Learning from Place: Little Mekong Cultural District
May 29, 2026
Overview
Once
Saint Paul’s Little Mekong Cultural District invites participants into a vibrant Southeast Asian cultural corridor shaped by migration, resilience, and entrepreneurship along University Avenue.
- Beginning at XIA Books & Cafe, participants are welcomed by community leader Va-Megn Thoj, who grounds the journey in the story of the Mekong River and its connection to identity and place, while guiding the group through the neighborhood.
- Along the walk, participants encounter the bold, colorful murals by local artist Kao Lee Thao, hear reflections on the Vietnamese refugee experience, and learn how community-rooted organizations continue to support families across generations. The experience comes alive through the sights and smells of a Lao owned local grocery store, where participants sample exotic fruits and learn about favorite rice and fish sauce brands, along with staple ingredients.
- At the Hmong Cultural Center, participants deepen their understanding of heritage through storytelling and the sound of the qeej, a traditional Hmong instrument whose breath and movement carry ancestral voice and ceremony.
- The journey continues through local Cambodian and Thai restaurants, where dishes such as somlaw kao kou, a savory Cambodian soup with green papaya, eggplant, and pumpkin, evoke memories, family traditions, and stories of food across generations and borders.
This experience is presented in collaboration with Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA), a non-profit organization whose mission is to create economic and cultural opportunities for Twin Cities Asian American.
Learning from Place: Little Mekong Cultural District
Admission
$35
Learning from Place: Little Mekong Cultural District422 University Ave W
Saint Paul, MN 55103
