Hmong people with dementia sing in harmony in new Twin Cities choir
Some of the members of CAPI USA's Hmong folk choir sing together in Brooklyn Center. The group formed in December 2023 to provide a space for community and expression for Hmong community members with dementia. Their first concert is Friday.
Courtesy of Nancy Lor
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If you’ve ever been with a person living with dementia, especially in the later stages of the disease, one of the most amazing things to note is that one of the thing the disease doesn’t take away is the enjoyment of music.
There are choral groups specifically designed for folks with living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias and their caregivers. There are several in Minnesota, including what may be the newest one, The Hmong Folk Choir.
It’s organized by the non-profit CAPI USA in Brooklyn Center. Hmong Cultural Specialist Nancy Lor launched the choir back in December and their first concert is Friday. She joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
CATHY WURZER: I can tell you that if you've ever been with a person living with dementia, especially in the later stages of the disease, one of the most amazing things to note is that one of the things that the disease doesn't take away is the enjoyment of music. I speak from experience on that one. My dad had a type of dementia and couldn't speak, but could sing every word of every Johnny Cash song. And he loved it.
There are choral groups specifically designed for folks living with Alzheimer's and other dementias and their caregivers. There are several in Minnesota, including what may be the newest one. There's the Giving Voice Chorus and the Hmong Folk Choir organized by the nonprofit CAPI USA in Brooklyn Center. Hmong cultural specialist Nancy Lor launched the choir back in December their first concert is tomorrow, and Nancy's on the line. Thanks for joining us.
NANCY LOR: Yes. Thank you, Cathy. Thank you for having me here today. Yeah. We do have our first community performance tomorrow. So whoever is in the area, feel free to stop by, grab a bite to eat, and see what we're all about.
CATHY WURZER: Well, I've noticed, Nancy, especially folks working with those who are living with dementia, there's always a personal story. Do you have a personal story that sparked your interest in getting this choir started?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. So I don't have a personal story. But however, growing up, being Hmong growing up, just having parents that are immigrants, and being in refugee camps as well, just being able to give back to my community and offering resources for the seniors where there may be a lack of resources, for example-- mental health issues aren't really talked about in the Hmong community. So just being able to provide a safe space for Hmong seniors to come together once a week to just express themselves freely through music, so that's what really drove me to really get into this position and open up a space for these seniors to come to.
CATHY WURZER: So you've been just in existence for, what, three months, I think, right?
NANCY LOR: Yes. Correct.
CATHY WURZER: What have you heard from members of the choir and their families about what they're getting out of this?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. So I've asked them a few times. We've had a few interviews with a few newspapers as well. So based off of what the clients have been telling me, it's a safe space for them to come to. So we meet once every week on Fridays for about two hours, give or take.
A lot of them have expressed that they have a space to freely express themselves through music. So in the Hmong culture, our folk music, it's more so of-- so I'm going to pronounce it in Hmong-- it's called [NON-ENGLISH]. And it's more so of a kind of like a poetry kind of freestyle type of music.
So it's a space for them to come together and freestyle a little bit, connect through music. It has a space for them to come together and decreases isolation for the dementia clients.
CATHY WURZER: What about family members? Does it give them a break?
NANCY LOR: Oh, most definitely, yes. With a lot of our clients, a lot of them have expressed that they don't live with family members. So I don't really have the chance to really talk to the caregivers. But then a lot of them do have friends or other family members who do come by their homes and provide caregiving services for them.
A lot of them have expressed that they don't live with their caregivers, though. But most definitely, yes. With the choir, they are more than welcome to have their caregivers come and join the choir as well just for a sense of comfortability as well.
CATHY WURZER: Say, let's talk a little bit about the concert, if we could. We have a clip of the song the choir will be singing at its first performance this weekend, and I hope I don't mess up the pronunciation here. This is by the artist Macy Hawj. Let's listen.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
Tell me about this song. What's it about?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, most definitely. So the song is talking about a past loved one-- talking about just kind of general love music that you hear today. Just saying things like, I love you so much, but you don't see my worth.
In the Hmong community, a lot of the times, it is taboo to talk about relationships in the Hmong community, in the Hmong culture as well. So expressing themselves romantically through music is most definitely helpful for the seniors and the clients.
CATHY WURZER: So they're going to perform this song, which sounds lovely. What else will folks be performing at the concert?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. A lot of them, so they will all be singing this song together. And then a lot of them do have their own individual songs that they will be performing as well tomorrow. A lot of these songs that they will be performing are freestyle.
So I'm super excited to hear it. I'm sure they are excited to perform it, as well as being nervous. But I'm happy to see all the hard work that they've been putting into this choir for the past two months come to life tomorrow.
CATHY WURZER: I bet it's really wonderful to see choir members connect with some of their memories and their communities through some of these songs.
NANCY LOR: Most definitely. I think in the beginning of the choir, a lot of them were really to themselves and really shy. And that's completely understandable. But I think what's really important is just getting to know each and every one of them and their backstory, getting to know what is important to them, what they value, and then just kind of incorporating that into the music that we do sing in the choir.
CATHY WURZER: So what advice, final question, do you have for anyone listening that might be in another community, be it maybe Latino or other BIPOC community who might want to do something similar to what you're doing. Any advice for them?
NANCY LOR: For. Sure I think the biggest advice is to be culturally accepting. So just kind of based off of what kind of background, ethnicity that you are working with, just being culturally aware. That way, you are more-- sometimes just being aware of what's sensitive to them, what's sensitive to their culture, and just kind of incorporating that into the sessions or making sure to not include certain things into sessions that may trigger them in a way.
CATHY WURZER: Where will the concert be held tomorrow?
NANCY LOR: Yes, for sure. It will be right at CAPI USA located in Brooklyn Center.
CATHY WURZER: All right, Nancy, thank you for joining us.
NANCY LOR: Thank you so much for having me. Appreciate it.
CATHY WURZER: Nancy Lor is the Hmong cultural specialist at CAPI USA. As she mentioned, that's a Brooklyn Center nonprofit serving immigrants and refugees. She leads the organization's Hmong folk choir. They'll be performing for the first time tomorrow evening 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
There are choral groups specifically designed for folks living with Alzheimer's and other dementias and their caregivers. There are several in Minnesota, including what may be the newest one. There's the Giving Voice Chorus and the Hmong Folk Choir organized by the nonprofit CAPI USA in Brooklyn Center. Hmong cultural specialist Nancy Lor launched the choir back in December their first concert is tomorrow, and Nancy's on the line. Thanks for joining us.
NANCY LOR: Yes. Thank you, Cathy. Thank you for having me here today. Yeah. We do have our first community performance tomorrow. So whoever is in the area, feel free to stop by, grab a bite to eat, and see what we're all about.
CATHY WURZER: Well, I've noticed, Nancy, especially folks working with those who are living with dementia, there's always a personal story. Do you have a personal story that sparked your interest in getting this choir started?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. So I don't have a personal story. But however, growing up, being Hmong growing up, just having parents that are immigrants, and being in refugee camps as well, just being able to give back to my community and offering resources for the seniors where there may be a lack of resources, for example-- mental health issues aren't really talked about in the Hmong community. So just being able to provide a safe space for Hmong seniors to come together once a week to just express themselves freely through music, so that's what really drove me to really get into this position and open up a space for these seniors to come to.
CATHY WURZER: So you've been just in existence for, what, three months, I think, right?
NANCY LOR: Yes. Correct.
CATHY WURZER: What have you heard from members of the choir and their families about what they're getting out of this?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. So I've asked them a few times. We've had a few interviews with a few newspapers as well. So based off of what the clients have been telling me, it's a safe space for them to come to. So we meet once every week on Fridays for about two hours, give or take.
A lot of them have expressed that they have a space to freely express themselves through music. So in the Hmong culture, our folk music, it's more so of-- so I'm going to pronounce it in Hmong-- it's called [NON-ENGLISH]. And it's more so of a kind of like a poetry kind of freestyle type of music.
So it's a space for them to come together and freestyle a little bit, connect through music. It has a space for them to come together and decreases isolation for the dementia clients.
CATHY WURZER: What about family members? Does it give them a break?
NANCY LOR: Oh, most definitely, yes. With a lot of our clients, a lot of them have expressed that they don't live with family members. So I don't really have the chance to really talk to the caregivers. But then a lot of them do have friends or other family members who do come by their homes and provide caregiving services for them.
A lot of them have expressed that they don't live with their caregivers, though. But most definitely, yes. With the choir, they are more than welcome to have their caregivers come and join the choir as well just for a sense of comfortability as well.
CATHY WURZER: Say, let's talk a little bit about the concert, if we could. We have a clip of the song the choir will be singing at its first performance this weekend, and I hope I don't mess up the pronunciation here. This is by the artist Macy Hawj. Let's listen.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[NON-ENGLISH SINGING]
Tell me about this song. What's it about?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, most definitely. So the song is talking about a past loved one-- talking about just kind of general love music that you hear today. Just saying things like, I love you so much, but you don't see my worth.
In the Hmong community, a lot of the times, it is taboo to talk about relationships in the Hmong community, in the Hmong culture as well. So expressing themselves romantically through music is most definitely helpful for the seniors and the clients.
CATHY WURZER: So they're going to perform this song, which sounds lovely. What else will folks be performing at the concert?
NANCY LOR: Yeah, for sure. A lot of them, so they will all be singing this song together. And then a lot of them do have their own individual songs that they will be performing as well tomorrow. A lot of these songs that they will be performing are freestyle.
So I'm super excited to hear it. I'm sure they are excited to perform it, as well as being nervous. But I'm happy to see all the hard work that they've been putting into this choir for the past two months come to life tomorrow.
CATHY WURZER: I bet it's really wonderful to see choir members connect with some of their memories and their communities through some of these songs.
NANCY LOR: Most definitely. I think in the beginning of the choir, a lot of them were really to themselves and really shy. And that's completely understandable. But I think what's really important is just getting to know each and every one of them and their backstory, getting to know what is important to them, what they value, and then just kind of incorporating that into the music that we do sing in the choir.
CATHY WURZER: So what advice, final question, do you have for anyone listening that might be in another community, be it maybe Latino or other BIPOC community who might want to do something similar to what you're doing. Any advice for them?
NANCY LOR: For. Sure I think the biggest advice is to be culturally accepting. So just kind of based off of what kind of background, ethnicity that you are working with, just being culturally aware. That way, you are more-- sometimes just being aware of what's sensitive to them, what's sensitive to their culture, and just kind of incorporating that into the sessions or making sure to not include certain things into sessions that may trigger them in a way.
CATHY WURZER: Where will the concert be held tomorrow?
NANCY LOR: Yes, for sure. It will be right at CAPI USA located in Brooklyn Center.
CATHY WURZER: All right, Nancy, thank you for joining us.
NANCY LOR: Thank you so much for having me. Appreciate it.
CATHY WURZER: Nancy Lor is the Hmong cultural specialist at CAPI USA. As she mentioned, that's a Brooklyn Center nonprofit serving immigrants and refugees. She leads the organization's Hmong folk choir. They'll be performing for the first time tomorrow evening 5:00 to 7:00 PM.
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