Laura Boller – Laurabbeauty LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Laura Boller is a half-Korean American adoptee, born and raised in Minnesota, and the founder and lead artist of Laurabbeauty
Laura Boller – Laurabbeauty LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Laura Boller is a half-Korean American adoptee, born and raised in Minnesota, and the founder and lead artist of Laurabbeauty LLC.
As a hairstylist and makeup artist, she launched her business to bring greater diversity and representation to Minnesota’s wedding industry, with a focus on serving people of color and multicultural couples.
Laura and her team provide on-location hair and makeup services for weddings and special events, earning The Knot Best of Weddings award four years in a row. Through her work, she is committed to creating inclusive beauty experiences and empowering her community.
Mai Chang — Presidential Electric
Small Business Recipient
Presidential Electric is an Asian woman-owned union electrical contractor dedicated to empowering minority workforce
Mai Chang — Presidential Electric
Small Business Recipient
Presidential Electric is an Asian woman-owned union electrical contractor dedicated to empowering minority workforce development and building a more inclusive construction industry. Rooted in community values, we are committed to advancing diversity across the trades while delivering exceptional electrical services. We are excited to grow our business, expand career pathways for underrepresented communities, and strengthen our impact across Minnesota.
Mai Ker Hang — Bread and Fruitee, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Mai Ker Hang was born and raised in a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to the United States
Mai Ker Hang — Bread and Fruitee, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Mai Ker Hang was born and raised in a refugee camp in Thailand and immigrated to the United States in July 2004. She attended school in the U.S., setting goals and pursuing her dreams. In 2011, while still in high school, she launched Fruitee’ N the Cake. After graduating, she enrolled at Saint Paul College, where she earned a degree in Culinary Arts. She then transferred to Metropolitan State University to complete her bachelor’s degree.
Following her graduation, Mai officially brought Fruitee’ N the Cake to life as her first small business. In 2019, she partnered with Bonnie and began renting her kitchen to operate the cake business. In 2023, after Bonnie’s retirement, Mai took over Great Harvest Bread.
Cynthia Lee — Dearest Baker, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Cynthia Lee is the founder and baker behind Dearest Baker Macarons, a dessert brand known for its playful yet elegant French macaron creations.
Cynthia Lee — Dearest Baker, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Cynthia Lee is the founder and baker behind Dearest Baker Macarons, a dessert brand known for its playful yet elegant French macaron creations. A dedicated mother of four and lifelong learner, Cynthia balances entrepreneurship with family life, channeling her creativity and drive into a thriving business. Her bold flavors and imaginative presentations delight customers across events, markets, and wholesale outlets throughout Minnesota. In the summer, she brings her treats to community events in her signature pink food truck, serving macarons, ice cream macs, milkshakes, and refreshing drinks. Cynthia is passionate about continuous growth, community involvement, and supporting others through her work. When she finds time, she enjoys traveling, cruising, and being outdoors with her family.
Kou Lee — Warman MuayThai
Small Business Recipient
Warman MuayThai, based in North Saint Paul, is a Minnesota-grown small business specializing in Muay Thai and Dutch-style kickboxing.
Kou Lee — Warman MuayThai
Small Business Recipient
Warman MuayThai, based in North Saint Paul, is a Minnesota-grown small business specializing in Muay Thai and Dutch-style kickboxing. They offer group classes and one-on-one sessions for kids, teens, and adults, and have trained champions from ages 7 to 45. While not a Hmong gym, Warman MuayThai are proudly Hmong-owned and welcome people of all backgrounds.
Founded in 2012 by Kou Lee—a seasoned fighter with over 15 years of experience—Warman MuayThai focuses on more than just competition. Kou is dedicated to helping individuals grow mentally, socially, and physically, using martial arts as a tool for empowerment and personal development. His work builds confidence, resilience, and community, both in and out of the ring.
Kou’s achievements include Fighter of the Year (2018), multiple Muay Thai titles, and a contract with Glory Kickboxing. Outside the gym, he enjoys time with family, hunting, fishing, and finds joy in helping others succeed.
Jenny & Savio Nguyen — Caphin MPLS
Small Business Recipient
Jenny and Savio Nguyen are the passionate founders of Càphin Mpls, Minneapolis’s first Vietnamese coffee shop.
Jenny & Savio Nguyen — Caphin MPLS
Small Business Recipient
Jenny and Savio Nguyen are the passionate founders of Càphin Mpls, Minneapolis’s first Vietnamese coffee shop. As second-generation Vietnamese Americans, their roots and heritage deeply influence their vision. The idea for Càphin sparked during a 2022 trip to Seattle, where they encountered thriving Vietnamese coffee culture and felt inspired to bring that experience home.
In 2023, they launched a mobile coffee trailer, sharing authentic drinks like cà phê trứng (egg coffee) and the innovative cà phê lá dừa (pandan latte) at local farmers markets. By February 2024, their dream expanded into a permanent location in the Linden Hills neighborhood. Jenny and Savio blend their entrepreneurial spirit with a deep love for Vietnamese traditions, creating a welcoming space that celebrates culture, community, and bold Robusta coffee. Their story is one of love, heritage, and the desire to make meaningful connections—one cup at a time.
Lynn Sando — Sando Wellness and Counseling LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Lynn Woo Yeong Sando, MA, LADC, LPCC, is the founder of Sando Wellness & Counseling, established in 2020 to meet the critical need for culturally responsive mental health care.
Lynn Sando — Sando Wellness and Counseling LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Lynn Woo Yeong Sando, MA, LADC, LPCC, is the founder of Sando Wellness & Counseling, established in 2020 to meet the critical need for culturally responsive mental health care. As a Korean-born, Asian American adoptee, Lynn brings a deeply personal understanding of the systemic disparities that impact marginalized communities—disparities shaped by stigma, discrimination, cultural disconnect, and systems rooted in dominant Western norms. At Sando Wellness, we believe that healing and growth happen when individuals feel seen, heard, and valued in their full identities. As a therapist, Lynn works with clients to uncover and build on their inherent strengths, supporting meaningful change and personal transformation. She specializes in working with individuals and couples, with a particular focus on international and transracial adoptees. Her practice is rooted in a commitment to providing safe, inclusive, and empowering spaces for those seeking both healing and connection.
Lue Thao – Cypher Side LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Lue Thao, also known as “Finisher,” is a Hmong dancer, entrepreneur, and community leader shaping Minnesota’s dance scene.
Lue Thao – Cypher Side LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Lue Thao, also known as “Finisher,” is a Hmong dancer, entrepreneur, and community leader shaping Minnesota’s dance scene. As the founder of Cypher Side Dance School, he has created an inclusive space for over 300 students to learn Breaking, Hip Hop, and K-pop.
A seasoned performer, Lue has appeared in major events including the Super Bowl 52 halftime show and Timberwolves games. He was the first Hmong faculty member to teach street dance at Macalester College. Honored with the HND Catalyst Award and the Minnesota Hmong Chamber’s Business Impact Award, Lue continues to uplift artists and inspire the next generation.
Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vonsay — Funny Asian Women Kollective, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) was founded in 2014 by award-winning artists Naomi Ko, May Lee-Yang, and Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vonsay.
Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vonsay — Funny Asian Women Kollective, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Funny Asian Women Kollective (FAWK) was founded in 2014 by award-winning artists Naomi Ko, May Lee-Yang, and Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vonsay. FAWK’s mission is to use comedy to combat the dehumanization and invisibility of Asian women. This shows up in live stand up comedy, storytelling, sketches, and videos as well as curating professional development opportunities for emerging artists.
FAWK has hosted live comedy shows and programming at The Ordway, The Fitzgerald, The Guthrie, Indigenous Roots, The International Festival of Arts and Ideas, and college and university campuses.
Brian Xiong — Hmong Educational Resources Publisher, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Dr. Brian V. Xiong is a Hmong educator, researcher, author, and entrepreneur dedicated to advancing cultural representation through literature.
Brian Xiong — Hmong Educational Resources Publisher, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Dr. Brian V. Xiong is a Hmong educator, researcher, author, and entrepreneur dedicated to advancing cultural representation through literature. After years of serving as a university professor, he identified a significant gap in the availability of Hmong literature, particularly in children’s books. Motivated by this lack of representation, Dr. Xiong invested his retirement savings to launch a publishing initiative aimed at empowering the Hmong community. In 2017, he founded Hmong Educational Resources (HER) Publisher, a platform committed to elevating Hmong voices and providing publishing opportunities for Hmong students, educators, writers, and artists. Dr. Xiong believes such representation is essential for fostering cultural understanding and enabling all students to see their identities reflected in what they read. HER Publisher has since become a leading independent publishing house focused on Hmong stories, culture, and lived experiences. It offers a wide range of fiction and non-fiction titles across multiple genres and age groups, serving as a vital resource for readers and educators alike within and beyond the Hmong community.
Pagnia Xiong — Pagnia & Co., LLC
Small Business Recipient
Pagnia Xiong is a powerhouse Hmong American singer, creative producer, and entrepreneur redefining what’s possible for women and artists of color.
Pagnia Xiong — Pagnia & Co., LLC
Small Business Recipient
Pagnia Xiong is a powerhouse Hmong American singer, creative producer, and entrepreneur redefining what’s possible for women and artists of color. With a voice that’s inspired global audiences for nearly two decades, she’s broken barriers—from a historic performance at a major U.S. sporting event to producing her own headlining concert at the Ordway.
As CEO of Pagnia & Co LLC, one of the world’s few Hmong woman-owned music businesses, she blends artistry with purpose, using music, storytelling, and speaking to uplift and inspire. In 2025, she launched the Hmong Music Mentorship program to champion the next generation of Hmong talent while her vocal performances continue to move hearts and minds across the world.
Pang Xiong — Project Hmong, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Pang Xiong is a mom, educator and author passionate about preserving the Hmong language and culture.
Pang Xiong — Project Hmong, LLC.
Small Business Recipient
Pang Xiong is a mom, educator and author passionate about preserving the Hmong language and culture. She taught kindergarten through third grade for over 10 years in the Twin Cities Metro. Her students and two young children serve as an inspiration for Project Hmong Children’s Books—an initiative dedicated to celebrating Hmong culture, language, and heritage through children’s literature.
Pang is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She earned her Master of Literacy Education degree from Hamline University, where she received the 2014 Educator Award. She was also recognized with the Exemplary Educator award from the National Association of Multicultural Education in Tucson, Arizona.
Project Hmong Children’s Books has sold and donated over 20,000 copies across the country and around the world, even reaching the countryside of Laos and Thailand. A French edition was recently released as requested by the Hmong-French community.
Kelly Condit-Shrestha Edina Asian American Alliance (EAAA)
Nonprofit Recipient
Dr. Kelly Condit-Shrestha is a Parent Lead in the grassroots, community organization Edina Asian American Alliance (EAAA).
Kelly Condit-Shrestha Edina Asian American Alliance (EAAA)
Nonprofit Recipient
Dr. Kelly Condit-Shrestha is a Parent Lead in the grassroots, community organization Edina Asian American Alliance (EAAA). EAAA was founded April 2022, following a local anti-Asian and antisemitic social media incident that made the rounds online and gained Metro-wide attention. We are a diverse, multi-ethnic, and intergenerational leadership team of students, parents, and community allied in deep commitment to our Asian and Asian American youth and shared vision of an Edina (and Minnesota) culture where all residents feel like they belong. EAAA serves as a vehicle to build relations, empower the community, and support Edina Public Schools (EPS) and the City of Edina to fulfill their missions toward equity and inclusion. Our work falls under Four Pillars: Community Mobilization, Visibility & Understanding, Serving as a Resource, and Building Coalition. We work in solidarity with our allies to combat prejudice, elevate the Asian/Asian American experience, and amplify the good work already underway.
Roshani Dahal — Association of Nepalis in Minnesota
Nonprofit Recipient
The Association of Nepalis in Minnesota (ANMN) was founded in 2004 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to serve the growing Nepali community in Minnesota.
Roshani Dahal — Association of Nepalis in Minnesota
Nonprofit Recipient
The Association of Nepalis in Minnesota (ANMN) was founded in 2004 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to serve the growing Nepali community in Minnesota. ANMN is dedicated to building an enthusiastic, active, and supportive community among Nepalis and friends of Nepal living in Minnesota. ANMN achieves this by organizing cultural events, food festivals, and celebrations such as Dashain, Tihar, and the Nepali New Year, as well as hosting educational seminars and workshops to teach and preserve Nepali culture among our youngest community members. ANMN continues to foster cultural pride, community involvement, and meaningful connections among its 3,800 members (as of Census 2020) in Minnesota and the wider Nepali diaspora.
Pa Nyia Vang — United Hmong with Disabilities
Nonprofit Recipient
United Hmong with Disabilities (UHD) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota, committed to advocating for the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of Hmong individuals with disabilities
Pa Nyia Vang — United Hmong with Disabilities
Nonprofit Recipient
United Hmong with Disabilities (UHD) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minnesota, committed to advocating for the rights, inclusion, and empowerment of Hmong individuals with disabilities. As the only Hmong-led disability organization in the United States, UHD works at the intersection of disability justice, racial equity, and cultural organizing to amplify the voices of Hmong youth and adults with disabilities and their families. UHD’s mission is to build a disability justice movement within the Hmong community to create a future that is inclusive of Hmong people with disabilities.
Chao Yang — Hmong Public Health Association
Nonprofit Recipient
The Hmong Public Health Association (HPHA) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health equity, policy advocacy, and professional development within the Hmong and broader Asian American communities.
Chao Yang — Hmong Public Health Association
Nonprofit Recipient
The Hmong Public Health Association (HPHA) is a Minnesota-based nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health equity, policy advocacy, and professional development within the Hmong and broader Asian American communities. Founded to address the unique public health needs of Hmong populations, HPHA leads initiatives focused on data transparency, culturally responsive health education, and systemic policy change.
Through community-driven research, leadership development programs, and cross-sector partnerships, HPHA empowers individuals and communities to influence public health decision-making and address disparities. By building a strong network of public health professionals and advocating for disaggregated data and inclusive policies, HPHA is creating lasting impact at the local, state, and national levels.
Isabella Dawis
Individual Recipient
Isabella Dawis is a Filipina-American writer and performer from Minneapolis
Isabella Dawis
Individual Recipient
Isabella Dawis is a Filipina-American writer and performer from Minneapolis. A 2023-25 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow and a 2026 Artist-in-Residence at Loghaven, Isabella is the recipient of the Kleban Prize in Musical Theatre for librettists, the Fred Ebb Award for musical theater songwriting, the Weston-Ghostlight New Musical Award, and the American Opera Project’s Composers and the Voice Fellowship. Her work has been presented and supported by the 5th Avenue Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, Ten Thousand Things, Theater Mu, the Kurt Weill Foundation, Berkeley Repertory Theater, the Atlanta Opera, Weston Theater Company, Tofte Lake Center, Ancram Center for the Arts, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat, and the O’Neill Center, among others. She has appeared onstage with the Guthrie Theater, the Center for Contemporary Opera, the Minnesota Opera, Theater Mu, the Jungle Theatre, New Ohio Theatre, and many more. Isabella is also a member of the rock band Kiss the Tiger (keys and vocals). www.isabelladawis.com
Cathryn Nakhornsak
Individual Recipient
Cathryn (Cat) Nakhornsak is deeply rooted in communal values, shaped by her upbringing in rural Minnesota,
Cathryn Nakhornsak
Individual Recipient
Cathryn (Cat) Nakhornsak is deeply rooted in communal values, shaped by her upbringing in rural Minnesota, where she grew up in small town Worthington, experiencing rapid change and an influx of refugee and immigrant families. As a first-generation child of Lao immigrants, Cat learned to navigate both mainstream systems and the complex life of an immigrant household.
She honors history and tradition while remaining deeply attuned to the needs of today’s generation and the evolving dynamics of current events. Through her work in youth programming and community organizing with Equity Alliance MN, Girls on the Run, and the Lao Center, Cat shows up with care and compassion, makes space for genuine connections and leads by example, truly understanding the collective power of people. Her love language is cooking and sharing meals with folks, grounded in communal values that uplift those around her. Cat will return to her hometown to further the work in supporting the Laos and Southeast Asian communities.
Pete K. Wong
Individual Recipient
Pete K. Wong is a speaker and facilitator, a “Leadership Motivator,” redefining pain and self-mastery for young leaders through radical change.
Pete K. Wong
Individual Recipient
Pete K. Wong is a speaker and facilitator, a “Leadership Motivator,” redefining pain and self-mastery for young leaders through radical change. He emphasizes the importance of leading with authenticity, vulnerability, and empathy. Pete utilizes the techniques and principles found in his expertise in boxing, mixed martial arts, yoga, meditation, acting, and being a filmmaker.
Awarded ’40 Alumni Who’ve Made a Difference’ at Metropolitan State University, his alma mater, Pete strives to make every event and opportunity fun, playful, and engaging, sprinkled with moments of education and transformation.
Currently, Pete serves on the board as a member at large with MNTRIO, a federal outreach and student services program designed to identify and provide services that support and further students’ educational endeavors.
Nancy Xiong
Individual Recipient
Nancy Xiong is a Hmong American dancer and educator, born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Nancy Xiong
Individual Recipient
Nancy Xiong is a Hmong American dancer and educator, born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She began her dance journey with Traditional Hmong dance and discovered a passion for Hip Hop during her college years. This inspired her to explore various styles within Hip Hop, where she developed a strong understanding of its history and foundation.
Nancy is currently the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Elite Family Dance Company, now in its 11th season. The company focuses on training, mentoring, and competitions, with notable achievements including 1st place at the Great Indian Dance Off (GIDO) in 2025, 1st place at the Minnesota State Fair Talent Show in 2021 & guest performer at World of Dance Live. In addition to her director role, Nancy teaches at multiple studios in the Twin Cities and other regions. Outside of her professional life, Nancy is a proud mother of two, balancing her dedication to dance with her role.
Learn more about CAAL Ignite
CAAL Ignite invests in emerging entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits with innovative ideas and initiatives that strengthen our community and create lasting impact.