Leading the way is Sunisa Lee, who became an Olympic sensation in gymnastics with her historic all-around victory in Tokyo 2020. The Hmong American community in Minnesota, where Lee was raised, took immense pride in her win. Together with 2012 all-around winner Gabby Douglas and 2016 Olympic all-around champion Simone Biles, Lee is ready to make competition history this Olympic year on the U.S. Classic stage.

Beyond the allure of the gold alloy, Lee’s example was pioneering in her culture, which considered athletics as frivolous, especially for women who were deemed to be better off learning how to cook at home. However, Sunisa Lee’s father’s stubborn faith in his daughter is what brought greater recognition to the Hmong community. As she prepares to defend her title in Paris, let’s delve into the rich heritage of the Hmong people that Sunisa Lee might be making proud this year.

All about Sunisa Lee’s roots and lesser-known ethnicity

Born on March 9, 2003, Sunisa Lee was brought up by her mother Yeev Thoj, and her husband John Lee. She was raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, a city that has an abundance of Hmong immigrants who settled here after the outbreak of the Vietnam War in 1975.

John Lee and Yeev Thoj, Suni’s parents, fled the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia—Laos—when they were young children when their family was fighting for the United States during the conflict there. They traveled to refugee camps in Thailand across the Mekong River and then traveled to the St. Paul region, which is now home to the largest population of Hmong residents compared to any other American city.

John rebelled against the community’s belief that women should stay at home when Suni developed an interest in gymnastics. He ultimately built a wooden balance beam for young Suni in the backyard, gave her inspiring talks, and went to all of her competitions. At 6, she trained in a gymnastics facility north of St. Paul, Minnesota.

At first, a lot of people in the Hmong community opposed Suni’s participation in gymnastics. Then tragically, in August 2019, John Lee suffered a paralysis. But that hardly dented his resolve to see his kid make it on the biggest stage. John told the New York Times following her 2021 Olympic victory, “People say the United States is the land of opportunity, and I’m living proof of that.” He added, “For my kid, a Hmong girl, to be on the world stage, winning a gold medal, it’s just the best feeling ever.” The three-time Olympic medalist claimed that her parents had stayed up late to watch her compete.

Upon learning about Suni becoming the first Hmong American to compete and win at the Olympics, Toua Xiong, a Hmong businessman, said, “We’re so, so, so proud of her.” Before settling in the United States, where many members of his community were placed on public assistance and taught English, Xiong spent four years on the run in the Laotian forest. His story resonates with many Hmong members. Now, a curious question arises: Does the Hmong community representative at the Tokyo Olympics speak her native language?

Does the gymnast’s family speak the Hmong language?

At a press conference, Sunisa Lee shared a brief message with her Hmong-speaking fans. A Hmong reporter questioned Lee about how she believed her success would benefit the Hmong and Asian communities. Lee said, “Do I say it in Hmong or in —,” and then burst out laughing. “I don’t think I can say it. You guys are going to laugh at me.” The gymnast proceeded to say, “Hello, my name is Sunisa Lee,” in Hmong. She then continued to speak in English, “I just want to say thank you for all your support.” In later interviews, Lee talked about the support she had received from the Minnesota Hmong community, who she said “sacrificed a lot” for her.

Sunisa Lee will compete in the upcoming U.S. Classic, which is scheduled for May 18 in Hartford, Connecticut, according to a recent announcement from USA Gymnastics. But will she climb the podium to increase her medal collection? The excitement is palpable as more gymnastics jewels are on the mats than ever!