Scene + Heard: Hmong Women Achieving Together

White linen, highlighted by pink uplighting, draped the ceiling and mirrored walls of the DS Event Center in St. Paul for annual fundraiser of Hnub Tshiab Hmong Women Achieving Together. Hnub Tshiab (pronounced "noo chia") means "new day" in Hmong, and it's meant to highlight the organization's bilingual, bicultural service to the Hmong community. A silent auction and hors d'oeuvres kicked off the evening, which closed with keynote speaker Kabzuag Vaj, a domestic abuse advocate working to address abusive international marriages. The more than $6,000 raised at the event goes toward programs that improve the lives of Hmong women and girls through social, institutional and cultural change.