Mandora Young

Mandora Young (b. 1972, Vientiane, Laos) is a Hmong artist and educator specializing in traditional Paj Ntaub (“flower cloth”) textiles. Young first learned this traditional needlework technique from her grandmother and practiced it as a child. In 1979, following the Laotian Civil War, Young and her family immigrated to the United States, and she became a U.S. citizen in 1999. After taking time away from her creative pursuits to raise her children, she returned to Paj Ntaub as an adult and discovered a lack of classes and interest among her community. In 2018, in an effort to revive and maintain this essential part of Hmong cultural identity, Young began teaching her own class. She now teaches many classes and workshops for all ages at libraries and schools, welcoming both Hmong and non-Hmong community members into her classes. Young is committed to passing down the Paj Ntaub cloth embroidery techniques as well as conveying the significance and history of the art form.