Wisconsin State Capitol celebrates heritage month with Hmong cloth exhibits

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The Hmong women’s story cloth exhibit is displayed in the State Capitol to celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month.

May is Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The Women’s Council partnered with The Hmong Institute to celebrate Hmong culture and recognize women’s stories.

The two organizations started a project in 2022 to better understand the experiences of elder Hmong women during the COVID-19 pandemic. They captured the women’s history and stories by creating ‘story cloths.’

Three story cloth quilt panels that were created during an ethnographic and art therapy project will be shown in the exhibit titled, Resiliency: Hmong Women’s Mental Health Journeys During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The story cloths will also be showcased alongside video interviews with women who created the story cloths.

The exhibit will be free to view on the first-floor rotunda through June 9 during the Capitol’s open hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.