Gold medal in Japan brings sense of pride to these vendors at Puyallup farmers market
A trip to the Puyallup Farmers Market isn’t complete without a browse through the flower stands, where vendors on July 31 were quietly celebrating the first Olympic win for their people.
An 18-year-old from Minnesota, Suni Lee, won an all-around gold medal in gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics last week. She is the first Hmong-American Olympian. Both her parents immigrated to the United States from Laos.
Most of the flower vendors are Hmong, an ethnic group from northern Laos. Many of their families immigrated to Washington from the late 1970s through the 1980s.
Shua H’Vang has been selling her Auburn flowers at the market for 21 years. She considers Lee’s victory a “big deal.”
“We are so happy,” she said. “I’m so proud that now we have Hmong girl who took the gold medal.”
H’Vang said it doesn’t matter which family Lee comes from, every Hmong person is celebrating her victory.
Kerry Yanasak is the executive director of the Puyallup Main Street Association, a nonprofit running the farmers market for the last 30 years.
He said the Hmong flower vendors have been a backbone for the Puyallup farmers market. The market has about 10 flower vendors, all of them Hmong, Yanasak said.
According to the Puyallup Main Street Association, one Saturday when vendors were polled about their total sales, three of the top 10 stalls were Hmong flower vendors.
“They are a significant part of the market in terms of sales,” Yanasak said.
See Lee has been coming to the market to sell her family’s flowers since 2003. For her family, the Puyallup Farmers Market is a chance to connect with the community and feel supported, Lee said.
“We like how much the community comes out and supports the locals and promotes the local grower or the local crafter and other food vendors,” See Lee said. “I feel like this is a good place.”
According to the U.S. Census, the Hmong population in 2019 was 327,000, most of which live in Minnesota, California and Wisconsin.
Many American-Hmong were refugees, who fled Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Hmong soldiers were recruited and worked with the CIA to fight against the Laotian and North Vietnamese military. The ethnic group fought and suffered losses of tens of thousands, according to the Hmong Association of Washington.
Some, like Kong Lor, were only children when they entered the United States. His family and relatives spend Saturdays at the farmers market making colorful flower bouquets.
Lor is a college student from Kirkland. His family’s farm is in Monroe.
He said while the older generations tend to be more conservative and follow Hmong cultural traditions, like no ear piercings or tattoos, families have come together to watch the Olympic news on Lee.
“Seeing her has really brought us together in a way,” Lor said.
See Lee said Suni Lee’s victory has brought awareness to the Hmong people.
“That’s the most important part, is that she not just represented the U.S., but she also represented our community,” she said. “She never forgot. She hasn’t forgotten where she comes from.”
Suni Lee told her home-state paper, the Minnesota Star Tribune, after her gold that she felt she was representing the Hmong community.
“Being the first Hmong-American to make the Olympics is a really big deal. I’m so excited to represent the Hmong community,’‘ she told the Star Tribune.
Everyone See Lee knows was posting on Facebook about the gold medal and their joy. She said everyone knows everyone in the Seattle-area Hmong community, but Suni Lee’s story has opened possibilities for younger Hmong.
“She really set the tone for the new generation to go out there and explore your talents,” See Lee said.
This story was originally published August 4, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
