Our Tribute to Tou Ger

The news of the tragic and violent death of our dear friend, Tou Ger Xiong, profoundly saddens us. Tou Ger was a Hmong artist, storyteller, educator, comedian, and cultural organizer. He was a headliner of the First Tamejavi Festival in 2002. He quickly became part of the Tamejavi family because he understood and shared the values guiding the work.

Tou Ger performed in three Tamejavi festivals and engaged in strategic thinking gatherings and dialogues as we set the foundation for promoting social change through the critical intersection of culture, creative expression, and active citizenship. 

With his storytelling and comedy, Tou Ger contributed to the healing process from the collective trauma of forced displacement of his Hmong and other communities of color. He humanized the Hmong story and constantly encouraged young people to learn, embrace, and tell their own stories. “Tell your own story because if you don’t, somebody else will, and it might not be your true story.” Tou Ger would often say. 

Tou Ger, we will miss you dearly and commit to carrying on your mission of bringing joy to communities that have experienced so much pain. We will continue enabling communities of color to tell their stories and preserve their collective memory.