Hmong Movement 01 Winter 2002

Hmong

Student

Inter-Collegiate

Coalition

Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002HSIC Publication Volume I Issue I

mong

MHHmong

ovementovementMEmergence of the

HSIC Officers 2001-02

PresidentJulien Moua (UC Davis Alumnus)[email protected] PresidentLong Her (CSU Fresno)[email protected] Yang (UC Berkeley)[email protected] Lee (UC Santa Barbara)[email protected]

As one of the most recent refugee groups to arrive in thiscountry, the Hmong community faces scores of issues, andyet, there has not been any publication that addresses thecontemporary needs of the Hmong community. The core ofour staff is composed of individuals of the Hmong StudentInter-collegiate Coalition, a statewide network of Hmongstudent organizations and professionals, who volunteer theirtalents as a service to the Hmong community.

HM: Hmong Movement will be a forum for Hmongindividuals to share and exchange experiences throughfictional or non-fictional writing and/or poetry, where socio-cultural, political, and educational issues can be discussed.

Hmong Movement will feature individuals who contribute articles relevantto their discipline or area of expertise to accentuate the importance of education. Inaddition, the publication will be a continual directory of Hmong student organizations,students and professionals to provide network opportunities and to expand higherlearning for all Hmong.

Hmong Movement will raise public awareness to the aforementioned issuesand be an essential tool to enhance cultural competency for new learners to the Hmongcommunity.

As the idea of creating this publication began several months ago, thetremendous support and responses of interest from fellow Hmong students has beenoverwhelming. Great works can be rarely accomplished alone. I like to take thisopportunity to thank everyone who had assisted or contributed to the publication,together we are making a difference. This has been a dream come true and this visionwe all share has become a reality because of the endless dedication and commitmentfrom everyone.

In this premiere issue we are proud to present an article discussing theemergence of the Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition and an educational featureby Dr Kou Yang. There are several other stimulating columns and sections that youwill find intriguing and insightful relevant to understanding some of the issues thatconcern all levels of the Hmong American community.

It has been a great privilege working with everyone in forming the HmongStudent Inter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC) and creating this free publication for thecommunity. It is my hope that this will provide an avenue for many to share concernsand communicate our unique perspectives. In this struggle to maintain a balancegrowing up as Hmong Americans, we face complex and diverse issues that our parentsand community may never comprehend, we are at the forefront of imperative issuesthat concern our community and only by working together can we succeed and achieveour fullest potential as Hmong Americans.

I am excited about this issue and words cannot describe all the great thingsthat we have yet to accomplish in the near future. Please do not hesitate to let theeditorial staff and I know what you think of the publication and we look forward toreceiving your comments!

Until we meet again,

Alex Vang, Editor-in-Chief

From the Editor,Editorial Staff

Alex Vang, Editor-in-ChiefMary Xiong, Assistant EditorPublication Committee:Shelly Cha, CSU FresnoLong Her, CSU FresnoYoua Her, CSU SacramentoNhia Vue, UC San DiegoJimmy Xiong, UC Davis

Layout:Julien Moua, UC Davis Alumnus

Cover:Ger Cha, UC Davis

Contributing Writers:Linda HerAmorette YangJulie YangKa Chue YangKou Yang, Ed. D.Sendra YangNhia Vue

HM: Hmong Movement is publishedquarterly by the Hmong Students Inter-Collegiate Coalition. Copyright 2002.All rights reserved. No contents maybe reproduced without expressedwritten permission from the Editor.Unsolicited material will not bereturned. Letters sent to HM: HmongMovement become the property of thepublication. Every precaution will betaken to ensure the accuracy ofinformation included at press time,neither the Publisher or Editor shall beliable for damages arising out of errorsor omissions. The opinions expressedherein are those of the authors and notnecessarily those of HM: HmongMovement or HSIC.

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HSIC Event CALender 18

From the President,

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First and for most I want to welcome all of you for our firstissue of HM: HMONG MOVEMENT. I hope that you will enjoythis issue as much I have. After going through this issue, I hopethat you will be inspired. And maybe you will want to contributeyour own thoughts and writings to HM. It’s been an amazing trek since that faithful email Julie Yang!sent to us a year and a half ago. And look what we haveaccomplished. We have united over twenty college Hmong studentgroups around California under one umbrella organization.Reestablishing the network HHEN built mid 1990’s. As the firstpresident of HSIC, I really want to thank every college students

and community members who have supported HSIC since its beginning; it’s reallybecause of you that we have come so far. You came to our meetings, you gave usplaces to meet, you gave us a place to sleep and eat, and you gave us a chance to beheard! You are the backbones of HSIC. In the years to come, I hope that you willcontinue to support us because we will take on our greatest task: reaching to ourcommunity. Finally, I want to thank my three officers without whom I don’t think this yearwouldn’t have been the success it has been. Long, Amorette, and Malisa, you guysare so amazing; I really enjoy working with the three of you. You have taught me somuch, and made this year really fun, enjoyable, and less stressful than I had everimagined. I look forward to work with the three of you in the future on other projectsconcerning our community.

Sincerely,

Julien Nuj Soob MouaHSIC President

Contents

HeadlinesThe Emergence of theHmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition

HSIC Tables at the Fresno

New Year

Feature Articles:Hmong Vision: the Futureof Hmong Americans

Perspectives:I am Hmong American

Spreading My Wings

College Life

Hmong U.S. History

Lost Identity

OrganizationSpotlights:CSU Stanislaus HSAHSA of Carolina

HSA UC Riverside

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77777

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12

14

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16

HSIC Organizations 17

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HM/HSIC NEEDS YOU!!The HM: Hmong Movement staff is looking for a design for the magazine title “HM.”We are looking for something catchy yet sophisticated. The design MUST includethe letters “HM.” HSIC is also looking for its own logo. The design should includethe name “HSIC” and should relate to HSIC goals and purpose. If hand drawn, thedesigns must be scannable and submitted on a 8.5”x11” paper. Please submit de-signs to:

Julien MouaHM/HSIC Designs2033 F Street #212Davis, CA95616or submit it through email at [email protected]

EmerEmerEmerEmerEmergggggence ofence ofence ofence ofence of the Hmong Student Inter the Hmong Student Inter the Hmong Student Inter the Hmong Student Inter the Hmong Student Inter-Colle-Colle-Colle-Colle-Collegiagiagiagiagiate Coalitionte Coalitionte Coalitionte Coalitionte Coalition________________________________________________________________________________________

Alex Vang, Editor-in-Chief

HSIC Retreat 2001

This article will be a brief summary revealing theemergence of the Hmong Student Inter-collegiateCoalition. It is intended for new individuals that wereunable to attend previous events to attain backgroundinformation on HSIC.

Hmong college students have been organizing andcollaborating to form the Hmong Student Inter-CollegiateCoalition (HSIC) during the past year. As of one the mostrecent refugee groups to arrive in this country, the Hmongcommunity faces scores of issues. Many of these socio-cultural and economic problems are detrimental to theHmong community. Since we are the fortunate ones, whohave the opportunity to pursue higher academic

education, it is our responsibility to address these imperative issues affecting the Hmong community.

The Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition is a statewide network of Hmong student organizations and professionalsdedicated to increasing awareness to issues such as acculturation experiences, generation gap, racial concerns, and the pathof all Hmong people in their new settlement as Hmong Americans. The Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition affirmsthe importance of education, mentorship programs, civic participation, and community empowerment.

December 2000

The birth of the coalition began whenthe Hmong Student Union fromUniversity of California, Santa Barbaracontacted other Hmong Studentorganizations to collaborative with theirproposed inter-collegiate highereducation conference in spring of 2001.It all started out with a simple list ofemail contacts, which led to intensivediscussions from students in the variousCalifornia universities and colleges. Some of these considerations includedmany questions such as why shouldstudents commit to this since someof the schools already have studentorganizations for support andnetworking at individual campuses? Astudent posed the question, “can wereally make this work when we are alljust college students who will somedaygraduate and move on to other things?”Another suggestion brought up was dowe need to resurrect the Hmong Higher

Education Network (HHEN), an inter-collegiate umbrella organizationestablished in the early 1990s. Takingall points into consideration, moststudents were supportive of the need andsaw the urgency in collaborating to forma collective voice and mobilize againstimperative issues.

Fresno Hmong New Years 2000

The first event where many studentswere able to meet was at the 2000 FresnoHmong New Years Festival. UC SantaBarbara HSU members took theinitiative by reserving a booth tooutreach to the student about education.This was a great opportunity to reachout to the Hmong community topromote higher education.

HND 6th Annual Hmong NationalConference:

March 30th-April 1st

The Hmong National Development(HND) 6th Annual Hmong National

Conference “Today’s Action isTomorrows Success” held in Sacramentoprovided an occasion for many tocollaborate further regarding theupcoming inter-collegiate conference.The conference was titled “Planting theSeeds of Tomorrow” to be held in Fresnohosted by UC Santa Barbara HSU. One very unique aspect of theconference was that it provided manystudents the opportunity to organize anddiscuss not only with California collegestudents but hear perspectives fromHmong college students across theUnited States. The discussion focusedon the upcoming conference and shiftedto the idea of a “national coalition.” Thediscussion session lasted over two hours.In addition, more discussions took placeduring lunch break the following nextday. Much was accomplished during theconference but one problem prevalentwas that if there were too many ideasthen it would be very difficult toaccomplish anything.

HEADLINESHEADLINESHEADLINESHEADLINESHEADLINES

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Planting the Seeds of Tomorrow -April 21st

The intercollegiate conference wasa historical event, where many Hmongcollege students throughout Californiacame together. This was the first eventof such magnitude since the collapse ofHHEN. The conference was a greatsuccess, as there were over 300 parentsand students attending. It was veryempowering to see over a hundredHmong college students doingsomething to make a difference for theHmong community. Thec o n f e r e n c efeatured a daylong skip inseveral sessionsabout a Hmongfemale student’sc o l l e g eendeavors andobstacles she hadto overcome. The conference alsoincluded a college fair session thatprovided parents and students booths toattain information about each of theschools represented. Dr Pao Lee, CSUStanislaus linguistic professor gave akeynote speech as well. Anotherhighlight was the alumni panel todiscuss about life after college and theirexperiences in college. Furthermore, theconference ended with one-on-onegroup discussions between parents andstudents with college studentrepresentatives, where they were able toask questions relating to collegeexperience. The conference came to aconclusion but many students stayed tofurther discuss the emerging coalition.Many issues pertaining to structure andgoals or objectives to accomplish werediscussed. Some of the things that wereagreed upon were to nominate someoneas the interim director. Julien Moua fromUC Davis was nominated for the interimdirector position and officialrepresentatives from each campus ororganizations were established. Plans were underway to meetsometime during the summer to initiatethe development of the coalition. Thisstudent-run conference was a greatlearning experience for everyone andnext year we definitely can improve andmake it more effective. Hopefully nextyear there will be more Hmong studentsfrom community college and private

schools or institutes to be involved withthe inter-collegiate conference as well.

HSIC Summer Retreat: - June 23rd

The first official meeting amongrepresentatives of the emerging coalitionwas a two-day retreat held at CSUFresno. The retreat began withintroductions by representatives andparticipants about the activities andevents that each organization does attheir respective campuses. Next was thefirst of two interactive workshops. Thefirst workshop introduced participants

to learninga b o u td i f f e r e n tl e a d e r s h i proles. Thes e c o n dw o r k s h o pfocused onthe dynamicso f

organizations. This workshop allowedparticipants to better understand theirown organizations and to improveorganizational relationships andefficiency. Following the workshops came thesession to propose goals for thecoalition. First, participants were askedto brainstorm some short-term goals thatthe coalition should focus on, some ofthese included: 2nd inter-collegiateconference in 2002, form a statewidenetwork in 1-2 years, attain non-profitstatus, establish a solid structure, createa website, andoutreach to thecommunity. Nextw e r ei n t e r m e d i a t egoals, thesei n c l u d e d :m e n t o r s h i pp r o g r a m s ,retention andrecruitment ofnew members,a d v o c a c y ,leadership training, create a publication,and get sponsors for financial assistancein the form of grants or donations.Lastly, the session concluded with somelong-term goals: expansion to a nationallevel, political involvement, firmlyestablished, scholarships, foreignexchange programs and supportingHmong American Studies curriculum.

Retreat Day II – June 24th

The second day began with apresentation on community and campusissues that the participants had listed theprevious day. Three major communityissues that participants listed werereaching out to the community, lack ofcivic participation, and lack of Hmongmentors. Participants listed racerelations, representation on collegecampuses, and lack of support fromcampus such as faculty and funds at theforefront of issues on campus. Nextwere the organization issues on campus,these included: get more membersinvolve/active, focus more oneducational rather social, concretevisions/outline for organization,personal disputes within organizationsand no political voice. The HHEN presentation by TouLee Xiong and Julien Moua followedthe proceedings of the first presentation.The presentation discussed theformation of HHEN in the early 1990s.The processes that some of the foundingmembers struggled with and overcamewere also presented. Next was the session to discuss thestructure of the coalition. First was thequestion of regions, how and where dothe various organizations fall under. Theneed for convenience should also beconsidered, voting rights, membership,participation, and mandatory attendancewere all issues brought up. All thecurrent representatives (officialcontacts) were identified as well.Participants identified which schools

were not able toattend or weremissing. Thediscussion nextwent to the needfor advisors andwho should beadvisors? Lastly,the sessionconcluded with ap r o p o s e dstructure forr e g i o n a l

organizations to collaborate more and acore group is needed to organize andguide the coalition and only officialrepresentatives may vote at meetings. The last session was a discussionon funding resources. Some questionsaddressed were regional fundraising,membership fees, determine who willhandle funds, alumni support, attainingnon-profit status to received funding,community support, and possible parties

“The Hmong Student Inter-CollegiateCoalition affirms the importance ofeducation, mentorship programs, civicparticipation, and communityempowerment.”

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or sport tournaments. After the fundingsession participants were asked tovolunteer to form committees or sub-committees to research and elaboratemore on some of the discussions of thetwo-day retreat. The tasks of thecommittees were established to researchand report back at the next meeting,these included: research structure ofother organizations, non-profit status/funding, fundraising options, website,and for everyoneto outreach toothers. Overall theretreat was a greatsuccess as manynew participantsbecame informedabout thedevelopment ofthe coalition. The workshops andsessions offered everyone newperspectives about their organizationsand presented many new ideas foreveryone to further think about. Thoughit was a lot of work manyaccomplishments were achieved. Formany participants the conclusion of theretreat was a tearful, emotional andinspiring farewell.

July 28th General Meeting The follow-up general meeting washeld at the UC Center in Fresno. Thiswas the second official meeting amongall the various representatives of theemerging coalition. The day was filledwith many difficult tasks to accomplish.First was the review of the previousretreat for new participants. Next werethe presentations by the variouscommittees and sub-committees. Thefirst group to present was the structurecommittee. Participants presented aboutorganizations such as JapaneseAmerican Citizens League (JACL),Organization of Chinese Americans(OCA), a sorority structure, andMECHA. The next group was the non-profit status committee, which revealedthat the steps needed to become a non-profit organization are very complex. Next, was a brief presentation byPai Yang about the Hmong EducationalTask Force and considerations when

applying for grants possibility throughthe James Irvine Foundation that offerstart-up grants to grassrootsorganizations. The next presentation wasan informative and inspiring speech bySteve Arounsack, a co-founder andformer editor-in-chief of Lao VisionMagazine. Lao Vision is a national non-profit publication; the staff is composedof Lao students and professionals whovolunteer their services to the

community. Stevediscussed the processand development ofcreating a nationalpublication. Comparedto the current resourcesof the coalition, Stevefully believes thecoalition can duplicatethe success that Lao

Vision has because when they began itwas just individuals not organizations. The website committee presentedthe current pages of the HSIC website.Though it is not completed yet, from thepreview many participants wereimpressed. The website will onlybecome better once it is fully completed.The website address is http://www.hsic.org. After lunch participants weredivided into groups to discuss about allthe ideas they heard or learn from allthe presentations. Then the participantswere called back to present what theirgroups discussed. This was a veryrewarding activity as it providedeveryone to participate and engaged inthe discussions. After this activity was thepresentation by Bo Thao, ExecutiveDirector of HND. Bo discussed aboutthe development of HND and some ofthe programs that HND participates in.Her presentation was very informativeas she presented the other aspects ofHND, most people only know about theannual Hmong national conference.However, HND participates in manymore programs such as advocacy workand forming partnerships with otherorganizations to serve the Hmongcommunity.

September 1st & 2nd Meeting The third statewide meeting washeld at CSU Fresno. The meeting wasan intense two-day of engagingdiscussions and voting on the draft ofthe HSIC constitution and by-laws. Onthe second day of the meeting theremaining 7 Representatives ratified theHSIC constitution.

September 22nd Elections The HSA of UC Irvine hosted thefourth statewide HSIC meeting. The daylong meeting featured the elections forthe four executive officers, andratification and signing of the HSICconstitution.

HSIC 2001-02 Executive OfficersPresident: Julien MouaUC Davis alumnusVice President: Long HerCSU FresnoSecretary: Amorette YangUC BerkeleyTreasurer: Malisa LeeUC Santa Barbara

Personal Reflections: Everything that has beenaccomplished shows the dedication andsupport that everyone has for theadvancement of the coalition. All thespecial guests and speakers tied into thediscussions perfectly as well. To haveoutside assessments allowed theRepresentatives to see new points ofview not previously heard. I know thatwe have worked very hard in our effortsto further advance the development ofthis coalition, however, with all said anddone this is just the beginning stages andthere is much more work that still needsto be done. I fully believe that if there is acommitted core group of focusedindividuals, they can accomplishanything they wish. I believe that thecoalition is heading towards the rightdirection in establishing something thatcan help all levels of the HmongAmerican community. We (students) areat the forefront of many imperativesissues affecting our community. If wefollow the right path I know we will besuccessful and I have much faith in thefuture.

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Biography _________________________________________________________________________________________Seng Alex Vang is a senior at California State University, Stanislaus majoring in Anthropology with a minor in Ethnic Studies. He is currently theVice President and HSIC Representative for the Hmong Students Association of CSU Stanislaus. At the present, he is serving a two-year term asStudent Representative on the HND National Conference Advisory Committee. He is also a member of the Hmong National Youth LeadershipSummit Planning Committee which will be held at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. More recently, he was appointed to serve as an ExecutiveBoard member of the National Asian American Student Conference (NAASCon) in 2003. More info on NAASCon: http://naascon.dbnoc.com.

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The Hmong International NewYear is one of the few times of the yearwhen you’ll find sticky rice withbarbecued chicken, traditional Hmongclothing, myriad music albums, flowersand balloons, military officials,p h o t o g r a p h ystudios, familyand friends, anddiverse non-profitorganizations allin one place toserve one reason –bring the Hmongc o m m u n i t ytogether. HSICdecided to takepart in bringingthe Hmong community together this pastyear by tabling at this traditional settingand promoting the heart and soul of thiscoalition. With the usual dreary, grayweather that depicts the New Year everyyear, HSIC officers and members set upa booth lined up in the non-profit area.Starting on Wednesday, January 26th toFriday, January 28th, HSIC memberswoke up at the rise of dawn to promotethe coalition at around 8:00 am to 3:00pm daily. Members of the communitycould identify HSIC’s booth as the tinyred tent by the stage that hovers overenergetic college students and aspiringyoung children ready for a taste ofeducation. Although the booth covereda small set of parameters in its space, itwas filled with a motivational inertia

that became contagiousthroughout the fairgrounds. Thesymbolic HSIC colors of whiteand green could be spotted oncollege and high school students’clothing in small ribbons passedout at the booth and scatteredthroughout the New Year. From asmall booth to across thefairgrounds, HSIC made its nameand presence clear to thecommunity. With white and green colorsthat symbolize the two dialects of theHmong culture, HSIC exhibited one ofits goals to maintain cultural traditions

and awarenessamong the currentand futuregenerations. Thecoalition evenplanned to dressup in traditionalHmong clothingon Saturday,December 29th,but the unexpectedrain prevented this

event as well as tabling for the day. Another goal to be promotedincluded higher education with variousactivities at the booth. College campuseshad the opportunity to promote theirschools and organizations at the tablewith pamphlets, brochures, newsletters,paraphernalia, photo albums, and manyother items reflective of their schoolsuch as cups and key chains. Thisprovided a space for exchange andinformation, in which college studentscould share their colleges with eachother, as younger students couldinvestigate these future campuses.Representing their schools were studentsfrom UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UCIrvine, UCLA, UC Riverside, UC SantaBarbara, CSU Fresno, CSU Sacramento,CSU Stanislaus, St. Mary’s College, andthe Hmong Student Association of SanDiego. To keep bodies warm and mindsstirring in the chilly weather, HSIChosted various games and activities atits booth for entertainment, knowledge,

and good laughs. Members distributedraffle tickets throughout the day tocollege students and youth, giving awayacademic and fun prizes wrapped inChristmas wrapping paper and shinybows, such as school supplies andpicture frames. In addition, candy couldbe won through a “Wheel-Of-Knowledge” game in which players spinthe wheel that would land on a piece ofcandy and if they answered the questionright, they win the prize. These twogames kept HSIC members busy, andalso served as fun methods of bait tobring youth to the booth in which HSICcould expose them to the ideas of highereducation. For plain entertainment andbonding, HSIC members and friendssang their hearts out along to karaoketunes, ranging from country to rap. Noone was shy when on the microphone! Underneath that small red tentdripping in brisk rain from the winterskies sat dedicated Hmong Americancollege students committed toempowering the Hmong community andretaining the culture. Others helpedspread the word as they trickled out intothe masses of family and friends withwhite and green ribbons pinned on them.Even with the drizzly weather and longhours at the booth, HSIC came togetherfor endless fun and great intentions,reaching out to more Hmong collegestudents and youth. These small effortsunder a small tent may not profit likethe grand tents selling barbecuedchicken and papaya salad to satisfy atemporary hunger. Instead, these effortsfor no profit will go a long way, creatinga hunger to be satisfied with furthereducation and community building.

H.SH.SH.SH.SH.S.I.C ta.I.C ta.I.C ta.I.C ta.I.C tabbbbbles ales ales ales ales atttttthe Fthe Fthe Fthe Fthe FrrrrresnoesnoesnoesnoesnoHmong NeHmong NeHmong NeHmong NeHmong New w w w w YYYYYearearearearear

Amorette Yang

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Amorette Paj Tshiab Yang is a sophomore attending the University of California, Berkeley,and is majoring in Political Science with a minor in Education. Along with her interests inpolitics and education, at the present she serves as the HSIC Secretary. She is also the ClubRepresentative for UC Berkeley’s Laotian American Student Representatives and co-founderof the Southeast Asian Student Coalition, while taking other leadership roles in studentgovernment and organizations.

Biography ________________________________________________________

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FEAFEAFEAFEAFEATURE ARTICLESTURE ARTICLESTURE ARTICLESTURE ARTICLESTURE ARTICLES

Hmong Hmong Hmong Hmong Hmong VVVVVision:ision:ision:ision:ision: The Future of Hmong AmericansKou Yang, Ed. D

Knowing where to go from hereis the first single step Hmong Americansneed to take, and knowing how to getthere is the second step. These two stepsalone will not take Hmong Americansto where they want to go. To get there,they need to work hard for their owngoals, and earn everything on their owninitiative and efforts. Where do the Hmong go from hereis, in my view, the first question forevery Hmong to ask and to do. If theHmong do not know where they wantgo from here, they will not know whereto go, and how to get there. To achieveone’s own goals, one must have at leasta goal to pursue, must know how topursue it, and must work hard to realizeit, and earn it. Toward this end, I submitthat the Hmong should set short andlong-term goals to be pursued for. Ipropose the following goals:

1. A virtual nation. Teng Lee ofNew York has recentlyintroduced the concept of“Virtual Nation” to theHmong American community,and it is, in my opinion, aworkable long term goal topursue. In this concept, theHmong can developthemselves into a nationwithout the need to have acountry and geographicalboundaries. In order for theHmong to continue surviving

as an ethnic and culturalgroup, and to be contributingmembers to any society theyare in, they should see anddevelop themselves as apeople of a nation withoutgeographical boundaries. Inthis view, there is no need forcountry or geographicalterritory to be a nation. AHmong nation can exist invirtuality, and in manycountries.

2. The second goal is for HmongAmericans to developthemselves into beingeconomically, socially,educationally, and politicallyhealthy people, and capable ofpreserving the best of Hmongcultural heritage and learningthe most from America.

3. The third goal is to developthemselves into a people ofmany cultures and talents,abilities, and assets, whichwill enable them to survive inany environment they are in.

4. The fourth goal is for theHmong to take charge of theirdestiny, being a futureoriented people, learning fromthe past to build the future.

5. The fifth goal is to developthemselves into being apeople who value tolerance,

diversity, democracy, andtechnology.

In my view, achieving these goalswill enable the Hmong to be activeparticipants of the 21st century. Activeparticipants can imply that the Hmongwill be productive citizens, they willbe proud of themselves, yet respectother cultures, and they will contributetheir best to America, and exercise theirrights and responsibility as citizens ofAmerica and the world. With thesestrengths and visions, HmongAmericans should be able to stand ontheir own feet, and be productivecitizens of this great nation. Being ableto stand on one’s own feet, in additionto being active and productivemembers of American society shouldenable Hmong Americans to determinetheir own destiny, assist Hmong inother countries, and work for their owngoals and causes. To achieve these set goals, I submitto the Hmong American communitythese following strategies to be used asa guide and tools.

VISION- Before anything else can bedone, each Hmong should see andunderstand the proposed “HmongVision,” which includes:

• Virtual Nation (that Hmongcan be a nation without aterritorial boundaries, a state

8

A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step — Chinese ProverbWhere do the Hmong go from here and how to get there?“Go where Hmong Americans can form a virtual nation, be apeople of many strengths and abilities, and develop a cultureof many heritages, pride, self-reliance, tolerance, democracy,civility, courage, and compassion. Form a society that valueshumanity and diversity, yet embraces technology as a mean toachieve a more harmonious, peaceful, prosperous, and stablefuture”

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Photo by Lee Yang

can be existence in a virtualstate of mind)

• Imagination (be a people ofimagination and intellectualcuriosity)

• Stability (build stable family,society and virtual nation)

• Independence (continueHmong’s spirit ofindependence and self –reliance)

• Opportunity (take whateveropportunity available at thetime being and in presentcircumstance)

• New (welcome new ideas,opinion, way of life, andtechnology; build new one ontop of the old one; developnew idea from the age-oldHmong wisdom andexperience)

HEAD- Hmong should start theirfuture from their head, emphasizingon H.E.A. and D, and beginning fromwork smarter, not harder. To achievethis end, Hmong need to seethemselves as follows:

• Hmong (be proud of theirHmong heritage, yet bewilling to adapt and adoptnew values and way of life.Do not let social environmentchange Hmong, Hmong needto change themselves to becompatible with their ownenvironment).

• American (also seethemselves as Americans,making them HmongAmericans, exercising theirrights and responsibility asAmerican citizens)

• Adaptability (be adaptable andflexible to any environmentthey are in. There are only twochoices: adaptation ordisappearance. Our choiceshould be adaptation)

• Democracy (respect andpractice democracy, counteveryone and every voice.More leaders, more ideas,more voices mean morechoices and more democracy)

BRAIN- The labor of their brain willsurely take the Hmong many stepsfurther. I offer the following brain-basedencouragement and wisdom for theHmong to use as their guide in theirquest to achieve their set goals.

• Believing in oneself (you havecome this far and should gofar further. You can changeanything you wanted tochange)

• Reality (know the reality andbe realistic)

• Aiming High (dare to dreamand go where no Hmong hasgone before; aim at themountain and you might get tothe top of the hill)

• Infinity (believe in infinitepossibility and potentials, thesky has no limit)

• Neeg (Neeg is a Hmong wordfor human being. Hmongmust develop themselves intoa people of civility, strongcitizenry, and havingcompassion and courage to dothe right things for themselvesand for others).

HEART- In order for the body tofunction well, every part of the bodymust work as a system, including theheart. In this aspect, I offer a few wordsto guide the Hmong heart.

• Home (home is where youmake and call it. America isHmong home too)

• Equality (in Hmong heart,everyone should be equal,regardless of gender, age,social and economic status.Hmong should always offerequality to non-Hmong aswell. In no time, should theoppressed become theoppressor. Hmong shouldlearn from their experience asan oppressed minority group,and they should preventoppression to exist in oroutside of Hmong society).

• Awareness. (be aware ofoneself and one’s educational,social and economiccondition, and take charge toovercome them)

• Tolerance (learn to toleratediversity within Hmong andAmerican societies. One canonly be free, when others arefree as well. Each one of us isa prisoner within our ownupbringing, social-economicsituation, historical andgeographical environment,and we must learn to free usfrom our own prisons).

HAND- To do anything is to do one’svery best. Hands to work, heart toHmong, and head to think. Within thewisdom, I offer the followingsuggestions:

• High Quality (value highquality, and do one’s best onanything one put one’s handon)

• Ability (know one’s ownability and use it to achieveone own goals and objectivesin life; everyone has one ormany abilities and must usethem to their fullestpotentials)

• Nine Treasures of the Hmongpeople need to be preservedand protected. These ninetreasures are:1. Language2. Costume3. Music4. Music Instruments5. Dance6. Arts7. Folklore8. Wisdom9. Medicine

• Doing it now/Doing ityourselves (the best time tostart the future is now and thebest way to work for yourfuture is to do it by yourself.Do not wait for someone to doit for you. You do it, so youwill earn it and learn from it).

LEGS- To achieve set goals and havehealthy mind and body, the legs need tobe active and developed as well. I offerthe following as strategies to develop thelegs.

• Leadership (Hmong need todevelop its leadership into a

9Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002 Hmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong Movement

modern, democratic,workable, and visionaryleadership. Democracy cannotexist in a society that allowsonly one leader, one idea, oneparty or one way to do thing.Multiple leadership is a signof continuity of Hmongleadership, and multiple ideasmean that Hmong people willhave more choice, and if oneidea does not work, Hmongwill have an alternative idea inplace).

• Expectation (set highexpectation on oneself, familyand community: expect thebest from everyone).

• Goals (set workable andattainable goals. Life withoutgoal is a goal to fail)

• Self-reliance (continueHmong tradition as self-reliantpeople. No people can surviveculturally by being dependenton others).

BODY- The Hmong body has to behealthy and strong physically,spiritually, and morally. I offer thefollowing words of wisdom:

• 3Bs1. Bee (Hmong need to live,

work and help one anotherlike bee. Bee work hard, seethe interest of the group abovethe interest of the individual,and defend vigorously whenprovoked. They are one for alland all for one. The survivalof one is the survival of all,and vice versa. They work toachieve the group’s goals, andwhen they achieve the group’sgoal, the goal of the individualis also achieved).

2. Bamboo (Hmong need to beflexible like bamboo.Flexibility keeps the bamboofrom breaking, and flexibilityshould keep the Hmong fromdisappearing).

3. Banyan. The branches ofBanyan tree send out shoots tothe ground to grow down tothe soil to grow new roots toform a secondary Banyantrees or trunks. Hmong canlearn from Banyan tree byspreading throughout manyparts of the country and theworld.

• Organization (be organizedand structured… to giveHmong the needed energy andpower to survive as an ethnicgroup)

• Durability (be strong anddurable; make anything onedoes a durable thing for thefuture)

• Young population (use youngpopulation of Hmong ashuman resource and humancapital for the development ofthe Hmong. Hmong have avery young population andthey can be developed into avery productive labor force aswell as the strength of Hmongfuture. It means education,value of hard work, self-sufficiency, and pride).

The past is history and it cannot bechanged, but it can be a lesson to buildthe future. The future starts today and itcan be changed; the Hmong must notlet the opportunity to build a betterfuture to pass without any meaningfulaction. Hmong future depends on everyHmong and every Hmong has a role in

it. Whether the future will be differentor not, depend on all Hmong to shapeit. I am optimistic that the future willbe better, if every Hmong has propereducation, career, and life goals andwork to achieve them. The future willsurely be better, if all Hmong take someof the above guides and use them to helpthem achieve their own objectives.Those who will do well are those whotake control of their destiny and workto earn their successes. Those who willdo well are those who believe inthemselves and pursue their own dream.And, those who will survive and thriveare those who tolerate other people’sopinion, expression, values, anddiversity. In Darwinism, it is the fittestthat will survive. Hmong may notsurvive for long, unless they developthemselves into a strong, flexible, andadaptable people who can cope andadapt to new environment andconditions, and can co-exist with otherethnic groups peacefully. The victor of war is the one whocan bring peace to the people. Inpeacetime, the winner is the one whocan bring education, political stability,social justice and economic prosperityto the people. The 21st century Americawill be very complex, well developedtechnologically, socially andeducationally. The winner and survivorsof the 21st century is not necessary thebigger, stronger, smaller or brighter, butsurely it will be the ones who are moreflexible and adaptable to futuretechnology, changes, and complexity.The Hmong are very small in numberand weak in economic, education andpolitical development, but they can bedeveloped into a small but capable toadapt and cope with their futuresituation.

biography ______________________________________________________________________________

Kou Yang is assistant professor of Asian American Studies at California State University, Stanislaus. He has taught social work at theUniversity of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, and Asian American Studies at Fresno City College. Dr. Yang has more than 15 years of workexperience in the fields of human services, including 13 years of social work practice in various social service settings with FresnoCounty Department of Social Services and Department of Mental Health. He received his MSW in Social Work from California StateUniversity, Fresno, and earned his Ed. D. from the Joint Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership of California State University,Fresno; and University of California, Davis. He has published studies of Hmong adjustment to life in the United States, and relatedtopics in the Journal of Asian American Studies and Hmong Studies Journal.

10 Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Hmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong Movement

PERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVESPERSPECTIVES

I could start off with my earliestmemory, but I’m pretty sure you don’twant to hear a story about how anawkward, shy kid ended up tripping hersecond grade teacher on the first day ofschool. (I don’t care what anyone elsesays, I swear it was just an accident.Who knew that a slight fall could createsuch a bloody mess?) Instead, I will startoff with the development of me, the notso typical Hmong American woman.

I was raised in Hanford, a smallfarming and dairy town in the middleof nowhere known as the San JoaquinValley. Growing up as the second ofeight closely aged children, my refugeeparents were as stereotypical as Asianparents get. They were very strict. Comestraight home after school, do dailyhousehold chores, study, and go to sleepbefore Arsenio Hall comes on. Anybroken rules meant you can bet that yourbehind was going to get to know theleather belt pretty well. So although Istill shudder in fear when I see anyleather products, I’m pretty sure I wasan all-around, ok kid.

And then there was high school.Like every rebelling teenager, I thoughtmy parents just did not understand thedifficult issues that I faced. How couldthey? They were so Hmong that theyoften forgot that I was an American.Back then, I thought being Hmongmeant being uneducated, so illiteratethat most Hmong people can’t evenwrite the very language they speak.Being Hmong meant being so poor thatafter a long day of toiling on someoneelse’s land; you come home to an insectinfested apartment where the amount ofcockroach droppings outnumbers thegrains of rice at dinnertime. BeingHmong meant accepting the injusticesof a patriarchal society: Get married at

thirteen. Have your first baby byfourteen. Cook, clean, slave over yourhusband’s every whim. And after awhile, when you finally think you haveperfected being a good Hmong wife,your disloyal husband brings home hissecond wife. No, that was not me. I wasnot Hmong; I was 100% American.

So I did everything I could todistance myself from my physical andcultural attributes. I purposely madenon-Hmong friends. When people called

me “white-washed”, I considered it tobe a compliment; it only meant I wasbecoming less Hmong. I studied hard inschool and looked to education as mymeans to move away from my“Hmongness.” I also engaged inextracurricular activities by joiningclubs and civil service organizations.My parents frowned upon this as notonly taking timeaway from mystudies, but also asspending too muchtime with non-Hmong. By mysenior year in highschool, I was gettingstraight A’s, was theSenior Class VicePresident, and heldexecutive positionsin several of the most prestigiousorganizations at Hanford High.

But my ultimate “rebellion”

I am HmongI am HmongI am HmongI am HmongI am HmongAmericanAmericanAmericanAmericanAmerican

Julie Yang

was my choice in boyfriends. Myparents had high hopes that I would oneday settle down with a nice Hmong boy,but I refused to contribute to mypatriarchal culture. I felt I was tooAmerican to lower myself to Hmongstandards. I only dated guys that Ideemed to be all American: white witha 5’11’ build, intelligent, and with theability to make me laugh. To say theleast, my parents were not thrilled withmy dating choices. We got into manyyelling matches; they would call me atraitorous, ungrateful child, and I, inturn, would call them ignorant racists. Iwas even more determined to be as littlelike them as possible. College rudely interrupted myself-righteous ways and arrogance.Meeting new people in a largely white-dominated college environment was aneye opening experience to say the veryleast. “Hi, I’m Julie.” “Oh, I’m so andso.” Then, as if it was a natural reflex,they would almost always ask where Iwas from. “Um...Hanford, CA.” “No,”they would reply, “where are youREALLY from?” Some even had theaudacity to tell me that I “speak Englishreally well...with no accent.” Then, it allbegan to slowly sink in; they don’t thinkI’m an American. I really am justanother Asian...just another Hmong. In light of my newestrevelation, I decided to take a lowerdivision Asian American history course.For the first time in my entire life, Iheard about the Hmong people in ahistory class. Even more surprising was

that theywere notd e g r a d e ddown towords suchas welfarerecipients,l a z y ,inassimilableforeigners,uneducated,

backwards, etc. Instead, the professorsaid they were noble, proud, loyal, andhardworking with a rich culture and

“Being Hmong meant acceptingthe injustices of a patriarchalsociety: Get married at thirteen.Have your first baby by fourteen.Cook, clean, slave over yourhusband’s every whim.”


history. As I learned about the countlesssacrifices that the Hmong people made,so that the GREAT AMERICANS couldwin its war with Communism, I feltashamed by my lack of pride, honor, andidentity.

Today, I am a senior doublemajoring in Asian American studies andLaw and Society with an emphasis inCriminal Justice. I may not know whatlies ahead in my future, but I do knowthat I have finally come to accept mycultural past. It’s amazing howeverything begins to make so muchsense when you no longer fight againstthe inevitable facts of life. The veryessence of who “I really am” is a merereflection of my Hmong cultural historyand my American upbringing; they areno longer mutually exclusive, but partsof a complete whole. And although Irealize I still have so much more to learn,at the very least, I can now say withpride...I am a Hmong American.

SprSprSprSprSpreading Myeading Myeading Myeading Myeading MyWWWWWingsingsingsingsings

Mary Malee Xiong

With everyounce ofcourage, Istrolled ontothe SaintM a r y ’ sCollege ofC a l i f o r n i acampus inMoraga, CAhoping to livemy dream ofbeing the firstin my family

to attend a four-year institution. I hadthe naïve freshman mentality offreedom and of course,fun…fun…fun…! I ambitiouslybelieved that since I was completelyaway from my family for the first time,I could “do anything I want.” I didn’thave my parents there to repeatedlyremind me of when I should come homenor did I have my siblings there toremind me of when I should cook dinner

for the family. I was truly alone and Iwas surrounded with the luxury andbeauty of absolute freedom. I finallyhad the opportunity to pursue myacademic career without any outsideinterference; I was free!

Like a newborn bird spreadingits wings for the first time, I wanted toexplore the depths of what Saint Mary’scould offer me. I wanted to have manyenlightening friends that I could simplybuild everlasting memories with. Iwanted to continue my academicexcellence from high school. I wantedto become actively involved in studentorganizations on campus and be wellhonored and recognized. I wanted tofulfill this unrealistic idea that goingaway to college was going to be easyand pleasurable.

However, I soon came to therealization that going away to collegewas beyond my imaginations. After amonth I came to realized how difficultit was to transition from the heavilyHmong populated South Sacramentoarea to the pre-dominating whitepopulated area of Saint Mary’s College.I was no longer the premier ballerinawho floated through almost everyorganization in Luther Burbank HighSchool; instead, I was a minute figurefloating in the shadows of the 5,000students of Saint Mary’s College. Noone seemed interested in the only Asiangirl in the class. Nor did they care toask what kind of Asian I was. Moststudents and professors did not knowthat the Hmong people existed. Theyjust assumed that I was Chinese or just“Asian.” For the first time, I came torecognize that I was different and that Idid not fit into a pre-dominate whiteatmosphere. My struggle betweenbalancing my Hmong and Americanidentities dramatically intensified. Iknew that I was not completely Hmongnor was I completely American. Themost bubbling question was then, whoam I? I didn’t posses the characteristicsof a traditional Hmong girl nor did Iposses the characteristics of a full-blownblond hair and blue-eye girl.

It was at this transitional periodthat I came to understand who I trulywas. I was a struggling Hmong femalecollege student who was striving to alterthe male-submissive role of a Hmongfemale. I was trying to show my familythat a female could academically

succeed without a male figure in her life.I was trying to prove to my family that Icould be the first female in the familyto become self-reliant and educated. Atthe same time, I also recognized thatalthough I was very independent, it didnot make me completely “American.”The Hmong values that I grew-up withwere still deeply instilled in me. I stillfulfill the duty of taking care of myfamily and friends; however, this timewithout the mentality that I was justplaying out the submissive Hmongfemale role, but with the mentality thatI was expressing my love to my familyand friends. I came to accept and valuethe simple idea that I did not have tofall into either the black or white side ofthe spectrum, but I can fall into the moreinnovative colorful middle side of thespectrum. I can be Hmong Americanwithout any guilt of being one or theother because like every Hmong youthof today, I am both.

College Life

When wewere in highschool andapplied forcolleges, wewaited soanxiously tosee where wegot acceptedand we

viewed college as more schoolwork.When we get into college and startcollege. Our perspective of collegechanges because college isn’t all aboutschoolwork. College life is composedof learning and gaining more knowledgeto increase one’s education; learninghow to balance a job with school; gettinginvolved in a variety of activities; andmost of all, meeting and socializing withnew people. College is one big lifeexperience to give us exposure to the“real world.”. Living or not living ahome… which is harder to do while in

ColleColleColleColleColleggggge Life Life Life Life LifeeeeeNhia Vue


college. There are advantages anddisadvantages of living at home and notliving at home. The advantage of livingat home is that you basically live offyour parents and you don’t have to payrent or anything else. You just have topay for your transportation to school.You are also close to your family. Thedisadvantage of living at home is thatyou have less freedom and you feel asif you are still in high school. When youlive at home, you are still obligated tolisten to your parents because you areunder their roof. Living at home alsomakes it difficult to study because of themany distractions, especially if you havea big family. You also have to do somuch for the family because you don’twant to feel as if you aren’t helping themat all. The advantage of NOT living athome is that you have more freedom.You can express yourself as anindividual and learn on your own. Youare able to live a real college life withfreedom, choices and opportunities tosocialize more. The disadvantage ofNOT living at home is that you have topay for your own rent. That would mean,you have to keep a stable job and be ableto pay for rent, utility and phone bills.Another disadvantage is that you wouldprobably miss your family a lot. In eithercase, there are advantages anddisadvantages that make it hard. Sowhere would you rather live?

A Day in the Life of a UCSD Student

Waking up early is not unusualfor me because I am commuting toUCSD by public transportation alsoknow as San Diego Transit Bus. I alwaystake earlier buses to make sure that Iwon’t be late. From Monday throughFriday, my earliest wake up time is at5:30 AM and my latest wake up time isat 6:30 AM. My earliest class is at 8:00AM. When I get to school, I usually havefrom 1-2 hours to spear before my firstclass starts. I use that time to study orread in the main library, the librarylounge or in the food area, because thatis the only thing open at 6:45 AM. WhenI have breaks between classes, I go tothe library and study, and that is alsowhen I check my email or surf the net.Other gaps are used to eat, if I can’t fitin lunch. I just wait until home to eat.When I am done with all my classes, Ieither go home or go to the library

lounge and study for a couple of hoursbefore I go home. I also try to gettogether with other members from thisclub who attend UCSD or get togetherwith some of my high school friendswho attend UCSD too. When I’m donewith my classes and studying, I returnhome on the bus. It usually takes about45 minutes to get home because thereare so many people trying to get homeso it slows down traffic and because thebus is constantly stopping. When I gethome, I clean the house, cook dinner,eat, shower and then start my

Hmong U.S. HistoryKa Chue Yang

Back in Laos, where the tulips bloomed,Where the rice soaked in the golden sun

A noise pierced the beautiful air.From then on, we don’t want to remember, but just run.

It was the year 1975, during the Vietnam War.We were allies with the US; our general told us,“All soldiers and men, let us fight for our land,

life and America. If we lose, Americapromised to take us in.”

We fought, tons of lives lost.US retreated, our lives were threatened.

We left our country, home and land.Adopted a new life, a new language and a new heritage.

In a land called America, the language is EnglishWe had to again learn to talk and walk

along with many new things.Things were so different here, there were bills to pay,

People who hate, and people who disgrace.With all these things, the hate, the race,

and the disgraceWhere are we going to be with no peace?

So let us cooperate, let’s not disgrace our race.It’s who we are and what we’ll always be, let there be peace.

homework. I usually don’t even get tostart my homework until 7 PM becauseI have to do all this stuff for my family.I usually complete all my homework andI am able to squeeze a conversation withmy boyfriend, and then finally get to bedby 11 PM. Usually if I’m done with myhomework early, then I try to check myemail at night before I go to sleep. Thatis a day in my life. It will soon get longerwhen I get another job, which I’mlooking for. I did have a job but I had toquit it for Hmong New Year.


Lost IdentityLinda Her

Eyes before me, what do you see?is what you see a picture of thee?or is it a picture that holds a thousand lies,a picture that tells of another in disguise?

we have all gone through this-the questions of who we are,why we’re here,and gosh darn it,why can’t we be someone else.why can’t we look the way they look,why can’t we have their life…

I have often wondered why I am here-in this body,with this face, this life,this heritage…why can’t I be or look like everyone else?why does the color of my face make me different,and why is it that I feel disowned-disowned by my Asian peers,and yet not belonging anywhere else.

from being looked upon as a ‘traitor’-a white-washed Asian,someone who lacks the truth or dignityof knowing the importance of her heritage-or being called a nerd, a chink, or chubby,I have suffered the painsthe pains of growing up in a society so rich in cultureand knowledge and yetso damned by it.

many times I have put on a mask to hide,because I feared that they,my friends and family,wouldn’t like me, for me.and because I didn’t want them to see

the hurt I felt inside,or see the pain I kept locked away…And maybe it was me,I was trying to hide it from.

many times I have wished long and hard,that I wasn’t who I was.that I wasn’t a minority,that I wasn’t Hmong, but instead… white.and that I wasn’t me,the “good girl” that parents often compared their daughters to,the “straight A student” that feared failure.yet what I wished for mostwas to not be afraid of who I was-to not fear my differences,and to allow others to see me for me.

these thoughts of who I am,these questions of where I belong,they still linger…in my mind when I am down,in my heart when I feel lost,but just as they come and go,I have learned to not let them whisper doubts in me,doubts of who I am and why I am here.

Instead I hear a voice that tells me:we are all that we have encountered in life,we are what we hate most in others,and we are what others see best in us. the emotions of the crying hours, the confusion and struggle we face, the passions of love and hate, and the people who have crossed our paths,these are what we should see in our eyes.These are what make us who we are.

Nhia Vue is a sophomore attending University of California, San Diego majoring in Human Development with a minor of Teacher Education. Her advice for youngerstudents is self-motivation and self-determination are the keys to getting into college, and then working hard is the key to succeeding in college.

Linda Her is a sophomore attending Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa) majoring in Biology, Pre-Med, with the aspiration of attending medical school afterreceiving her undergraduate degree. Not only does she enjoy studying this field, but in addition, she has a passion for writing, singing, design, and educating andovercoming adversity. Currently she is attending Drake on an Alumni Scholarship, and is a Sunday School teacher as well as the youth president for the Hmong AllianceChurch in Des Moines.

Ka Chue Yang is a senior attending Merced High School. At the present, she is the President of Merced High Asian Club, Vice President for Future Homemakers ofAmerica (FHA-Hero), in Avid, Leo and Academic Decathlon. She plans to pursue college in fall of 2002 and would like to major in Commumications and Law.

Mary Malee Xiong is a sophomore attending St Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. She is majoring in Communication. St Mary’s College is a private Catholic institution,at the present there is about 6 Hmong students in attendance.

Julie Yang is a senior at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is double majoring in Asian American Studies and Law and Society with an emphasis in CriminalJustice.

biographies


ORGANIZORGANIZORGANIZORGANIZORGANIZAAAAATION SPOTLIGHTTION SPOTLIGHTTION SPOTLIGHTTION SPOTLIGHTTION SPOTLIGHT

The Hmong Students Association ofCalifornia State University, Stanislauswas formed in the 1985-86 school yearby the first group of Hmong students oncampus. HSA adopted the motto,“Uniting Today for a Better Tomorrow.”The goals and objectives of HSA are topromote higher education for Hmongstudents; help empower Hmong peopleto be productive and educated citizens;encourage cross-cultural understandingon campus; and serve a bridge ofcommunication between the Hmongpeople and the local community. To answer many common questionsthat arises when CSU Stanislaus ismentioned to Hmong college studentsand youths, CSU Stanislaus is locatedin Turlock, which is about 15 minutessouth of Modesto and 30 minutes northof Merced. The majority of Hmongstudents attending CSU Stanislaus arefrom Stockton and Merced. At thepresent, there are over 150 Hmongstudents attending CSU Stanislaus. Aspart of the initiation of empowering theHmong community and transformingleadership, CSU Stanislaus HSA is oneof the founding members and is at theforefront of HSIC leadership. Spring of 2001 marked the15thanniversary of the Hmong StudentsAssociation of CSU Stanislaus. A newtradition was established to honor ourmembers who graduate. Since many ofthe fraternities and sororities honor theirgraduates with unique stoles atcommencements, our graduatesdeserved to be honored as well. HSA’s unique Hmong American stoleswere worn by graduates atcommencement. This new tradition wasa milestone for HSA as graduate couldnow show their pride of being Hmong

CSU StanislausHmong StudentsAssociation

Alex Vang

Americans at one of the most importantcelebration of their lives. The commencement stolesembroidered with a small patch of PajNtaub (flower cloth) drew attentionfrom peers and the audience. Somepeople asked which honor society didthe graduates wearing the HSA stolesbelong to? The honor of being HmongAmericans and successfully completingcollege is a message HSA wish toconvey to our fellow Hmong studentsand community. The stole is a symbol to motivate andempower Hmong youth to pursue higheracademic education. Education is thekey to unlock the door that will openother doors. Our intention was that other Hmongstudent organizations across the countrywill follow in this new tradition ofhonoring their graduates as well. Withspring fast approaching I encourage allHmong student organizations honortheir graduates with their own uniqueHmong Americans stoles in spring of2002.

HSA members at CSU Stanislaus Commencement2001. Left to right: Ta Thao, Kimiko M. Vang, SengA. Vang, & Chantheum Keo

2001-02 HSA OfficersPresident: Cho XiongVice President: Seng Alex VangSecretary: Shua HerTreasurer: Senda ChangPublic Relations: Pang VangHistorian: Houakia MouaFaculty Advisors:Dr Sari Miller-Antonio, AnthropologyDr Chris Vang, Teacher EducationDr Kou Yang, Ethnic Studies

Hmong StudentsHmong StudentsHmong StudentsHmong StudentsHmong StudentsAssociaAssociaAssociaAssociaAssociation oftion oftion oftion oftion ofCarCarCarCarCarolina (HSAolina (HSAolina (HSAolina (HSAolina (HSAC)C)C)C)C)

Sendra Yang


People around theworld all carry theirown unique cultures.As refugees of war,many Hmong wereforced to adapt to a newculture. They had to

adjust to a new way of life. Diversityamong people and cultures often bringpositive rewards, but the act of learningto adjust to a new culture can be achallenge. Many young Hmong peoplein the United States often findthemselves with this challenge.

Many Hmong youths find theHmong community to be a place wherethey can find a bridge between theAmerican culture and their owntraditional culture. Within thecommunity, Hmong youths can oftenfind others who shared similarexperiences and perspectives. They canalso find others who share the sameinterests and concerns. By sharing theirexperiences, emotions, interests, andconcerns, they can begin to find abalance between the two cultures.

The formation of the HmongStudents Association of Carolina(HSAC) is a step closer to finding thisbalancing point. HSAC strives to givethe Hmong students a sense of identityand a voice in the Hmong communityand in the university campuscommunity. HSAC was established andrecognized by the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill this past

http://www.hmongsa.cjb.net/

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Catherine Yang

Biography__________________________

Sendra Yang is a sophomore attendingthe University of North Carolina at ChapelHills. She is a co-founder of the HSACand currently one of the co-presidents. Atthe present, Sendra is serving on a nationalpanel of Hmong collegiate studentscoordinating the first Hmong NationalYouth Leadership Summit at Universityof Wisconsin, Milwaukee in spring of2002.

As the Hmong students ofCentral Valley in California are movingalong in their education and finishing uphigh school, they are looking into goingaway to a University of California (UC).Most would like to get into UC Davis orUC Berkeley in Northern California, orUC Los Angeles, UC Santa Barbara, orUC San Diego in Southern California.In fact,H m o n gs tuden t scan befound inall theseuniversities,but wetend toforget theH m o n gs tuden t sin the other University of Californias.One of which is the University ofCalifornia, Riverside (UCR).

So where in the world is theUniversity of California, Riverside? InRiverside County of course, and whereis Riverside County? Riverside is out inthe boonies somewhere, between SanDiego and Los Angeles. RiversideCounty is about an hour southeast of LosAngeles.

The UC Riverside has anundergraduate population of about13,000. Seventy-five percent of whichare Asians. However, the Hmongpopulation in UCR is only about 50students. Yet only fifteen of those fiftyare in the Hmong Student Association ofUCR. These fifteen Hmong studentshave come together to form a secondfamily away from home. Most of the

Hmong students here are from the CentralValley. Of course, why not, these are aboutthe only Hmong people that UCR studentsencounter. There are other non-Hmongmembers in the association. Altogether,there are twenty-five members in theassociation and continually growing eachyear.

The Hmong Student Association isin its third year after being resurrected inthe 1999/2000 school year. Therefore oneof the major goals of the club is to recruitmore Hmong students. Another importantgoal of the Hmong Student Association isto “get the word out” that there are Hmong

people inthe area.Last year,the HSA ofUCR hasput on theirfirst cultureshow fort h ecommunity.This yearthe HSA oft h e

University of California, Irvine will beteaming up with Riverside’s HSA to put onthe next culture show. The show, whichwould take place memorial weekend inMay, will focus on the culture clash that theHmong youth today are encountering withtheir parents.

There is a small Hmongcommunity in Banning, California, whichthe Hmong Student Association of UCR hasbeen reaching out to. The HSA has beenputting on dances and an annual Easter EggHunt for the community. Banning is alsowhere the other Hmong students of UCRcomes from. The Banning community isthe third family that the HSA has adopted.UC Riverside has become a new home forthe Hmong students here. The HmongStudent Association is like a second familyfor the Hmong students of UCR.

2001-02 HSA Officers

President: Jandy ChangVice President: Catherine YangSecretary: Ia YangTreasurer: Chue YangHistorian: Pang Yang-XiongWebmaster: Ben Xiong

summer. It currently has 16 active,hardworking members, two co-presidents, Sendra Yang and KhouVang, a secretary, Yin Xiong, and atreasurer, Xee Lo.

HSAC has done a lot of activities inits few months of existence. In Augustand September of 2001, HSAC helpedsponsored a Hmong art exhibit oncampus. The exhibit consisted ofpictures from Thailand, Laos, andVietnam, different clothing worn byHmong, and various Hmong artifacts.In October, HSAC participated withthe Asian Students Association oncampus to help put on a fashion showfor 2001’s Journey into Asia. InNovember, HSAC collected collegeapplications, financial aid information,and made a brochure of HSAC anddistributed them to the Hmongcommunity at the Hmong New YearFestival. In the upcoming months,HSAC plans to give a tour of theUniversity of North Carolina at ChapelHill to interested students from theHmong community and do afundraiser.

HSAC is a component of a greaterchange and unity, taking place amongthe Hmong community across theUnited States. Many Hmong studentsare taking the initiative to cometogether and form associations thatuphold the same ideals as HSAC.Though many in the Hmongcommunity still lack educational andeconomic opportunities, organizationslike HSAC will strive to guide thecommunity to higher knowledge andachievement.

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~bxiong/hsa

Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Hmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong Movement16

Hmong Students Association (HSA)California State University, StanislausRepresentative: Seng Alex Vang*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association (HSA)Consumes River CollegeRepresentative: Jenny VangEmail: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association (HSA)University of California, RiversideRepresentative: Jandy ChangEmail: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association(HSA)University of California, LosAngeles (UCLA)Representative: Xai Lee*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Students Association (HSA)University of the PacificRepresentative: Soua Her*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association (HmSA)California State University, FresnoRepresentative: Xiong Shawn Her*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association of San Diego (HmSASD) *Representative: True Xiong*Email: [email protected]

San Diego State University (HmSASD)University of California, San Diego (HmSASD)San Diego Mesa College (HmSASD)San Diego Miramar College (HmSASD)

Hmong Student Association (HSA)California State University, ChicoRepresentative: Golee Lor*Email: [email protected]

Hmong University Student Association (HUSA)California State University, SacramentoRepresentative: Lance FongEmail: [email protected]

HSIC Chapter - Pacific Union College **Pacific Union CollegeRepresentative: Steve ThaoEmail: [email protected]

HSIC Chapter - St Mary’s College **Representative: Mary Xiong*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Student Union (HSU)University of California, DavisRepresentative: Jimmy XiongEmail: [email protected]

Hmong Student Union (HSU)University of California, Santa BarbaraRepresentative: Julie Yang*Email: [email protected]

Hmong Student Association (HSA)University California, IrvineRepresentative: Ying MouaEmail: [email protected]

Laotian American StudentRepresentatives (LASR)University of California, BerkeleyRepresentative: Sonny Yang*Email:[email protected]

__________________________________________* Also Regional Representative** HmSASD is composed of students from fourcampuses in the San Diego area.*** Chapter Membership- Whereas a Hmongstudent organization has not been yet establishedat a college, an HSIC college chapter may beformed by adopting and abiding by the bylaws ofHSIC, and shall act as, and be recognized as thegoverning body for representation within HSICgranted they:

A) Democratically reflect the needsand concerns of the Hmong populationon their respective campus.B) Adhere to all guidelines set forth bythe HSIC Constitution.

H.S.I.C ORGANIZH.S.I.C ORGANIZH.S.I.C ORGANIZH.S.I.C ORGANIZH.S.I.C ORGANIZAAAAATIONSTIONSTIONSTIONSTIONS

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January12 HSIC South Region Meeting

UC Riverside, Riverside CA, TBA19-20 HSIC Statewide Retreat

TBA, Contact: Julien Moua, [email protected]

February2 HSIC Central Region Meeting, University of Pacific HSA

Stockton, CA 95211, TBA, Contact: Alex Vang, [email protected] Fresno City College Southeast Asian Conference

Fresno City College, Fresno, CA. TBA.9 UC Irvine HSA Hmong Cultural Workshop @ APAC

Irvine, CA, 92697 Contact: Alicia Yang; [email protected] University of Pacific HSA Valentine Dance

Callison Hall, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, 8 PM-12 AM, Contact:Kangla Fang, [email protected]

23 UC Davis HSU 10th Annual Conference“Culture Clash: Exploring the Hmong Identity” Davis, CA, TBA, Contact: Xiong Moua, Chair [email protected]: 916.505.0438

March2 UC Davis HSU Masquerade Party, Eastearn Star Temple, Contact: Yabee Yang [email protected] CSU Fresno HmSA Hmong Cultural Show, 5150 North Maple St., Fresno, CA 93740, TBA16 CSU Stanislaus HSA 5th Annual Hmong Speech Research Competition, Main Dining Hall, 801 West Monte Vista

Avenue, Turlock, CA 95326, 9 AM – 5 PM, Contact: Houakia Moua, [email protected], Phone: 209.656.101416 University of Pacific HSA Spring Dance- Callison Hall, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, 8 PM-12 AM,

Contact: Kangla Fang, [email protected] University of Pacific HSA Sports Tournament- Gym, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA 95211, 8 AM-5 PM, Contact:

Tern Yang, [email protected] CSU Sacramento HUSA 2002 Sports Tournament. TBA Contact: Lance Fong Email: [email protected]

Phone: 916-549-9359

June1 UC Davis HSU, Graduation Banquet, TBA

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Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Winter 2002Hmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong MovementHmong Movement

April13 CSU Stanislaus HSA Spring Jam

Main Dining Hall, 801 West Monte Vista Avenue, Turlock, CA 95326 8 PM – 12 AM, Contact: Pang Vang, [email protected]

13 HND HmongNational Youth Leadership Summit UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 9 AM – 5 PM

14-16 HND 7th Annual Hmong National Conference “Meeting the Challenges: the Complexity of the Hmong Identity”Hyatt Regency Hotel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

26 CSU Stanislaus HSA, 6th Annual Asian Heritage DayMain Quad, 801 West Monte Vista Ave, Turlock, CA 9532610 AM – 2 PM, Contact: Cho Xiong, Chair, [email protected]

26-28 Central Vally Partnership Cultural Exchange FestivalTower District, Fresno, CA

27-28 Organization Chinese Americans 3rd Annual Leadership Traininghosted by UC Davis API Council & co-sponsored CSU Stanislaus HSA@ Davis, CA, TBA

May18 CSU Stanislaus HSA, Commencement Banquet Main Dining Hall, 801 West Monte Vista Ave, Turlock, CA 95326 May 18, 2002, 5 PM–9 PM Contact: Alex Vang [email protected]

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Hmong Student Association UCR and UCISecond Culture Show at UCRContact/Info: Catherine Yang [email protected] Chang [email protected]

25


The First Annual Tamejavi FestivalBuilding Community Through Cultural Exchange

April 26-28, 2002, Tower Theater Fresno, CA

The main goals of the Tamejavi Festival are to: Build public pride, recognition,and voice of the diversity of cultural groups that are working to improve CentralValley communities. Build cross-cultural relationships between individuals andgroups that share a commitment to strengthening the public voice of immigrantcommunities. Build skills for organizing communities through cultural expression.Celebrate the Central Valley Partnership’s Civic Action Network.The Tamejavi is a learning festival featuring:An outdoor Tamejavi marketplace for the whole family. Tamejavi is derivedfrom the Hmong, Spanish, and Mixteco words for a cultural harvest market. TajLaj Tshav Puam, Mercado, and Nunjavi merge together and become TAMEJAVI -a place where cultures meet, share stories, food, songs and dance and gain a deeperunderstanding of one another. Music, theater, multi-media, poetry and artshowcases that build the public voice, pride and recognition of a diversity of valleycultures. Interactive “Learning Labs” that provide opportunities to learn fromone another and experiment with new approaches to building community throughcultural expression.The general public is welcome to all performances at the Tower Theater and theoutdoor Tamejavi Marketplace. The general public is encouraged to register forfestival Learning Labs when space is available. The Tamejavi Festival is co-sponsored by the Central Valley Partnership for Citizenship (CVP) and the PanValley Institute (PVI) and funded by The James Irvine Foundation.The Central Valley Partnership for Citizenship is a collaborative of more than adozen nonprofit agencies from Bakersfield to Redding, working to help valleycommunities improve their ability to encourage naturalization and full civicparticipation of immigrants. The James Irvine Foundation currently funds the CVP.This event will celebrate the CVP’s growing Civic Action Network.The Civic Action Network (CAN) is a CVP supported network of over 100grassroots organizations that involve immigrants in solving problems in theircommunities and in public life.In the wake of 9/11, fear and suspicion of immigrants is a daily reality. We believethat now is an important time to learn more of one another and unite against all actsof ethnic intolerance. The Tamejavi Festival is a unique opportunity to learn moreabout the life, struggles and positive contributions of immigrants.The Exchange Project, a nationally acclaimed community-based theatercollaborative, will join the festival as both performers and participants. The ExchangeProject (featuring Promise of a Love Song) is a collaborative project of three theatercompanies: Junebug Productions, an African American theater company of NewOrleans, LA, Teatro Pregones, a Puerto Rican theater ensemble of the Bronx, NY,and Roadside Theater, an Appalachian theater ensemble from Whitesburg, KY.Promise of a Love Song – a play developed out of a four-year exchange among theartists of the three companies and their home communities will be performed duringthe Festival at the Tower TheaterLocal poet and artist Juan Felipe Herera received funds from the City of Fresno todirect a collaborative play for the Tamejavi Festival. The play will focus on diversevalley residents’ responses to the 9/11 attack.The Khmer Society of Fresno received funds from the Civic Action Network toinvolve the Cambodian community in presenting the first ever Unites States publicperformance of the traditional Cambodian folk opera, ‘Lakhaun Bassac’ which willbe performed at the outdoor Tamejavi Marketplace.

The Civic Action Network also supported the production of “Mountain People ofLaos” a play by John Thao that tells the story of the Hmong people. This play willbe performed at the Tower Theater during the Tamejavi Festival.

For more information about the Festival program schedule contact Myrna MartinezNateras at the Pan Valley Institute at 559-222-7678

HM Guidelines for Submissions

Deadline for submissions for the Spring2002 issue is March 16, 2002

Section categories for submissions ofarticles and related material:*Headlines: Current events, reports andnews.*Perspectives: Personal creative writing,fictional and/or non-fictional compositions,poetry, artwork, and folklore literature.*Features: Forum for professionals,educators, graduates and undergraduatestudents to contribute articles relevant to theirdisciplines or area of expertise on imperativeissues concerning the Hmong Americancommunity.*Organization Spotlights: Informationregarding a HSIC organization and/orcampus. One member organization per regionwill be selected per issue. May include studentorganizations that reflect the preamble ofHSIC.*Student and/or youth profile(s): To featurea collegiate student and/or youth(s) not limitedto just students displaying exemplaryleadership or outstanding academicexcellence. Want to present uniquecharacteristics.*Organizations & Community Events:Representatives send us your upcomingevents from April and beyond for the nextcalendar of events.*HSIC Directory: Listing of HSIC memberorganizations and campuses andrepresentative contact information.

Submissions may be in English or Hmongmust be double-spaced and saved as worddocument. Submissions should be limited to5 pages. You may send submissions via emailas an attachment [email protected]

You may also send submissions on 3.5" HardDisk on PC format to:

Attn: Alex Vang, Editor-in-ChiefHM: Hmong Movement Magazinec/o Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition(HSIC)Hmong Students AssociationCSU Stanislaus801 W Monte Vista AveTurlock, CA 95382

Your submission must include your Name,Address, School, Phone, Email,Organization, Male/Female, Age, Year ofcollege or Profession, Optional Photo,.andPersonal biography (please limit to 250words). This information is necessary incontacting you if your submission is chosen.Please include a S.A.S.E. for return of yourwork, otherwise submissions will not bereturned. If you submission is chosen you willbe notified by email and/or phone. For furtherinformation please contact Alex [email protected] [email protected]

HM: Hmong Movement Magazinec/o Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate CoalitionHSA, CSU Stanislaus801 W Monte Vista AveTurlock, CA 95382

To:

SUPPORT HM: Hmong Movement

There are two ways to support HM, you can either:

Submit Donations to HM, under HSIC. Your organization can be part of an unprecedented event in Hmong Americanhistory. If you are interested as co-sponsors for the publication please contact us! We desperately need assistance from thepublic via donations or advertisements to distribute the publication to the public free of charge.

or Advertise in HM:

Need to be seen? Have upcoming events? Put an ad in the next issue of HM. HM is distributed quaterly across California toall of HSIC’s members. Contact us for advertisement rates!

All work will be voluntary; no staff will be paid. Funds will be used only for publishing costs and other associated expenses.All expenditures will be recorded. If you are interested in contributing or know anyone who is interested please contact us.

Please make check or money order payable to:Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC)

As we all know “great achievements are rarely accomplished alone.” Thank you for your support.

Attn: Alex Vang, Editor-in-ChiefHM: Hmong Movement Magazinec/o Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC)HSA, CSU Stanislaus801 W Monte Vista AveTurlock, CA [email protected] [email protected]

Hmong Movement 01 Winter 2002

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