Wausau Morning Report: Monday, June 23: Discussion with Yee Leng Xiong

And good morning, everyone.

It is Monday morning, the 23rd day of June of 2025.

I am Chad Holmes.

It is mornings with Pat Crichtlow.

You're on 98.9 WXCO.

And to start things off, great way to start off the new work week, because coming up this evening, a very interesting event going on with new beginnings for refugees.

And to talk about it, we go right to the top.

The executive director of New Beginnings, Yi Leng Zhang.

You need great, always great to have you across the table.

Thank

you for having me here, Chad.

Absolutely.

Coming up tonight, you are having an open house and a volunteer appreciation event.

It looks like it's going to be a terrific evening.

I usually don't come out and talk about folks that work for other radio broadcasting corporations, but I got great respect for Dave Callaway and for you to get Dave to be part of this event.

I know he does so much within our community and the Lieutenant Governor is coming.

Boy, it sounds like it's going to be a great night.

Yes, we're so excited.

I mean, we have individuals coming all over.

We're going to have food from the Hispanic community, from the Hmong community, from their Afghan neighbors, from our Congolese neighbors as well too.

So we're just excited to have everybody, but most importantly,

celebrate the success of the new beginnings for refugees, but also really recognize and celebrate our volunteers for the incredible work that they're doing, and they've done for our organization.

In terms of the volunteers, could you maybe give us a, I don't know how many is even important, but what do the volunteers, number one, if you do know exactly how many people are helping out, that would be wonderful to hear, but also the role that they do play within the organization.

Yeah.

So we have well over 30 volunteers that volunteer regularly.

So these

are individuals that has volunteered basically several times a month here or some of them, the tutors specifically, volunteers three days a week, you know, to make sure that we're providing services for our new neighbors.

Now, one thing that we value our organization is it's a local organization, local nonprofit that really focuses on empowering our new neighbors, but also allowing our communities to stay engaged.

And many of the

individuals that comes out and volunteer are teachers, educators.

They are people that just wants to give back to the community.

And our organization is largely volunteer driven.

So most of our tutoring programs are all volunteers.

Our childcare is mostly volunteer.

And also our individuals are going out there to empower our community members.

They're all volunteers as well.

And our pantry, our personal care pantry is all entirely volunteer driven.

They are the reason why our organization...

survive and is able to thrive.

And we have to acknowledge them as well.

And I have to acknowledge my board members for the expertise in their time as well to contribute to our organization.

And in the underlying aspect of volunteerism.

And again, especially in this kind of role, because as we talked about before, whenever I've talked about new beginnings and with you and with others, these are some of the most stressful parts of a person's life.

I mean, I can't imagine.

you know, packing up, I mean, in some cases, not even packing up, but just coming to a new country, coming to a completely new environment, and the friendly faces and the teachers and the people that are able to help in that transition is so vitally important.

You talk about work that is truly...

for the good of humanity.

This is it, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

I think, you know, and I reflect upon my refugee experience.

I may have not been a refugee myself, but I was a child of refugees.

And I always remember my parents telling me how important it was to have that individual outside of the family that knew what they were doing, that was able to be there to take care of them, to give them advice, tell them where to go for help.

You know, my parents and them are very proud people.

And I know that our refugees are also very proud people.

who doesn't just want handout, they want to hand up.

They

want

folks to be able to direct them or help them get the resources they need so they can be sustainable.

And when volunteers are coming out and making that difference, teaching English, helping them learn where they can go and apply for services, go where and how they can apply for school or college, we are seeing the very step one of ensuring that our new neighbors are experiencing the American dreams.

And I had to tell a story that I think is really interesting here.

fact that I was working with one individual and I wasn't able to communicate with him, right?

We were communicating through Google Translate.

I never recommend people to do that, but apparently

the

language I was speaking with him with works very well on Google Translate.

So after I finished helping him, I did a follow-up and I was talking with some of the individuals and they're like, did you know that he's an accountant?

He's actually an accountant that's doing some accounting work for a Turkish business, and that's why he was asking for some help here.

me that we have very talented neighbors here who are extremely talented and they can potentially fill in that gap that we're having.

We know that we have a lack of CPAs in this country here.

We know that we have a lack of special trades folks.

And if we're able to work and harness this and support them and provide them the resources they need so that they can continue to pursue that, we're addressing the workforce shortage.

And I know that organizations like the Greater Chamber of Commerce and other businesses in the community here and businesses, you know,

employers would love to hear this and be supportive of it.

So when folks are here, when they're volunteering, making a difference, they're making a difference in our community's lives as

well.

Absolutely.

Again, we're talking to the executive director of New Beginnings for Refugees, Yi Leng Zhang, who is going to be, I'm sure, the host this evening for an open house and volunteer appreciation event going on from 5 until 7 p.m.

at the New Beginnings office at 903 North 3rd Street here in downtown Wasaw.

You talk about here we talk we talk about things that you do this event to have people come

through the door to learn a little bit more to see.

Maybe some of the folks involved in this, that's, I imagine, one of the reasons for this event tonight as well.

It is.

We want individuals in our community here to know what we're doing, meet our new neighbors, meet the incredible volunteers, but also realize that they can, too, get engaged in this as well.

How they can help make a difference in our refugee neighbors as well, to our refugee neighbors as well.

Because, you know, I once told myself,

of what several of my mentors told me that you can only truly find yourself through service and helping others.

So this is a good opportunity for folks to get to know more programs and make a difference in others' lives as well.

You got a really great keynote speaker.

person I've had a chance to talk to really so personable.

I mean you really enjoy talking to somebody like Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez and she's gonna be here tonight as well.

Yes she is an incredible person and I think with her experience as a nurse as a you know health institution administrator.

I think just her sense of caring and her ability to work with others, it's going to be very crucial as she's going to be able to communicate and connect with our neighbors as well.

And you know, she's very passion able service.

And we will have more with Yi Leng Zhang, Executive Director of New Beginnings for Refugees in our next local segment coming up at 7.52.

But coming up next, it's the Farm Report and then more of Mornings with Pat Crichtlow on 98.9 WXCO.

Welcome back.

It is morning to pack right low on 98.9 WXC.

Oh, I'm Chad Holmes talking about what's going on here in Wausau and central Wisconsin.

Continuing a conversation with Yi Leng Zhang, the executive director of new beginnings for refugees that is hosting an open house and volunteer event this evening from five until seven p.m.

Which will feature as well Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez.

And I asked Yi about

people like the Lieutenant Governor and others who are trying to do the right things, but many people also looking at politicians in a negative way.

And I asked him for his thoughts on the dichotomy.

I think you hit it right in the spot.

Many politicians are given a bad reputation, but we often forget that their mothers, their

fathers, their

sons, their brothers, their community members, and all they want is the best interest of their community.

And oftentimes they give themselves up all the time to

give back in some ways, or whether it's through knowledge, through advocacy, policymaking, etc.

And we have to acknowledge individuals for trying to make this a better place.

Let me ask you, what's Dave going to be doing tonight?

Yeah, well Dave is our a master of ceremony.

You know, he's a phenomenon.

He's a he's a great radio host just like yourself Chad.

No need to soften it.

I know Dave.

He's a great guy and he's a great emcee and a guy that really does get out of the community.

And I think as we talked about, I think one of the roles here of any radio station, the one way we try here, we try to promote democracy and community.

And Dave does that so very well.

And I think you're very fortunate to have him tonight.

Yes, we're so thankful as well.

And he's

He's so eager to do it.

I met with him actually, I think earlier this week here, yesterday, I think, we talked a lot about what the program was gonna be, and he's so enthusiastic.

He's enthusiastic with everything, I tell you that.

Exactly.

Again, let's let people know, again, tonight, 5 till 7 p.m., New Beginnings for Refugees, Open House Volunteer Appreciation Event at 903 North 3rd Street here in Wausau, free.

You gotta undergrime that.

Again,

You want folks to come and, as you said, meet these volunteers here from the Lieutenant Governor.

Learn more because, obviously, I'm sure you'd love to have more people be involved.

Of course, we would love to have more volunteers.

It takes a lot of effort and we want to make sure that we're providing the necessary resources to our new neighbors.

So if anybody is interested in volunteering, come on by tonight and join our event.

Come visit and meet our folks, meet our new neighbors,

and

also get to learn about programs and see how you can get involved as well.

Let me ask you about, I think, the last time that you came by, we were talking again about this time that we're living in and the challenges that

Organizations such as new beginnings has as we sit here now we're starting the summer we're into the near the end of the month of June How are things standing our other challenges?

Continuing are you I mean we when we first talked to you as the executive director you're just starting What are you learning here over the last number of weeks and I think maybe a month?

I can't remember time time has no meaning these days, but as you've continued to

to grow into your role, what do you find out?

Yeah, there's a lot of challenges that currently still exist, especially for nonprofits and also organizations like mine.

We're facing obviously the lack of funding from the top down, from federal down to state, et cetera.

So funding is always a crucial issue.

We're not talking about just giving out money to people, but we're talking about providing services, meaningful services that can help individuals become sustainable, become successful.

as well.

So when we talk about issues like cuts to food stamps, cut to snap benefits, cuts to health care, et cetera, that causes me to be alarmed because these are resources that are potential, are crucial for individuals that are lower income.

And as a nonprofit leader, I understand the need to ensure that these keeping taxes low, but also

ensure

that these programs are continuous.

A lot of the individuals that are using these programs are regular parents who are just trying to get by.

They're not asking for a handout.

They're asking for a hands up.

And we're helping.

They're asking for us to help them in any way to get them back on their feet so that they can feed their kids.

And I don't think it's hard to ask for all of us to take care of one another rather than for us to think about ourselves.

I mean, we were always taught in elementary school to care for others

and

to care for each one another.

Let me ask you to expand the hat that you're wearing right now because when you talk that way about thinking about others I think as human beings when you see what is going on and it just seems to be growing and growing and growing with the again the the raids on immigrants and I think nervousness not just for those who are

being having the day-to-day contact with people from ICE and then that I think generally within the country itself there's a lot of nervousness about where we are and I think you have a unique perspective because of your life experiences at this moment the snapshot in history

What goes through your mind and maybe a bit of advice for those of us who may not have the same experiences that you've had During your life on where we are and what maybe we can do and what we should be thinking about as we move forward

Yeah, so I want to start off by saying this okay, um oftentimes

our new neighbors or immigrants or refugees or individuals are here in other ways, right?

Or undocumented, et cetera.

Sometimes there's a negative, you know, a labeling of them, you know, and I want to remind people and take people back down memory lane a little bit and remember that.

that when the monks first came here, some individuals mistakenly labeled them as the enemy, labeled them as members of the Viet Cong, etc.

But they didn't realize that many of them were on our side, fought to protect American values.

I think it's important for us all to learn about each other, learn about the history of our new neighbors, the history of immigrants, history of refugees, history of undocumented individuals, and try to understand their situation.

and understand that

just because they're in a situation now doesn't mean they can be in a different situation in the future.

I think a very good example would be, and I think taking a step back is that we have to have faith as well.

I think about businesses in the area here from the Hmong community, right?

When they first came here, they were labeled in certain ways, but then as they eventually become major contributors to this community, I think of Mekong Fresh Meat, which is known as the Oscar Myers of the Hmong community.

I think of

LJ Inc.

that is a major shoe provider in this.

area here.

I think of other among businesses that was able to grow because people had faith in that community that they supported.

I think about our community as well and I realized and I asked everyone to just get to know each other, have faith, give each other grace, and work together to support one another so that that way they can potentially grow.

And we'll have a few more minutes with Yi Ling Zhong at 822.

You're on 98.9 WXCO.

I think another story I want to share, you know, and

where I said on the concept of giving, having faith here, was when General Min Pao, who was known as the father of the Hmong community, he actually applied, when he did his test to become a soldier, he actually failed it.

But the sergeant

just basically allowed him to go through because the Sergeant wanted said that he had faith in that individual and allowed him to become a soldier.

And when he became a soldier, he became one of the most influential monk leader in history of the monk community.

I think it goes back to this is that many of the individuals that we're working with, they're talented individuals.

All they want to

do

is live, work, and also do what they can here to live the American dream.

And we need to give each other grace and support one another so that they can have that opportunity as well.

To

you, what is the American

Tree?

That's a great question.

Sometimes I ask myself that question, but I also tell myself that it's basically to be the dreams that my parents always dream of.

My parents, when they came to America here, I think when they were crossing the Mekong River, they never thought that their son would be an elected official,

a local elected

official.

Many times over.

Many times over.

They never thought that I would be heading the Among American Center for 10 years.

They never thought that I would be now the executive director of a local.

of a local nonprofit that helps refugees.

They never thought that I would sit on a statewide government organizations and meeting folks that are incredible from Republicans to Democrats and being able to see individuals from both sides.

This is a dream.

I'm living my parents' wildest dream, and I think that's what the American dream is for me.

put that governmental hat on for you, because there's so many hats I got here for you to wear.

Obviously, you were hoping to be part of this budget process when you ran for the state assembly, but you are knee-deep in learning about all these issues.

You're knee-deep in it over the years and up to this point with school board duties, with county board duties.

So you've been around the block for a long time, and you know what's going on here.

And there's obviously, right now, it feels as though...

a bit of a quagmire when it comes to trying to get a budget done.

What are you taking away, I guess, generally to start off with what you're hearing concerning, well, the talking, they're not talking, then walking away, and then we're walking back.

What's your overall take on where we stand right now?

Yeah, so my thoughts is, you know, obviously being on the school board, I was disappointed to see the proposed bill, you know, the proposed budget for funding for education was not what we were expecting.

We wanted to see a more

funding obviously here because we do see the need for it.

I mean, this is just this past election, if I recall, several dozens of schools went to referenda trying to seek funding to keep their schools open.

And, you know, I think it's going to have to be something that we have to consider as well, too, is that we want to make sure that we're keeping our schools open because they are the, and funded because they are the center of our communities.

And we want to make sure that our legislators are focused on that.

But I also want us to, when I was running for office, one of the things I realized when I was knocking on doors, that people talked a lot about making sure that there's a tax cut to a middle class,

making

sure that we're taking care and addressing the child care crisis and addressing health care.

Those are things that impacts daily people.

And we need to keep that at the forefront when we're going through this whole budget process here.

And I'm really encouraging our state legislators to focus on what the needs of our communities

are.

You've obviously had a lot of negotiations in your different roles.

If you were to give some advice to Democrats in Madison right now, even to the governor, hey, even the lieutenant governor when she stops on by, what piece of advice would you give during these very tense moments where there's a lot on the line for people in their everyday lives, based on your experiences, what kind of advice would you give to those who are currently involved in trying to get the best budget possible for the state of Wisconsin?

Great question.

And I think I would also add advice.

to my Republican friends as

well.

Absolutely, because I know you've said it all the time that you will talk across the aisle to whoever it may be in order to help the people of your communities.

Exactly.

And the state and the country, as I've said.

One of my mentors directed me to this quote, and I'm going to share it, because I use this quote with a lot of my youth eye mentors as well, too.

never speak when you're angry, never make promises when you're happy, and never make decisions when you're sad.

And I think that's the advice I would give to our elected officials.

And also, I would add, listen.

Listen to one another.

Listen to understand, not listen to respond.

Based on...

because so much of what gets done or does not get done is based on public sentiment.

I think people underestimate a lot about where the public is in terms of then elected officials do listen.

And I got to say that in recent weeks, I have started to sense that some of the policies that have been pushed by, I would call it the far right of the Republican Party are getting pushed back against.

Are you sensing that?

And do you expect that maybe some of our Republican friends are going to listen to that because in the end, they

want to keep their jobs too, don't they?

I think what I what I would say is I think elected officials on both sides are Starting to realize that they need to work together because I think what's there frankly I think our their constituents are getting tired of the gridlock that's happening there They're getting tired of the blaming they're getting tired of the criticizing one another what they want is real tangible results They want pragmatic situation solutions to issues and problems and one of the individuals I have to always acknowledge as well too and I give them a lot of credit

would be John Robinson.

He does a phenomenal job at working with both sides, working with people, talking to individuals, and coming with pragmatic solutions.

I think individuals, we need to realize that you can't do, a bill and a plan is only as good as what the people that makes it.

And oftentimes, it's a lot stronger when you get views and perception from both sides.

Absolutely.

Let's go right back to the beginning because the one of the big reasons is because it's it's such a big night this open house and volunteer event again for folks that

Give your invitation again, because I know that you'd love to see a lot of people go through your doors here this evening.

Yes.

So I want to invite everybody to come on and join us tonight, Monday, June 23rd, 2025, from 5 to 7 at the New Beginnings office for our Open House and Volunteer Appreciation Event.

There'll be a variety of food from different ethnics and groups.

So I encourage all of you to join us to hear Lieutenant Governor Sarah Rodriguez's speech, to hear, to meet Dave Calloway, and to meet the incredible

volunteers and our new neighbors and get to learn what about one another here so that we can truly, truly embrace these strengths in our community here and support one another to experience that American dream.

Yee Leng Zhang, Executive Director, New Beginnings for Refugees, get on over there today from 5 until 7 p.m.

for their open house.

More of Pat Crichtlow coming up next on 98.9 WXCF.

Welcome back.

It is morning to the pack right low on 98.9 WXO online at WXO FM mobile devices and Alexa by searching WXO and on the civic media app The time is 8.52.

It is a warm start here in North Central, Wisconsin from our studios at the corner of Washington Street and North 3rd Street in downtown Wausau partly sunny skies temperature of 80 degrees

along with Ian Welsh, I'm Chad Holmson.

I don't think we've had a moment during this program where we've been on the air and we said it's 80 degrees.

I can't remember it.

I know it.

Very hot over the weekend.

Were you able to do anything over the weekend or just try to stay out of trouble?

Well, I tried to stay out of trouble for the most part.

I was able to stay cool and hydrated on Saturday, but on...

Sunday I got to help out with a wave 100.5 because they were covering a powerboat races up in the Bluegill Park and Rib a mountain.

However, because of the wind, which was the only good thing about Sunday because if it wasn't windy, it would definitely be be insufferable.

But because of the wind conditions, the event for Sunday was canceled.

Oh, really?

Well, first it was

I delayed and then they were testing it and they just decided to cancel it.

So I got to, you know, help them take down all the equipment.

But by the time I got done, I was hot.

I was dehydrated.

I was sore.

I had to go home, drink two bottles of water, and then I jumped in a cold shower right away.

I

didn't have much energy that night, but I'm feeling better now.

Yesterday evening, I went and watched some seven-on-seven football.

They have seven-on-seven football leagues over at D.C.

Everest, where area high schools, they just, it's called a passing league.

Basically, it's just, you know, quarterbacks, backs, receivers, and it's not tackle, it's no pads, and they just throw the ball around.

They basically run, you know, passing drills.

It's sort of getting reps.

It's not games, it's just reps.

And, uh, seeing those guys run around when it's 90 degrees out there.

I mean, to be young, just standing outside.

It was, uh, it was very, very hot.

And, uh,

the thing

about it over the weekend is we didn't have, you know, severe weather and listening to Brittany Merlot earlier this morning with Pat Crite low talking about how there is the potential this afternoon, including here in central Wisconsin, that we could get some severe weather, even tournatic activity.

So make sure you keep it tuned in right here as we will keep you up.

to speed on any severe weather that comes through the area as well because when it's hot weather you start to put it all together and sometimes late in the day we see some of those thunderstorms severe thunderstorms and

even

tornado activity and we'll keep an eye on that as we continue into the day as well as we start off another new work week as we get closer and closer to the end of June and as we get to the end of June this is month number six of the year and by the end of this month it will be halfway through

2025.

Is that amazing?

It's like,

I mean, it just feels

like time is flying

so by, I've

said it before, I keep looking down by my feet.

for a brake pedal because I want to slow things down because especially as you get as old as I am you're still you're still young but to get as old as I am all of a sudden you want things to slow down yeah I mean it's just flying on by but hopefully you're getting out there enjoying some of the summer activities and we are watching here in downtown the continuing

progress being made on the construction the roads appear

to be very nice

yeah I think this gets get some paint out there get some lines drawn and getting very close and of course the foundry on third across the way continuing to get closer and closer be very interesting to see once that is completed and when all is said and done what kind of changes it will mean for here in downtown wasa

absolutely I I'm going to predict the foundry on

Third, we'll hopefully be done by the end of the summer.

Oh,

well, they're coming along.

I tell you, and you know, and one thing you always notice this time of year is you have a lot of road construction, a lot of construction as a whole.

Man, I do not envy the people that work in 90 plus degree weather.

I mean, it's just amazing, the hard work.

And I hope everybody appreciates what they do in order to get these projects done.

Absolutely.

I mean, they work all those hours.

They hours making our.

roads a Safer and they definitely deserve a special recognition for that absolute

excuse me absolutely It is time to start off another week of our number for the day quiz.

Yes

Last week you had a winning week, you had three out of five, correct?

That's always a very, very impressive thing to do because basically anything about 33% is the passing grade because you get three choices every day, one of which is correct, two of which are incorrect, not easy.

So we're gonna start off a new week and see if you can get another winning week here.

Yes.

Start off on the right

foot.

Try to get that second perfect week as well.

Oh, that would be

nice.

But last night was the final game of the NBA Finals.

It's Oklahoma City defeated Indiana to win the NBA Finals.

It was game number.

seven when the TV numbers come out probably in the next day or two.

I expect that there'll be a big audience for the final game.

But the number for the day is what is the all time record audience for an NBA finals game on TV?

All time.

All

time.

The largest.

audience for an NBA Finals game.

It came back in game number six of the 1998 NBA Finals between the Bulls and the Jazz.

Michael Jordan hit a game winning shot right at the end of the game to pull it out for Chicago.

And that was the most watched NBA game in history.

What was the audience for the game six of the 1998 NBA Finals?

What are my choices?

Your

choices are...

25.89 million viewers.

35.89 million viewers.

45.89 million viewers.

So 25, 35, or 45.89 million viewers.

All-time record.

Not billion.

Million viewers.

Yep, 25, 35, or 45.89 million viewers.

All-time

record audience.

Yeah, I'm gonna say Just go on my gut here Final guess I'm gonna say 35.89 million is the record audience for 1998 all right final answer 35

game number six of the 1998 NBA finals had a record 35.89 million viewers tuned in

so

one for one this week

very

good

All right, well, stay cool.

Stay safe here with the weather coming in later today.

You too, Chad.

Happy Monday,

everybody.

We'll be back tomorrow morning between 7 and 9.

But coming up next, it is matineeir on air here on 98.9.