FRESNO - Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Superior Court Judge Pahoua C. Lor's upbringing in Fresno was deeply influenced by her Hmong heritage and community.
Her grandparents, who became farmers, had fought against communist forces in Laos during the Vietnam War. When American troops withdrew from Southeast Asia in 1975, many became refugees in Thailand or the US.
The family's trauma didn't end there, though.
Lor was deeply affected by the death... (continued)