Fans line parade route to honor Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee

source url: https://www.twincities.com/2021/08/08/fans-line-parade-route-to-honor-olympic-gold-medalist-suni-lee/

Maly Yang traveled 735 miles so her two children would have an opportunity to see Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee in person on Sunday. Yang, the mother of Jolie, 7, and Chance, 5, was among thousands of fans who lined White Bear Avenue on Sunday to honor Lee, 18, of St. Paul. Ong Lee and her five siblings came to the parade dressed in traditional Hmong outfits. Having a Hmong American win a gold medal at the Olympics "Means everything to us because we feel like we are finally being seen and known," Lee said. In an interview before the parade, Lee said she was proud to represent the Hmong American community at the Olympics. The program included numerous Hmong singers, dancers, artists and writers, including author Kao Kalia Yang who said Lee "Tumbled herself to the world's mightiest stage." "In the world before Sunisa Lee, American Olympians and world medalists did not come from communities like ours. That world tumbled and fell when Sunisa Lee went to Olympics and became the all-around best female gymnast in the world. You have changed the way the world sees us and the way we see ourselves. Thank you for showing us that there are no impossible stories."