Hmong Lao Radio (HLR) is a non-governmental not-for-profit organization founded in 2002 in the state Minnesota. It is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.  Its employer identification number is (EIN) 41-1780450.  

In 2002, The Board of Directors of the Hmong Lao Radio (HLR) signed a contract with VT Merlin Communications Limited in London for the purpose of a news channel radio broadcasting in Hmong language to promote education, health, social, cultural, and family search. VT Merlin Communications Limited has assisted the Hmong Lao Radio to broadcast over the air through shortwave radio transmission to reach 300,000 Hmong in the United States and 12 million Hmong in Asia such as Laos, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand and China.

Between 2002 and 2006, it has been operating a pre-recorded radio program broadcasting through shortwave radio transmission, estimated that the program has reached at least 50% of the 300,000 Hmong in the United States and over 12 million Hmong in Asia. The program is currently broadcasting two times per week in North America on 11,785 kHz every Saturday and Sunday from 8:00AM-9:00AM Central Time; and broadcast in Asia on 15,260 kHz every Wednesday and Friday from 8:00AM to 9:00AM Bangkok Time, Hmong has its own dialect with a homogenous social systems and unique culture values; yet Hmong has long history of inferior levels of upward social mobility for thousands of years because Hmong has not overcome the stigma of oppression, inequality, discrimination, injustice, human rights violation, family separation and lost from the war.   History shows that Hmong continue to be socially isolated living in the remote areas where they have limited contact with the central government. Hmong are considered to be one the inferior hill-tribes minorities living in the remote areas where the central governments would avoid to provide any type of development programs to promote Hmong community to advance toward social mobility.  Illiteracy rate among the Hmong community in Asia is higher than 70% because Hmong continue to have limited access to public education.  Children are not encouraged to go to school, over 50% of Hmong children in Asia are staying home with their parents to help with family farming.

In the early 1960s, the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) began to recruit the indigenous people “Hmong” in Laos to join fighting the Vietnam War, named as “the Special Guerrilla Unit” leaded by General Vang Pao. Over 80% of the Hmong men in Laos were recruited by the CIA to join fighting for the U.S. Secret War in Laos. The CIA used the Special Guerrilla Unit as the counter attack unit to block the Ho Chi Minh Trail to stop the North Vietnamese force to supply military ammunitions to battle American soldiers in the South.  Hmong soldiers put their lives at risk in the frontline fighting for the United States and to rescue downed American pilots.  As a result, Hmong have suffered a high casualty rate, more than 40,000 Hmong were killed in the frontline, countless numbers were missing in action, thousands were injured and disable. Without the Hmong, thousands of American soldiers and pilots will not be home today with their families.