Our Stories

Hmong New Year honors the ancestors and spirits and gives thanks for the completion of the year’s harvest. Vue and his mother Khouthao, and father Xang, celebrate Hmong New Year through prayer, celebration, and participating in a ritual Hu Plig, which is a soul calling ritual. Hu Plig rituals are conducted throughout the year to call to the spirit or soul to come back to the body. Any event, like a car crash, or sickness, can confuse or startle the soul so it is important to perform Hu Plig to remind it of its physical home.

Liam is four years old and started school in September. It has helped him make tremendous progress in his development. Prior to school, he was non-verbal but now can speak words like “sit” and “truck” which also showcases some of his interests. Liam is infatuated with trucks and cars and any time he sees a vehicle that sparks his interests outside, he likes to check it out. He even carries a small toy truck or car with him in his hands wherever he goes.

Lyndsey is proud to work on the onsite laundry service for Thunder Valley Casino and Resort as an employee of PRIDE Industries. She began her position in 2020, during the pandemic which required a very intensive cleaning service for all the linens the hotel guests use. Even now, the cleaning process is extensive, and the quality checks required to ensure the freshest of linens are something Lyndsey diligently adheres to.

James began his career at PRIDE Industries in December 2021 as a job coach. He is instrumental in guiding clients through daily tasks for their jobs and helps them understand the tasks assigned to clients during their workdays. James provides support to a group of clients who are employed at Thunder Valley and acts as a liaison for the clients and the employer.

Nancy has had a robust career that enabled her to experience and serve people from all walks of life. She began her education with a Bachelor’s in journalism and minored in criminal justice. Nancy continued her education with a Master’s from Arizona State University in criminal justice. During the time she studied, Nancy also served as an intern parole agent where she learned about prisoner safety and security, along with how to handle dangerous situations. She enjoyed the shadowing opportunity it provided her and piqued her interest to continue.

Matthew discovered his passion for writing in 2013 while in high school after participating in a writing contest. In three days, he wrote 11 pages and received an A+ for his work and found something that makes him happy to do. Matthew is fascinated by history, and science fiction (sci-fi) and will frequently write about historical events in a fiction-based story.

Laraine first became a foster parent in 2010 after taking in two distantly related family members, Sophia, and Brent. She and her husband, Orlando, would formally adopt them on August 17, 2010, seven days after welcoming the birth of their firstborn son on August 10. Although they were excited and happy to bring in their two adopted children into the family, they quickly realized they would having a learning curve after discovering that both Sophia and Brent had developmental disabilities.

At 16 years old, Melinda was in a car accident and hospitalized. She was pronounced brain dead and conversations were initiated about what the next steps were as she was on life support. All seemed hopeless and her family prepared to grieve. However, Melinda’s sister had caught out of the corner of her eye Melinda’s hand moving. Startled and curious, the sister grabbed Melinda’s hand and “listened.” Melinda was finger spelling “hurt” onto the palm of her sister’s hand over and over.

Michael is the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist at Alta California Regional Center. He began the position in February 2024, but he has a lifetime of experience as a member of the deaf community. He recognizes the value of having a deaf person available to deaf and hard of hearing clients because he understands the unique cultural components of the community.