Elk Grove candidate criticized Hmong ‘clans men.’ New community group demands apology

A newly formed group representing the Hmong community is calling out Elk Grove Unified School District Trustee Bobbie Singh-Allen over comments and other statements made about the ethnic group on social media.

The group called Hmong American Kinship sent a letter to the school board accusing Singh-Allen of violating its code of ethics and asking for her to apologize and resign for mischaracterizing the Hmong culture.

Singh-Allen immediately dismissed the group’s allegations as a proxy attack by Elk Grove Mayor Steve Ly who she is challenging for the position of mayor.

“I haven’t said anything disparaging to the Hmong community. We have a very diverse school district. I have the utmost respect for all cultures,” Singh-Allen said in an interview with The Bee. “My comments are directed at him (Ly) and his associates, and to drag in a beautiful culture and community is a disservice to them. I’m not going to participate in that game.”

In June, Singh-Allen wrote about the unfolding scandal surrounding Ly, who had just been accused of trying to pressure his former campaign manager into removing critical statements from Facebook. Ly appealed to the community’s Hmong clan system, a centuries-old body used for dispute resolution, which tried to intervene on his behalf.

Singh-Allen said in her Facebook post that she saw similarities based on prior experience with Ly when she was first appointed to the school board.

“Days following the appointment, Ly and his clans men tried to come after me,” Singh-Allen wrote on Facebook, adding that she also received anonymous calls and texts. “They contacted the District to find out how to contest the appointment and petition to have it overturned.”

Some people criticized the post online which equated Ly’s political supporters with the Hmong clan system’s mediation process. The organization said Singh-Allen painted the culture with a broad brush in that statement and other comments in which she said the clan system was “a controlling and intimidating system used to attack and silence these women,” according to the Elk Grove Citizen.

The Facebook post was limited to Singh-Allen’s friends after people denounced her comments, her campaign said. Pablo Espinoza, Singh-Allen’s campaign manager, characterized some of the comments as “victim shaming” by Ly’s supporters. The comment describing the clan system as “controlling” cannot be found in any of her Facebook statements but Singh-Allen stands behind the sentiment, he said.

Kou T. Xiong, an attorney speaking on behalf of Hmong American kinship, said members of the Hmong community felt some of Singh-Allen’s comments were uninformed and biased.

“She spoke some very harmful, negative and derogatory words about the Hmong people, and we don’t feel like it’s appropriate from a public official who has responsibility over a large population of the community — policies and politics aside,” Xiong said.

A school district spokeswoman said they are reviewing the comments.

Group claims no ties to Mayor Ly

Until recently, the Hmong American Kinship group did not exist; its letter was sent about one week after Singh-Allen announced her candidacy for mayor. But Xiong said the group has no ties to Ly.

“We have nothing to do with Steve Ly. The politics between Steve Ly or his political enemies, that is their problem. Just don’t drag the Hmong community into it.”

Even so, campaign finance records show Xiong’s Sacramento-based law office donated at least $250 to Ly’s 2014 campaign for Elk Grove City Council.

Hmong American Kinship has no presence online. It’s not registered as a nonprofit, corporation, or limited liability company. Xiong said several people are involved but he was not authorized to share names.

While it was created in response to the politics in Elk Grove, Xiong said community members were more concerned with having a voice to call out public officials and inform the community about the culture. He said they’ve formed a five-person executive committee and will formally organize in the near future.

The Hmong have organized in clans for centuries, usually a group of families that share the same last name. In some places where large numbers of Hmong reside, a formal clan system or council helps resolve conflicts, among other things, like Minnesota’s Hmong 18 Council.

“We established this organization so that we have a basis of coordinating and then working to help educate our elected officials and public officials or people who have influence in our community,” Xiong said.