West Saint Paul, MN — Janssen Hang has a vision for a national network of Hmong farming businesses that builds intergenerational and community wealth. As executive director of the Hmong American Farmers Association, he has led efforts to increase the earnings of farmers while doubling the size of the organization. Now he wants to help new generations turn hobby gardening into family businesses rooted in Hmong values. The son of farmers who immigrated to the U.S. from Laos, he witnessed the systemic barriers his parents faced in farming. He wants to eliminate those barriers, capture the cultural practices of aging Hmong farmers for the benefit of future generations, and build a new cooperative model. To lead this transformative change, Janssen will increase his proficiency in reading and writing Hmong, learn about how successful cooperatives are formed and sustained, and cultivate trusting relationships with Hmong farmers in the region.
What has informed your approach to leading change in your community?
My parents have informed my approach to leading change. They instilled in me, and my seven siblings, the importance of an education. I originally wanted to go to medical school to help my mother who had a chronic illness. I thought we should sell our farm once we all went to college, but my parents wanted to continue farming. Ten years after I was out of college, I saw their struggles, the inequities they faced. That is what really pushed me and my siblings and other co-founders to create Hmong American Farmers Association. Our farmer-members knew that we needed to stop waiting for someone to save us. We needed to save ourselves. We could be the eyes and ears for our farmers.
What advice do you wish someone had given you earlier in your career?
Focus on horticulture, not organic chemistry! Embrace your elders and learn everything you can. I realize now how much we take things for granted as children, and how much wisdom our elders have.
What is your favorite quote or expression?
I believe there is power in knowledge. So, I love the quote of a philosopher: “Income may feed your stomach, but asset is what feeds your mind.”
