Embroidering Our Lives: Mien Women at Peralta Hacienda

This multi-media exhibit showcases the rich history and stories of the of a group of Oakland's Laotian Mien refugees through beautiful photographs, interpretive text, videos, and embroidery.  On view June 9, 2011 – September 9, 2011.

Opening Reception: 

Please join us as we celebrate the opening of the exhibit
Date:        Thursday, June 9^th, 4-6 PM
Location:   Lao Family Community Development, Inc, 
                2325 East 12^th Street, Oakland, CA 94601
Event Features:

• Light Refreshments will be served.
• Mien embroidery activities for kids and adults!
• Films featuring first-person stories of the Mien.
• Meet the photographer and the curator of the exhibit.

About the Exhibit:

Lao Family Community Development, Inc. is proud to host this Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park exhibit, Embroidering Our Lives: Mien Women at Peralta Hacienda, which features beautiful photos, interpretive text, exquisite embroidery, and video of Laotian Mien women sharing their embroidery, gardening, and cooking skills with Oakland youth at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park. A group of Laotian Mien women have found footing in the park’s community garden, after fleeing their homelands in the mountains of Laos, living as refugees for many years, and finally, immigrating to the U.S. In the exhibit, you can read the women’s own words, telling about their lives and traditions, and see them sharing their culture and arts with youth at Peralta Hacienda Historical Park. As they garden, cook, and embroider, they communicate a sense of who they are, and their history and culture, to children of many cultures.

Lao Family introduced this group of women to Peralta Hacienda several years ago.  We are very pleased to see the fruits of this connection return to our walls for all to see.  Please join us.

Photos by Nina Egert

Exhibit Design by Jeff Norman

Project Director: Holly Alonso

First-person stories and textiles by Mien community members

Call or email Madeline at Madeline@peraltahacienda.org or 510-532-9142 with questions about the exhibit.

Exhibit and films made possible by the National Endowment for the Arts, Oakland Cultural Funding, Vinapa Foundation, CA Arts Council, and Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park

Lao Family Community Development, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the building healthy communities by helping families and individuals achieve financial independence and long-term self-sufficiency.  We depend on donations from supporters like you. Please visit www.lfcd.org/donate to find out how you can make a difference in a family's life with a tax-deductible donation.

Please contact Mary at mfuller@lfcd.org or 510-533-8850 for more info about Lao Family.  To sign up for our Newsletter, please click here.