A Report of Tibetan People in Minnesota
By: James Lung (Hong Kong) and Rinpo Yak (Tibetan)
Date: 25 September 2013
A Breif Introduction: Tibetan People in USA
Up to June 2013, there are more than 20000 Tibetan people living in USA. More than 7000 of them are living in New York City. Around 1000 of them are living in Washington D.C. and 3000 of them are living in Minnesota (The 2nd largest Tibetan community in USA). Most of them are living in Saint Paul metropolitan area.
Why Minnesota get The 2nd largest Tibetan community in USA?
Before Tibetan people come, Minnesota has already got the multi-ethinc cultures. The large majority of residents are of Scandinavian (32.1%) and German descent (37.9%), with some Asian (4.0%), African (5.4%), and Latin American immigrants and the original Native American inhabitants (1.1%).
It is easy for the people of Minnesota to welcome new friends from different cultures. The population in the state is not very large (only 5,379,139 on July 1, 2012. In May 2013, the state's unemployment rate is only 5.3%.). There are job opportunities for Tibetan people.
The majority of Minnesotans are Protestants. They are happy with other religions of love and mercy, for example, Tibetan Buddhism.
The Encounter of Minnesota and the Tibeatn People
In 1993, 1000 Tibetan people have immigrated to USA from India. 200 of them have settled in Minnesota. They worked in mines, timbering firms, consturction sites, restaurants and cleansing companies.
Up to June 2013, because of the rise of their English standard and academic level, some Tibetan people become doctors and lawyers.
The Tibetan Associations in Minnesota
The Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota and Regional Tibetan Youth Congress Minnesota are the largest Tibetan Associations in the state.
There is a group in the Facebook called: Tibetan-Community Minnesota. It is important to keep in touch with Tibetan people of Minnesota and all around the world via internet.
How Tibetan People keep their cultures in Minnesota
It is difficult for Tibetan people to keep their cultures when they are living in a totally different country for long long time. Yet, they have tried their very best to keep it.
Every Wednesday, many Tibetan people in Minnesota, just like other people in the world, will dress, eat, speak and act in Tibeatn Style, to remind them that they are Tibetan.
All Tibeatn people will have their Green Book issued by CTA to remind them that they are Tibetan. Anywhere they travel, they will keep the Green Book in their hands.
Conculsion: Present Economic Conditions in Minnesota
The per capita personal income in 2008 was $42,772. It is the tenth-highest in the nation and the first among the 36 states not on the Atlantic coast.
The state is rich in raw materials. Tibetan people with other people in the state are able to cooperate and live happily to make their homes rich and peaceful.
