HMONG CULTURAL CENTER INCORPORATED

What HMONG CULTURAL CENTER INCORPORATED does

Hmong Cultural Center Incorporated is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered at 375 University Avenue West, Suite 204, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It operates as a multi-program cultural and educational platform serving Hmong immigrants, refugees, and the broader public in the Twin Cities and Midwest. Core service lines include free adult basic education (ESL, citizenship test preparation, and occupational English classes), cultural arts instruction covering the Qeej instrument, dance, and Hmong wedding and funeral ceremonial songs, and multicultural education through Hmong 101 presentations and the Learnabouthmong.net multimedia website. The organization has supported more than 2,000 individuals in earning U.S. citizenship through its classes and was one of the highest-enrollment providers for Hmong refugees arriving from Wat Thamkrabok in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The physical and digital infrastructure centers on two core assets: the Hmong Cultural Center Museum, which expanded to over 2,000 square feet in 2024 and ranks among the top TripAdvisor things to do in Saint Paul, and the Hmong Resource Center Library, established in 1998 and described as the most comprehensive collection of Hmong-related literature, scholarly research, and multimedia materials in North America. The library holds 400+ theses and dissertations, 3,000+ indexed articles, 200+ Hmong-language books, and 200+ videos. Supplementary assets include the Hmong Embroidery Virtual Museum, the Hmong Studies Virtual Library, and an annual Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival inaugurated in 2022.

The revenue model is grant-and-donation-driven, with no fees charged for core educational programs. Income is sourced from a diversified portfolio of major foundations (McKnight, Otto Bremer, Henry Luce), federal and state arts and humanities agencies (NEA, IMLS, Minnesota State Arts Board, Minnesota Humanities Center, Minnesota Historical Society), local government (Ramsey County, City of Saint Paul), corporate giving (3M Foundation, Google Community Grants, MoneyGram, Western Union), and individual donations. Earned revenue is incidental and consists of book sales ($8-$50 per title for four published cultural curriculum volumes), gift shop retail at the museum storefront, and fundraising events. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors chaired by Shuly Her, with day-to-day operations led by Executive Director Txongpao Lee.

Name

HMONG CULTURAL CENTER INCORPORATED

Legal name

HMONG CULTURAL CENTER INC

Website

https://hmongcc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

501(c)(3) nonprofit in Saint Paul, Minnesota, founded 1992, providing free ESL and citizenship classes to Hmong immigrants and refugees, preserving Hmong cultural arts (Qeej, dance, ceremonial songs), and operating North America's most comprehensive Hmong resource library and a storefront museum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural and Educational Services

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Museums (712110), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Indigenous, Ethnic & Folk Arts/Heritage Organizations (BPAGAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cultural Heritage Institutions (Archives, Historic Houses, Monuments Foundations) (THAJADAI), Cultural Heritage & Traditional Festivals (Folk, Ethnic, Indigenous) (MPAGAEAB), Indigenous & Community Cultural Institutions (THAJADAK)

Keywords

• Cultural education services
• Adult ESL programs
• Citizenship test preparation
• Immigrant refugee services
• Multicultural heritage preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Paul

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Primary funding from individual donations and foundation grants including support from major funders like McKnight Foundation, Otto Bremer Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Minnesota State Arts Board, and various corporate giving programs
2. Book Sales: Sale of educational materials including Learning Qeej Curriculum Book ($25-35), Hmong Wedding Songs Book ($8-12), Hmong Funeral Songs Book ($30-50), and Hmong Reverse Applique book ($40)
3. Gift Shop Sales: Museum gift shop selling cultural items and educational materials at the storefront museum location

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hmong Cultural Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free adult education (ESL, Citizenship, and occupational English classes) to immigrants and refugees, cultural arts instruction in Qeej music, Hmong dance, and traditional wedding and funeral ceremonies, and operates a storefront museum and the most comprehensive Hmong literature and research library in North America. It also runs the Hmong 101 multicultural education program, the LearnAboutHmong.net online education portal, and publishes culturally focused books about Hmong traditions.

Product overview

Hmong Cultural Center is a non-profit cultural and educational organization that operates as a multi-program platform offering adult basic education (ESL and citizenship classes), cultural arts education (Qeej, dance, wedding and funeral ceremony instruction), multicultural education programs (Hmong 101 presentations and the Learnabouthmong.net website), and maintains a museum and resource library. The center also publishes cultural curriculum books and hosts the annual Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival. Located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, it is the only non-profit in Minnesota focused on sustaining and teaching about Hmong culture through multicultural education and cultural arts programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hmong Cultural Center Museum: Interactive museum teaching about Hmong people, history, culture, and experience in the U.S.
• Hmong Resource Center Library
• Hmong 101 Program
• Learn About Hmong
• Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival

Products and services

• Hmong Cultural Center Museum Interactive museum at the Saint Paul storefront teaching about Hmong people, history, culture, and the U.S. experience through exhibits and displays, with walk-in access and group tours by appointment.
• Hmong Resource Center Library Comprehensive collection of Hmong-related literature, scholarly research, books, dissertations, indexed articles, Hmong-language books, academic journal articles, and videos accessible on-site and through virtual platforms.
• Adult Basic Education Program Free classes for adult immigrants and refugees including Citizenship Test preparation, General ESL, and Occupational English with career advising, offered in-person and via Zoom. More than 2,000 persons have earned U.S. Citizenship through the program.
• Cultural Arts Education Program Free classes teaching Qeej instrument, Hmong dance, and Hmong marriage and funeral ceremony songs to promote cultural preservation among children, youth, and adults.
• Hmong 101 Program and Speaker's Bureau Interactive multicultural education workshops, webinars, and speaker presentations about Hmong refugee experience, history, culture, and Hmong American contributions, adapted for anti-discrimination seminars throughout the Midwestern U.S.
• LearnAboutHmong.net Online Education Platform Multimedia education website teaching about Hmong history, culture, and folk arts using online video and other multimedia technologies for global multicultural education access.
• Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival Annual festival celebrating the Qeej instrument, other Hmong musical instruments, dance, and Hmong culture, held at Landmark Center in St. Paul.
• Learning Qeej Curriculum Book Curriculum book for teaching the Qeej instrument, authored by Chai Lee, available for purchase for $35 with postage or $25 at the museum gift shop.
• Hmong Wedding Songs Book (Hmoob Kab Lis Kev Cai Tshoob Kev Kos) 30-page book of traditional Hmong wedding songs in Hmong language, authored by Soua Sue Lee, available for purchase for $12 or $8 at the museum gift shop.
• Hmong Funeral Songs Book (Vaj Lug Txiv Xaiv) 380-page book of traditional Hmong funeral songs in Hmong language, authored by Soua Sue Lee, available for purchase for $50 or $30 at the museum gift shop.
• Hmong Reverse Applique: Cultural Meaning and Significance 166-page hardcover book exploring the historical significance of Hmong reverse applique textile art, authored by Dr. Linda A. Gerdner, available for $40 with proceeds supporting the center.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 2,000 persons have earned U.S. Citizenship after taking classes at the center
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Saint Paul Community Literacy ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization; consortium providing resources and coordination for adult literacy programs in Saint Paul

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Saint Paul Community Literacy Consortium: Coalition of adult literacy providers in Saint Paul of which HCC is a member. Comparable as a regional adult-ESL/Citizenship education ecosystem in which HCC operates and through which referrals and program coordination occur.
• Immigrants' Landing: The Southeast Asian Archive: Special collection at California State University Long Beach preserving Hmong and other Southeast Asian American archives, books, and oral histories. Directly comparable to HCC's Hmong Resource Center Library in domain specialization and academic Hmong studies resources.

Emerging players

• Lao Heritage Foundation: Nonprofit dedicated to preserving Lao American cultural heritage with similar refugee-diaspora roots, cultural education, and community programming. Comparable to HCC as a Southeast Asian American heritage organization, though smaller and less institutionally developed than HCC's 30-year footprint.

Direct peers

• Japanese American National Museum (JANM): Los Angeles-based ethnic-specific cultural museum and educational institution preserving Japanese American history, heritage, and immigrant/refugee experience. Directly comparable to HCC in mission, programming mix, and reliance on cultural arts education and museum exhibits.
• Wing Luke Museum Officiating Store: Seattle-based Asian Pacific American museum offering interactive exhibits on immigrant and refugee experience, cultural preservation programs, and educational workshops. Direct peer to HCC as an ethnic-specific museum serving diaspora communities with cultural education and curated collections.
• Chinese American Museum (CAM) Los Angeles: Historic site-based cultural institution in Los Angeles preserving Chinese American history and heritage through exhibits, education, and cultural programs. Comparable to HCC in combining a physical heritage site with educational outreach to diaspora and broader public audiences.
• Vietnamese Heritage Museum: Houston-based nonprofit cultural museum dedicated to preserving Vietnamese heritage and the refugee experience of Vietnamese Americans. Comparable to HCC's mission of sustaining a specific Southeast Asian American ethnic culture through a museum and educational programs.
• Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA): New York-based cultural institution preserving Chinese American history and immigrant experience through exhibits, educational programming, and curated archives. Strong peer to HCC given similar focus on ethnic heritage, refugee narrative, and educational outreach.
• National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial: Chicago-based nonprofit museum and cultural center preserving Cambodian heritage, including similar Cambodian/Khmer refugee and immigrant experience. Closely parallel to HCC in serving a Southeast Asian American refugee community with museum, library, and cultural arts programming.

Regional players

• Minnesota Historical Society: Statewide nonprofit historical society operating a museum, research library, and educational programs across Minnesota, including Legacy Amendment-funded grants to organizations like HCC. Functions as a regional peer and a funding source.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hcc1992
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=YJ-ugFQ_nSQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HmongCulturalCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hmong-cultural-center-incorporated

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about HMONG CULTURAL CENTER INCORPORATED