Chenue Her just joined the Local 5 News team in Des Moines as the first-ever Hmong male news anchor in the country.

They say that hindsight's 20/20. There's no way I could have known eleven years ago that the young man co-hosting a college television broadcast with me was going to make American history as the first-ever Hmong male news anchor, and yet here we are and now he has.

"First day anchoring at We Are Iowa Local 5 News is a wrap and Y'ALL... I ALMOST CRIED ON AIR!" Minnesota native Chenue Her shared on his public Facebook account Monday. "Des Moines, I'm so happy to call you home and be a part of this community."

Before joining the Local 5 News team in Des Moines, Her spent time as a reporter in Atlanta, GA; Norfolk, VA and Eugene, OR. Originally from St. Paul, his parents are Hmong refugees who came to the United States after the Vietnam War. He continues to take great pride of his heritage.

"For two Hmong-Americans to share a screen on the mainstream news, with our Hmong names, speaking Hmong -- I'll remember this forever," Her shared on Twitter. "I'm grateful to be at a place where I'm accepted fully as my true, authentic self."

The second Hmong-American he's referring to is KARE 11's own Gia Vang, who worked with his new team to surprise him with a message on-air.

"Hi Chenue! Congratulations," Vang said in a prepared video. "I was asked if I wanted to embarrass you a bit, so of course I said yes." She goes on to welcome him back to the Midwest, congratulate him on his accomplishment for the Hmong community and wish him the best with his new team.

"In Hmong, we have a saying -- 'Hmoob hlub Hmoob' -- which translates to 'Hmong love Hmong'." Her says. "The meaning behind it is to encourage us to love & support each other w/o jealousy. I'm forever grateful to be here because others took this saying to heart."

Congratulations, Chenue! Way to represent Minnesotans and -- more importantly, the Hmong community -- well!