Meet Blong Yang / Hmoob version
Blong has been a homeowner in the Jordan Neighborhood [of North Minneapolis] for over a decade. He is married to local writer, Mai Neng Moua, who was hailed as the “midwife of the Hmong literary arts movement” by the New York Times. Blong and Mai Neng are the parents of two young girls, Erica (4) and Samantha (2).
Blong is the oldest son in a family of eight. Born in a Thai refugee camp, he immigrated to the United States in 1980 with his family when he was three years old. He grew up watching his parents struggle to keep food on the table and the children out of trouble. They instilled in Blong and his siblings the belief that the American Dream is achievable through hard work and education. He holds a BA from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a JD from the University of Minnesota Law School.
Blong recently served as an investigator with the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights (MDCR), where he was part of a unit that eliminated the chronic backlog that has plagued the MDCR for decades. Prior to joining the MDCR, Blong owned a small solo practice in Minneapolis for eight years focusing on family law and other civil matters. While in solo practice, he also served on the Commitment Defense Panel of the Hennepin County Bar Association where he represented people from being civilly committed for mental illness and/or chemical dependency. Before opening up his private practice, he worked for the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis as a staff attorney / Equal Justice Works Fellow.
Blong is a firm believer in public service and volunteerism. He has served on the boards of the Jordan Area Community Council, the Hmong American Institute for Learning, and Westside Community Health Services. He has volunteered as a youth soccer coach in the past.
