Graphic design student Thomas Lee took this student while studying abroad in Southeast Asia. He is the 2014-2015 St. Cloud State Education Abroad photo contest winner.
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“The Mekong River, the river that was hope for my people, the Hmong. My parents crossed the Mekong River from Laos to Thailand from the secret genocide that many do not know about. This photo means the world to me knowing that my parents crossed it and went through blood and tears to get me to where I am today.
Today I stand as a proud man, to be called Hmong and knowing that my family went through all the horrors to have a better life. It has made me grateful for the things I have and the things I do not have.
As I stared at the river all I could think about was my parents, my grandparents and everyone who had to cross that river just to escape for a better life. It’s more than a river to me, it is a sign of hope.”
