Hello

Starting in May 2019, The Urban Village opened the doors of its culturally relevant community space for community-led programs. With bamboo walls, artifacts, a mural, and art the Urban Village promotes cultural heritage and preservation in its very being. Sharing this space and our resources with community-led programming gives these programs and their leaders fertile soil to grow, launching them beyond what they would have been able to accomplish without Village support.

The Urban Village is a grassroots, Knyaw (Karen) and Karenni community based non-profit located on the East Side of St. Paul. While the work of the Urban Village has been informally occurring since 2012, we officially acquired our culturally relevant community space and our 501c3 status in 2019. This Village was born from our community's expressed need for our youth to have a space to remain connected with their cultural heritage, navigate new nuanced identities, and prepare for bright futures in a newly resettled location. At The Urban Village, we envision a generation of Knyaw and Karenni youth developing for lives of love, leadership, and flourishing that not only contribute to our broader Minnesota community but also lend themselves to the restoration of their ancestral homeland. We offer our intentional accompaniment, as well as programs that encourage youth to connect with and navigate their intersecting identities, receive academic support through tutoring, explore college and career opportunities, receive 1:1 mentorship from an intentionally paired member of our community, and grow our community’s access to MN state parks and the BWCA.

The Urban Village exists to accompany Knyaw and Karenni youth as they connect, heal, and launch. Through intentionally designed academic, cultural, and social-emotional support programs, the Urban Village is committed to working with youth as they direct their futures and become their ancestors' wildest dreams.

our Story

Our mission is

"To accompany emerging generations of Knyaw and Karenni youth as they connect, heal, and launch"

At The Urban Village, we know our mission requires a village. We hope that you'll Join ours. Eh Pah Doh (Big Love).

MEET OUR STAFF

We are the leaders of The Urban Village. Get to know a little more about us!

Director of Operations

Carly Miller

Carly brings a strong foundation in education to her role at Urban Village. With seven years of experience as a High School Educator and Volleyball Coach, she has demonstrated a commitment to student development and community engagement. Her work has been particularly focused on the K'Nyaw and Karenni communities, where she led cultural clubs during her teaching tenure.

Carly served on the board of directors for Urban Village for three years before transitioning to her current role as Director of Operations. In this capacity, she is responsible for fundraising, administrative oversight, grant writing, and ensuring youth success and support. She specializes in college readiness programs, aiming to empower students for future academic pursuits.

Passionate about building connections, Carly actively collaborates with local school districts and higher education institutions to enhance academic support and mentoring for youth programs. Her dedication to fostering educational opportunities reflects her commitment to making a positive impact for our K'Nyaw and Karenni youth.

Co-Executive Director

Kaziah Josiah

Kaziah was born in Thailand in 1995 and immigrated to Minnesota as a refugee in 2004. She earned a BA in Political Science and Economics from St. Olaf College. Previously, she worked as a Community Engagement Specialist with the Saint Paul Police Department, where she focused on strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the Asian community in Saint Paul. She currently serves on the board of the Karen Organization of Minnesota

Kaziah's passion for working with immigrants and refugee families is deeply rooted in her own experiences. As a member of the Knyaw community, she grew up navigating the complexities of multiple cultural identities. These experiences fostered her drive to advocate for others facing similar challenges.

In 2021, she founded the Asian Youth Outreach program to address the opioid and chemical dependency crisis, providing support to at-risk youth in the community. Her commitment to youth accompaniment remains a core focus of her work.

Co-Executive Director

Jesse Phenow

Jesse was first introduced to the Karen community in 2011 when he was paired with a recently resettled family of 9.Growing in kinship with this family, Jesse soon became an active ally of the Karen community. He became a supporting partner of Karen-led initiatives, art, celebrations, programs, etc. within the local Karen community in St. Paul. Jesse founded The Urban Village alongside the community in 2019. In the last 10 years, he has strengthened relationships with Karen communities locally and across the globe.

Community Leader/ Mentor

Oo Meh

My name is Oo Meh, and I am a proud Karenni from a refugee camp in Thailand. Since my family relocated to the U.S. in 2009, I have dedicated myself to uplifting the Karenni community through my studies in Family Social Science at the University of Minnesota. As a community leader and mentor, I strive to create spaces where our identity is not only remembered but also celebrated and enjoyed by all.

Community Leader/Mentor

Tu Lor Eh Paw

My name is Tu Lor Eh Paw. I was born in a small village called Peh Plo Khee, Kawthoolei. I resettled to the States in 2011. Since then, Minnesota has been my home. Growing up, I saw the challenges that refugees had to endure, especially the youth. Due to the pressure of assimilation to the culture of the western world, many began to lose their K’Nyaw Identity. I was one of those youth. That’s why I believe in the importance of this work at The Urban Village. When students of similar backgrounds and experiences enter our door, I want them to feel at home. I strongly believe in the importance of this work.