sponsor Registration Form (PDF)

Volleyball Rules:

Due to the fact that we will be playing a one-day tournament, we will accept only 8 men’s and women’s volleyball teams. We will only allow Karen, Karenni, and all ethnicities in Burma.
All teams must have uniforms and only 10 players are allowed per team.
Team Captain or Manager must fill our registration form before December 14 and pay all fees.
We will be having a drawing competition on December 16 at 6 pm.

Awards:

First Place – $1000 with trophy and medal
Second Place – $700 with trophy and medal
Best Setter, Spiker, and Defender award

Registration fees are $250 and are due on December 15.
Women’s Volleyball Contact: Htee Moo Shee at 651-447-0489
Men’s Volleyball Contact: Kaw Doh Soe at 651-239-8886
For other questions about the tournament, please contact Thara Million at 651-442-3351 or Thara Poe Thay Doh at 651-210-4571
Thank You to Our Event Sponsors!

KCOM's 2762 Karen New Year Celebration
2023-01-01 10:00 - 15:00 | Washington Technology Magnet School, 1495 Rice Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55117, United States
Join Karen Culture Organization of Minnesota at their Karen New Year Celebration! It was be a joyous celebration!

Sunday, January 1, 2023
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Washington Technology Magnet School at 1495 Rice St, St Paul, MN 55117

For questions, please contact Kyaw Kyaw Lwin at 651-417-2650 or Mahn Kyaw Kaing at 651-512-3971.

A Conversation with the Karen Community on the Juvenile Justice System and Substance Use
2023-04-01 09:00 - 12:30 | First Baptist Church, 499 Wacouta Street, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
We welcome Karen parents and families to come and hear from the Saint Paul Police Department, Ramsey County Probation, and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. A Karen interpreter will be available at this event.
Community Education and Conversation Agenda တ​ဝၢ​တၢ်​သိၣ်​လိ​နဲၣ်​လိ​ဒီး​တၢ်​က​တိၤ​သ​ကိး​တၢ်​အ​တၢ်​ရဲၣ်​လီၤ​
April 1, 2023
လါ​အ့​ဖြ့ၣ်​ ၁​ သီ​, ၂၀၂၃​ နံၣ်​
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM Introduction and Welcome
တၢ်​က​တိၤ​ဆှၢ​နုာ်​ဒီး​တၢ်​တူၢ်​လိာ်​မုာ်​
9:10 AM – 9:55 AM Presentation by the Saint Paul Police Department Gang Unit
ပှၤ​ဆှၢ​နုာ်​ဒု​:သ့ၣ်​ညါ​တၢ်​ လၢ​ ဝ့ၢ်​စ့ၣ်​ဖီ​လ်​ပၢၤ​ကီၢ်​ဝဲၤ​ကျိၤ​ လၢ​အ​မူ​ဒါ​မ့ၢ်၀ဲ​တၢ်​တြီ​ဃာ်​က​ရၢ​သ့ၣ်​တ​ဖၣ်​လၢ​အ​မၤ​ညီ​နုၢ်​တၢ်​ဟူး၈ဲၤ​, လၢ​အ​ထီ​ဒါ​ပ​ဒိၣ်​သဲ​စး​တၢ်​ဘျၢ​
9:55 AM – 10:40 AM Presentation by Ramsey County Probation
ပှၤ​ဆှၢ​နုာ်​ဒုး​သ့ၣ်​ညါ​တၢ်​ လၢ​ ရဲၣ်​မ​စံၣ်​ခီ​ထံၣ်​ သဲ​စး​အ​တၢ်​ပျဲ​ပူၤ​ဖျဲး​သ​နိ​
10:40 AM – 11:40 AM Presentation by Wayside Recovery Center Chief Clinical Officer/Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) ပှၤ​ဆှၢ​နုာ်​ဒုး​သ့ၣ်​ညါ​တၢ်​လၢ​ Wayside တၢ်​ဘျူး​က့​ဘျါ​က့ၤ​ဝဲၤ​လီၢ်​မူ​ဒါ​ခိၣ်​/သံး​ဒီး​က​သံၣ်​မူၤ​ဘှီး​တၢ်​ဘျူး​က့ၤ​ဘျါ​က့ၤ​ပှၤ​ဟ့ၣ်​ကူၣ်​တၢ်​
11:40 AM – 12:30 PM Conversation with Community Youth Workers
တ​တၢ်​က​တိၤ​သ​ကိး​တၢ်​ဒီး​တ​ဝၢ​ပှၤ​မၤ​သ​ကိး​တၢ်​ဒီး​သး​စၢ်​တ​ဖၣ်​
*Lunch will be served after the event
*ဖဲ​တၢ်​ရဲၣ်​တၢ်​ကျဲၤ​ဝံၤ​အိၣ်​ဃုာ်​ဒီး​မုၢ်​ထူၣ်​တၢ်​အီၣ်​
Contact
Kaziah Josiah – SPPD Community Engagement Specialist | 651-417-5824
Mar Htay – KOM Youth Case Manager | 651-202-6154
Contact us if you need transportation or have any questions about the community conversation.

API Day at the Capitol 2023
2023-04-11 09:00 - 14:00 | Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN, 55155, United States
Save the date for API Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 11th, 2023!
The Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans and local and state nonprofit organizations will co-host the 2023 Asian and Pacific Islander Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 11, 2023. All Minnesotans are invited to attend.
API Day is an annual Council event designed to bring together Minnesotans of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) descent to rally together, increase their knowledge of the state policymaking process, and directly connect with legislators about the issues that matter most to them. All are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend 2023 API Day. No previous political or legislative experience is required.
The 2023 API Day at the Capitol will take place in the Capitol rotunda. Doors open at 9:00 am, and the rally will begin at 10:00 am. Speakers are anticipated to include individuals working in childhood education, the Minnesota legislature, local API community-based organizations, and others. No registration is required. Seating is first come, first served. The event will also be livestreamed on the Council’s Facebook page.

Minnesota Karen American Day
2023-05-20 10:00 - 15:00 | American Veterans Memorial Park, 57th Avenue, Cannon Falls, Minnesota, 55009
Join the Karen Community of Minnesota on Saturday, May 20th for Minnesota Karen American Day!
Honor Karen culture and the Karen community this Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Celebrations include dance performances, Karen singers and musicians, food vendors, and more. Held at the new American Veterans Memorial Park as part of their API Heritage Month Celebrations. Other celebrations throughout the month at the park include Hmong American Day on May 14th and MN Korean American Day on May 21st.
Date: Saturday, May 20th, 2023
Time: 10AM – 3PM
Location: American Veterans Memorial Park, at the intersection of County Rd 14 and Highway 52 in Cannon Falls, MN 55009
Parking: FREE for Karen American Day
Admission: $8.00 (kids under 5 and elders over 65 are free; veterans and active duty soldiers are 50% off)

Welcome Corps: Info Session for the Karen Community
2023-06-03 10:00 - 12:00 | First Baptist Church, 499 Wacouta Street, Saint Paul, MN, 55101, United States
We have been receiving many questions from the community about the new Welcome Corps program, launched by the U.S. Department of State in early 2023.
From the Welcome Corps website: “The Welcome Corps is a program of the U.S. Department of State that empowers everyday Americans to welcome refugees arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).”
As we continue to learn more about this new program, we have invited representatives from the Minnesota Department of Human Services and Alight to provide an information session about Welcome Corps to our community. They will give an overview of the program, talk about Alight’s role in supporting refugee sponsors, and have plenty of time for Q&A. There will be Karen interpreters at the event.
KOM က​ညီ​ က​ရၢ​မဲၣ်​နံၣ်​စိ​ထၣ်​ ဒီး​တၢ်​က​ရၢ​က​ရိ​လၢ​အ​ဆီၣ်​ထွဲ​မၤ​စၢၤ​အီၤ​ ဒ်​အ​မ့ၢ်​ ALIGHT, ဒီး​ Refugee Resettlement Programs Office ပှၤ​ဘၣ်​ကီ​ဘၣ်​ခဲ​တၢ်​သုး​လီၢ်​သုး​ကျဲ၀ဲၤ​ကျိၤ​အ၀ဲၤ​ဒၢး​ လၢ​အ​ဘၣ်​ဒီၤ​း​ Minnesota Department of Human Services မဲၣ်​နံၣ်​စိ​ထၣ်​ပ​ဒိၣ်​ တၢ်​အံး​ထွဲ​ကွၢ်​ထွဲ​က​မျၢၢ်​ဝဲၤ​ကျိၤ​ က​အိၣ်​ဒီး​တၢ်​ဒုး​နၢ်​ပၢၢ်​အါ​ထီၣ်​တၢ်​ဂ့ၢ်​တၢ်​ကျိၤ​လၢ​လာ်​တ​ဖၣ်​အံၤ​န့ၣ်​လီၤ​.

Welcome Corps အ​ဂ့ၢ်​အ​ကျိၤ​ကျၢၢ်​တံၢ်​
Alight အ​မူ​အ​ဒါ​ဘၣ်​ဃး​တၢ်​ဆီၤ​ထွဲ​မၤ​စၢၤ​ပှၤ​ကွဲး​မုာ်​တၢ်​ sponsors တ​ဖၣ်​
တၢ်​ဆၢ​က​တီၢ်​လၢ​ တၢ်​သံ​ကွၢ်​စံး​ဆၢ​အ​ဂီၢ်​

တၢ်​ရဲၣ်​တၢ်​ကျဲၤ​အံၤ​ဘၣ်​တၢ်​ဒုး​ကဲ​ထီၣ်​အီၤ​လၢ​ KOM က​ညီ​က​ရၢ​မဲၣ်​နံၣ်​စိ​ထၣ်​န့ၣ်​လီၤ​. ပှၤ​လၢ​က​က​တိၤ​ကျိာ်​ထံ​တၢ်​ဆူ​က​ညီ​ကျိာ်​အိၣ်​စ့ၢ်​ကီး​န့ၣ်​လီ​.

Please share this information session widely with members of the Karen community so they can learn about this program and ask any questions they may have.

Art in the Hollow 2023
2023-06-03 10:00 - 17:00 | Swede Hollow Park, 665 Greenbrier St, Saint Paul, MN, 55106, United States
The Weaving Program at the Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM) is thrilled to announce that we will be showcasing our incredible artwork at the upcoming Art in the Hollow event!
Join us on June 3rd, 2023 from 10:00AM – 5:00 PM at Swede Hollow Park for a celebration of art, culture, and community.
Dive into the vibrant colors, intricate patterns, and rich heritage of the Karen people through our weaving traditions. Our talented weavers have crafted stunning textiles and exquisite accessories that reflect the beauty and resilience of our community. By supporting the Weaving Program at KOM, you uplift local artists and help preserve our cultural heritage. Join us in celebrating our artistry and traditions!
Mark your calendars, spread the word, and be sure to visit our booth at Art in the Hollow. Witness the artistry, learn about our weaving techniques, and take home a piece of our rich tapestry.
We can’t wait to see you there!
For more information about the event visit http://www.artinthehollow.org/. Learn more about the Weaving Program at KOM.
#ArtInTheHollow #WeavingProgramatKOM
#KarenCommunity #CulturalHeritage
#SupportLocalArtists

Twin Cities World Refugee Day 2023
2023-06-11 12:00 - 17:00 | Centennial Park, 6301 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center, MN, 55430, United States
Coming June 11, 2023!
#TCWRD is a Festival That Aims To…
Recognize the thousands of refugees living in our state and celebrate the diversity of cultures and experiences that they bring to our community.
Raise awareness around refugee issues, including: international conflicts and violence that create refugee crises, the refugee resettlement process both here and abroad, and the challenges and opportunities faced by refugees after resettling in Minnesota.
Build a cultural bridge between longtime Minnesota residents and our newest community members.
This celebration of culture and life brings Minnesotans together to recognize and uplift the diverse gifts that refugees bring to our state. Event-goers enjoy free live entertainment, food and vendors from around the world, children’s activities, a community resource fair, and interactive educational displays. In partnership with the City of Brooklyn Center, join us on June 11 at Centennial Park (6301 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN) from 12 pm – 5 pm!
Info taken from CAPI’s website at https://www.capiusa.org/world-refugee-day/

73rd Commemoration of Karen Martyrs’ Day
2023-08-12 - 2023-08-13 | Todd Park, 11th Street and, 21st Ave NE, Austin, MN, 55912, United States
Join us in the 73rd commemoration of Karen Martyr’s Day, It will be held this year on August 12th and 13th to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Saw Ba U Gyi (one of the early leaders of the Karen National Union) in 1950. Others who have fought for the Karen are also honored in remembrance of the Karen resistance.
This year, Minnesota’s Karen community will commemorate the event in Austin, MN, about a 2 hour drive from Saint Paul. Many Karen families live in the towns of Austin and neighboring Albert Lea, and leaders hope to see many of our Southern MN families as well as Saint Paul residents coming together.

Contact Persons for general information
Nay Htoo (651) 529-5066
Eh Tah Khu (651) 460-0668
Wah Paw (507) 318-0809

Sports Tournament Information
Men Soccer – 1st place -$7,500, 2nd place $4,500. Register fee $500 + Deposit $100 = $600
Women Soccer – 1st place $2,000, 2nd place $1000. Register Fee = $350
Cane Ball– 1st place – $2,500, 2nd place – $1,500. Register fee = $250
Volleyball Men/Women– 1st place $3,000, 2nd place $1,500. Register fee = $300
Sports Contact:
Kyaw Million (651)442-3351
Klo Wah (507) 383-4284

Vendor Information
Food Vendors – Register fee = $500
Clothing Vendors – Register Fee = $250
Vendor Contact:
David (507) 481-7538

Karen Traditional Wrist-Tying Ceremony
2023-08-19 08:00 - 2023-08-20 17:00 | 43695 Peaceful Valley RdHarris, MN 55032
The Karen Wrist-Tying Ceremony is an annual event held in August. The Karen people tie threads around their wrists as a way to protect themselves from illness and preserve their cultural heritage. Festivities such as a feast and traditional dancing usually follow the ceremony.
For more detail about the Events Categories:

Saturday, Aug 19th:
Soccer, Volleyball, and Takraw Tournament: 8 am – 7 pm
Concert: 7 pm – 11 pm

Sunday, Aug 20th
MAIN EVENT: KAREN TRADITIONAL WRIST TYING CEREMONY: 10 am -5 pm

Learn More about Karen Wrist-Tying Ceremony at: https://mnkaren.org/history-culture/karen-culture/celebrations/ under the Karen Community Events.

Online Welcome Corps Info Session
2023-08-19 11:00 - 12:00 | MN
The Karen Organization of America (KOA) and Karen Community of Minnesota (KCM) will be hosting an online Welcome Corp Program’s information session to be held on August 19 at 11:00 AM Central Daylight Time/12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time for the Karen community. If you want to know more about refugee sponsorship and how to start a process under Welcome Corp Program please join the meeting and ask questions.
Since this meeting will be held online, it is open to anyone.
Zoom meeting ID: 850 6257 0766 Passcode: KOA

Homebuyer Education for Karen Speakers
2023-09-16 08:30 - 17:00 | The Urban Village, 1082 Arcade Street, Saint Paul, MN, 55116, United States
Buying a house can be overwhelming, but you can do it!

Join us in-person on Saturday, September 16th from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM for our Karen Home Stretch Homebuyer Education Workshop
(တၢ်​က​တဲာ်​က​တီၤ​သး​လၢ​တၢ်​ပှ့ၤ​ဟံၣ်​ပှ့ၤ​ဃီ​အ၈ီၢ်​တၢ်​မၤ​လိ​လၢ​က​ညီ​ကျိ​).

Register TODAY!

For Karen language assistance, contact MuMu Aye at (612) 888-2245
(န​မ့ၢ်​လိၣ်​တၢ်​မၤ​စၢၤ​လၢ​တၢ်​ဆဲး​လီၤ​မံၤ​အ​ဂီၢ်​န့ၣ်​ဆဲး​ကျၢ​ သ​ရၣ်​မုၣ်​မူၣ်​မူၣ်​အ့​ ဖဲ​ ၆၁၂​ ၈၈၈​ ၃၃၄၅​).

We walk through all the steps of purchasing a home so that you can better understand how the process works and be equipped with information that makes you a confident and powerful purchaser. These 8-hour interactive workshops are taught by homeownership advisors and mortgage and real estate professionals, so you will have a chance to get answers to your questions directly from the experts!
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Set yourself up for success by attending a workshop. People who participate in education before buying a home are more likely to have a successful experience, including keeping up on their mortgage payments after they buy. Home Stretch isn’t just for first-time buyers, either; they can be a great way to find out how markets and mortgage rules have changed.
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Pre-registration is required and September classes are free. Please note that the registration window closes on September 13, 2023.

KOM 15th Anniversary Gala
2023-11-16 17:30 - 21:00 | Inwood Oaks, 484 Inwood Ave. N, Oakdale, MN, 55128, United States
KOM’s 15th Anniversary Gala is coming up November 16th, 2023!
This year, the KOM gala will be a joyful opportunity for past event attendees and new supporters to celebrate our achievements and look to the future as we fulfill our new mission: building on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and remove barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.
Join us for a special evening of fundraising and community-building at Inwood Oaks Event Center in Oakdale, MN. We’re excited to welcome community leaders, elected officials, service partners, volunteers and donors for a social hour, dinner, live performances, a raffle drawing, and main program.

REGISTRATION HAS CLOSED. Thank you!
See you all on Thursday, November 16th! Keep reading below for what to expect at the event.
Can’t make it in-person? You can still support the work we do by purchasing raffle tickets! Enter for a chance to win an exciting prize. See more details below.

Sponsorship
As a valued community partner, we invite your organization to be a sponsor of this year’s event. Organizations may choose from four sponsorship levels, each with a number of benefits reaching our diverse audience of event attendees, clients, and social media followers. Take a look at pricing and benefits at each sponsorship level here.
Registration to Sponsor our KOM Gala is Closed. Thank you!
If you have any questions about your sponsorship, please contact Alexis Walstad at (651) 202-3120 or events@mnkaren.org.

Program
Join us as we celebrate our KOM’s new Mission Statement and program expansion, reflect on our past 15 years, and look ahead to the future! We are happy to have a number of performers and speakers join us for this celebration.
Introducing our special guest performers:
Musicians Chit San Maung (pictured) and his daughter Nge Nge Lay, renowned musicians and guitarists from Burma.
Musicians Chit San Maung and his daughter Nge Nge Lay (pictured), renowned musicians and guitarists from Burma.

Karen dancers from Knyaw Baptist Church

Introducing our guest speakers:

Emily Velazco, a graduate of KOM’s Translating and Interpreting Program (TRIN), will reflect on her experience in the TRIN program.
Mah Jabin Amiri, a former participant in the Refugee Employment Services program, will speak about her journey and experience.

Raffle
Raffle tickets are NOW AVAILABLE to purchase for KOM’S 15th Anniversary Gala!
The Karen Organization of Minnesota will conduct a charitable raffle at our Annual Gala on November 16, 2023, 5:30pm-9:00pm at Inwood Oaks Event Center, 484 Inwood Ave. N, Woodbury, MN 55128. The raffle will raise funds for our programs serving refugees and immigrants in Minnesota. Read our KOM House Rules for Raffle 2023 for more details.

Tickets cost $20 each and are non-refundable.
You can purchase tickets now until November 16th, 2023.
Tickets must be purchased in-person. Individuals may purchase raffle tickets with cash or check from KOM staff or board members or by cash, check, or debit card at KOM’s office during regular business hours. No phone or online payments allowed.
Raffle tickets are not valid for event entry. You do not need to be present to win.

Sneak peek of some of this year’s raffle prizes!

$250 Gift Certificate to R.F. Moeller Jewelry

Minnesota Zoo Experience Ticket Package ($96 value)

2 Tickets to a Theater Mu Mainstage Production

Coleman-Skydome 8 Person Camping Tent ($290 value)

Other prizes include:
Karen Dinner for 8 | 4 Tickets to One Stages Theatre Company Production | Karen Men’s Suit Jacket | Karen Women’s Clothing | Karen Hand-Woven Bag | 3 Karen Woven Placemats | 2 Tickets to a St. Paul Saints Game | Rice Cooker from Kwekabaw Grocery | 2 $100 Target Gift Cards | 4 Admission Passes to the MN Landscape Arboretum | Cookies and Bars from Rise Bakeries | $50 Gift Card to Café Latte | Gift Cards, Jacket, Ball Cap, and Knit Hat from City Auto Glass

Contribute to Our Raffle
Our raffle was wildly successful last year, selling over 300 tickets and raising over $6,000 for KOM. If you have an item or items to contribute to this year’s raffle, download our raffle donation form and return it via mail or email to:
Attn: Alexis Walstad, Karen Organization of Minnesota, 2353 Rice St., Suite 240, Roseville, MN 55113
events@mnkaren.org
If you have any questions about the raffle or would like someone to pick up your donation from your business, please contact Alexis Walstad at (651) 202-3120 or events@mnkaren.org.

Thank you for your ongoing support of KOM, the Karen community, and immigrants and refugees in Minnesota. We look forward to celebrating 15 years with you at the KOM gala in November!
A special thank you to our sponsors of this year’s Gala:
PLATINUM SPONSOR – M Health Fairview

GOLD SPONSOR – Jody Baber State Farm Agency

SILVER SPONSOR – Bix Produce Company

SILVER SPONSOR – Maplewood Toyota & Inver Grove Toyota

SILVER SPONSOR – Hmong American Partnership

BRONZE SPONSORS:
Bethesda Family Medicine Clinic
Como Park Senior High School
Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans
Ebenezer Karen Baptist Church
Emmanuel Karen Baptist Church
First Karen and Burmese Home Health
First Karen Baptist Church
Health Partners
Hope Community Academy
Japs-Olson Company
Karen Community of Minnesota
K’nyaw Baptist Church
Metropolitan State University
Minnesota Department of Education
Rise Baking Company
Shiloh Karen Baptist Church
SKD Auto Transport
Tim O’Brien
Trinity Karen Baptist Church

Karen Culture Presentation - ONLINE!
2023-12-15 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-02-16 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-04-19 11:00 - 12:30, 2024-06-21 11:00 - 12:30 | MN
Are you interested in learning more about Karen culture? Join us for our Karen Culture Presentation online every other month.
During this presentation, participants with learn about the Karen history, culture, and resettlement in the U.S. We will explore the history of the Karen and how they became refugees, and discuss how the Karen have adapted to life in the U.S. We will also give a brief overview of Karen culture, covering everything from food, to clothing, to family, to communication styles, and more. Come with open ears and any questions.
This presentation will be delivered online. RSVP here on Zoom to one of our upcoming sessions to receive the link.
*Suggested donation of $15 to help cover staff time and preparation. Donate here

2763 Karen New Year Celebration
2023-12-30 16:00 - 21:00, 2023-12-31 10:00 - 16:00 | Washington Technology Magnet School, 1495 Rice Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55117, United States
The Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM) and Karen community cordially invite you to attend the 2763 Karen New Year Celebration. This year, the event will take place on Saturday, December 30th & Sunday, December 31st, 2023, at Washington Technology Magnet School (1495 Rice Street, St. Paul, MN 55117).
The Karen New Year Celebration is an important event in the community that celebrates new beginnings and reflects on the past year. Over 1,000 Karen and other community members are expected to share in the festivities while cultivating friendships and participating in Karen cultural traditions.
Schedule
Saturday:
4:00 pm – 9:00 pm Little Miss Karen & Live Concert
4:00 pm – 8:30 pm Resource Fair
Sunday:
10:00 am – 12:00 pm Main Program
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Traditional Karen Dances & other performances
10:00 am – 3:30 pm Resource Fair
Sponsorship
All events will be free of charge. Many Karen community members have donated money to support this event, but the expenses of hosting such a large event are beyond what the community can provide. Your sponsorship will show your agency’s support for the Karen community and keep this event free and accessible for all community members.
For your convenience, registration can be paid by check or credit card no later than Sunday, December 24, 2023. Please make a secure credit card payment using PayPal here. To register, please fill out this Sponsor Registration Form (2763) and return with your check or PayPal receipt to:
Attn: Eh Tah Khu
Karen Organization of Minnesota
2353 Rice Street, Suite 240
Roseville, MN 55113
If you have any questions about the event, please contact one of the following individuals:
Kyaw Kyaw Lwin, Event Chair | 651-417-2650 | sawnay@gmail.com
Alexis Walstad, Resource Fair | 651-202-3120 | awalstad@mnkaren.org
Thank you for your consideration of generously supporting this year’s Karen New Year Celebration!

We hope to see you all there!

Karenni Kay Htoe Boe Celebration
2024-04-27 09:00 - 19:00 | Community School of Excellence, 270 Larpenteur Ave W, Saint Paul, MN, 55113, United States
The Karenni Community of Minnesota is celebrating Kay Htoe Boe on Saturday, April 27th, 2024 in Saint Paul!

The most important celebration for Karenni people is Kay Htoe Bo. This festival reflects the story on how the earth came into being.

The Karenni people in Burma live in a small, mountainous region to the north of Karen State and west of Thailand. There are over a dozen ethnic Karenni subgroups, but they all speak the same language (with only small variations in dialect). They speak Karenni language, also called Kayah Li.

Location:
Community School of Excellence
270 Larpenteur Ave W
Saint Paul, MN 55113

Schedule of Events:

9:00am – 12:00pm: EeLu Ceremony
12:00pm – 2:00pm: Lunch
4:00pm – 7:00pm: Entertainment

Contact:
Rosy Kanyamaw, 507-402-9341, for entertainment inquiries.

74th Commemoration of Karen National Martyrs' Day
2024-08-09 07:00 - 2024-08-10 20:30 | Hazelwood Park, 1663 County Rd C E, Maplewood, MN, 55109, United States
The Karen Community of Minnesota (KCM) invites all to the 74th Commemoration of Karen National Martyrs’ Day on Friday, August 9, and Saturday, August 10th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Significance of Karen Martyrs’ Day
The official Karen Martyrs’ Day is on August 12 and commemorates the anniversary of the death of Saw Ba U Gyi (one of the early leaders of the Karen National Union) in 1950. Others who have fought for the Karen are also honored in remembrance of the Karen resistance.
Karen Martyrs’ Day is an opportunity to reflect on the history of the Karen people and honor the leaders who have guided their struggle for freedom and democracy in Myanmar. It is an upbeat occasion emphasizing togetherness and community health, an opportunity for Karen to pass on traditions to the younger generation. This year we anticipate that 2,000 people will attend the Karen Martyrs’ Day Ceremony, a celebration with music, food for sale, and a resource fair. The event raises awareness about the Karen and brings them together with their neighbors in the broader community. In addition to the ceremony, attendees can enjoy soccer and volleyball tournaments, and the traditional sport cane ball.

The main ceremony will be held Saturday, August 10th from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at:
Hazelwood Park
1663 Country Rd C E
Maplewood, MN 55109
$5 entrance fee for individuals age 11 and up. Children age 10 and under enter for free.

2024 Karen Martyr’s Day Sponsor Registration

Support the 74th Commemoration of Karen Martyr’s Day by sponsoring the event.
Minnesota’s Karen recognize your business as an important asset in our community and would like to invite you to be an official sponsor of this year’s events. We have four sponsorship packages available with benefits:
❖ Bronze: $300 –a tabling spot reserved for your business at the resource fair on August 9th/10th.* (This includes both days). Note: tent will not be provided. You are welcome to bring your own tent up to 10’ x 10’.
❖ Silver: $600 – Bronze benefits plus business name on ceremony program schedule, and KOM website/social media platforms.
❖ Gold: $1,000 – Silver benefits plus recognition at the opening and closing ceremony. Will receive sponsorship recognition plaque.
❖ Platinum: $2,000 – Gold benefits, plus business name and logo printed on the official invitation and welcome to display business banner and speak on the stage.
Please fill out the 2024 Karen Martyr’s Day Sponsor Registration Form online here by Wednesday, July 31st OR print and fill out the form on paper and return with your check to:
Attn: Alexis Walstad
Karen Organization of Minnesota
2353 Rice St., Suite 240
Roseville, MN 55113
All events will be free of charge. As America’s first Karen-led 501c3 nonprofit, KOM is tax-exempt and will provide you with a tax-deductible receipt.
*Sponsors are welcome to table during all hours of the event. We anticipate the highest levels of traffic on Saturday morning and early afternoon during/immediately following the ceremony.

Contact
For questions about the event, please contact Nay Htoo at 651-529-5066 or sawnay@gmail.com.
For questions about payment and registration, please contact Alexis Walstad at 651-202-3120 or awalstad@mnkaren.org.

Karen Community of Minnesota (KCM) is a Karen-led community group that acts as the governing body for the Karen community in Minnesota and helps plan important community events and gatherings.
Event Sponsors
Prodeo Academy

Diploma Programs Info Sessions
2024-08-09 09:30 - 10:30 | Aŋpétu Téča Education Center, County B Road West, Roseville, MN, 55113, United States
We’re thrilled to announce upcoming information sessions for TWO dynamic adult diploma programs designed for English language learners:
1️⃣ Apprentice and Manufacturing Ready: Explore hands-on training in trades like carpentry, highway heavy, and more while! This diploma program is designed for people who want to begin an apprenticeship in a trade and have not yet earned a U.S. High School Diploma.
2️⃣ Professional Leadership Program: Develop your computer skills and leadership competencies that you will use in jobs such as education paraprofessional or office administrative work.
Both programs are FREE and will be completed in one year, from September 2024 through May 2025. Classes meet Monday through Friday at Roseville Adult Learning Center.
To learn more about these programs, join us at an upcoming info session:
Dates: Aug 9, Aug 23
Time: 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: Join at the Zoom link below or come to Roseville Adult Learning Center to meet in person.
Zoom link for info session here
Our address is:
Aŋpétu Téča Education Center, Room 254
1910 County Road B West
Roseville, MN 55113
Don’t miss this chance to meet our staff, learn about program specifics, and discover how we can help you achieve your career goals.

The State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) funded (or funded in part) this training through a grant. The grant recipient created this training. DEED does not endorse this publicity or training or make guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership of the information herein or elsewhere.
