As a 13-year-old immigrant in St. Paul in the late 1980s, Pao Paul Yang was responsible for filling out his parents' health care benefits and other paperwork.
Soon, the former Thai refugee camp resident was doing the same for aunts, uncles and extended family members. So was born his interest in helping others that led to a law career and as of January, a new job as a Ramsey County district judge.
"I want people to feel when they're in court, 'I have a fair shake. This is my court,' " said Yang, who will go by P. Paul Yang. "We don't have a perfect system in place, but it's the best system we have."
Yang was sworn in earlier this month and was recognized at an investiture ceremony on Thursday. He and Ramsey County District Judge Adam Yang were elected in November, becoming the state's second and third Hmong-American judges. The two are not related.
The state's first Hmong-American judge, Ramsey County District Judge Sophia Vuelo, was appointed in late 2017 and sworn in last year.
"This milestone is tangible proof that our communities and legal systems value diversity and inclusion," the Hmong American Bar Association (HABA) said in a written statement. "It also demonstrates the capabilities and credentials of our Hmong-American attorneys."
According to the HABA, a Hmong-American judge, Thai Vang, was also elected in South Carolina last year. He and the two newly elected Ramsey County judges join three other Hmong-American judges across the country.
"It's so exciting," Vuelo said at Yang's ceremony. "I've always said I may be the first [in Minnesota], but I won't be the last."