SacBee - Mai Vang ‘ready for the challenge’ of being first Hmong woman on Sacramento City Council

Vang has long roots in the community, having grown up in Meadowview to a low-income family of Hmong refugees, and is the oldest of 16 siblings. 

“I know what it’s like to grow up in poverty,” Vang said.

District 8, which she will represent, is one of the city’s most ethnically diverse council districts. It includes the south Sacramento neighborhoods of Meadowview, Parkway, North Laguna Creek and Jacinto Creek.

“It’s important to have leaders that reflect who they serve,” Vang said. “I’m proud of that. I am gonna be unapologetically Hmong and Asian American.”

She’s proud of the way her community showed up during her campaign, Vang said, with Hmong aunts and elders cooking for volunteers and doing outreach, including those that didn’t speak English.

Having Asian American representation in local government is important to show residents someone from their community can hold power, influencing government decisions and passing policies, said Dr. Richard Pan, a California state senator.

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