The Center's 45th Anniversary Celebration

Spend an evening with one of America's most celebrated refugee voices, as we celebrate 45 years of The Center welcoming newcomers to the Mohawk Valley.

Thursday, November 12, 2026 · 5:30pm · Munson, 310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY

Kao Kalia Yang was born in Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand after her Hmong family fled war in Laos, and arrived in Minnesota at age six. Her memoir The Latehomecomer was the first Hmong-authored book to reach national distribution. Her later works include The Song Poet, Somewhere in the Unknown World: A Collective Refugee Memoir, and Where Rivers Part, recognized by the National Book Critics Circle and the Chautauqua Prize, among others.

About the Evening

The evening includes a talk, audience Q&A, and a book signing. In 45 years, beginning as the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, The Center has resettled 18,000 refugees from 37 countries in our region. Your sponsorship brings this conversation to Utica and supports the language, employment, and community services that help newcomers thrive.

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