hmong movement 06 summer 2003

sSUMMER 2003 HSIC QUARTERLY PUBLICATION VOLUME II: ISSUE 6

Hmong Movement

Hmong vs MongThe Controversy

Editorial StaffEditor in Chief:Seng A. Vang, UC San DiegoAssistant EditorNkauj Iab Yang, UC BerkeleyHeadlines Editor: Mary Xiong, St Mary’s College Features Editor:Xia Lee, UC BerkeleyPerspectives Editor:Jennifer Her, UC Los AngelesHmong Submissions EditorJin Thao, CSU FresnoAdvertisement Editor:Mala Vang, Cal Poly San Luis ObispoDesign/Layout & Cover Editor:True Xiong, UC San Diego

Writers/Contributors:See MouaSrida MouaChris T. Vang, Ed. D.Nancy ChaZoua XiongMay FangCindy J. ThaoNkauj Yeej XiongSonny Yang

HSIC Officers 2003-2004

President Xai Lee, UC Los [email protected] President Srida Moua, UC [email protected] Xia Lee, UC [email protected] Vang, UC [email protected]

Hmong Movement is published quarterlyby the Hmong Students Inter-CollegiateCoalition. (c) Copyright 2003. All rightsreserved. No contents may be reproducedwithout expressed written permission fromthe Editor. Unsolicited material will not bereturned. Letters sent to Hmong Movementbecome the property of the publication.Every precaution will be taken to ensure theaccuracy of information included at presstime, neither the Publisher or Editor shall beliable for damages arising out of errors oromissions. The opinions expressed hereinare those of the authors and not necessar-ily those of Hmong Movement or HSIC. Visitus online at http://hm.hsiconline.org.

From the Editorelcome to the Summer issue of Hmong Movement.This issue marks the beginning of YEAR TWO forHSIC. In this issue we are proud to have Nkauj Iab

Yang as our new Assistant Editor and Jin Thao as our Editor ofHmong Submissions. In the coming weeks we will also be selectingmore talented individuals to join the team. If you are interested con-tact us.

In this issue we feature a YEAR ONE in Review article to high-light some of the successful events HSIC has accomplished over thepast year and a report on the HSIC elections for 2003-04. We decid-ed to also focus on a controversial issue, which has been heatedlydebated by Hmong scholars, professionals and students over the pastfew months in regards to the passage of Assembly Bill 78.

According to the Mong Federation and their supporters, “Hmong” only refers to speakers of theWhite Hmong dialect, while “Mong” refers to speakers of the Green Hmong dialect. What hasmade this such a controversory is the recent newspaper article published in the LA Times whichcontained a quote that Mong is a distinct cultural and language group. Does speaking a differentdialect of the same language make a group a seperate ethnic group?

Further according to claims made by the Mong Federation, White Hmong scholars have sys-tematically “discriminated” against Green Hmong speakers over the past three decades. As aresult of failed attempts to include the word Mong into AB 78, this group opposed fellow Hmongeducators and supporters of AB 78. The Mong Federation also claims that funds should be equal-ly distributed to Hmong and Mong language programs, yet AB 78 does not include any fundingappropriations. It merely encourages educators in 7th to 12th grade to invite Hmong veterans andelders to speak about the role of the Hmong during the Secret War of Laos. Consider what lan-guage these speakers will be talking in when they do come to speak to students? Are the speak-ers only going to speak in Hmong to the classroom of Hmong and non-Hmong students? In thebig picture is this truly a relevant issue or does it divert attention from greater more urgent con-cerns such as K-12 performance of Hmong youth, teen suicide, or access to higher education?

Next our Features section includes a research paper written on the Hmong Teen Suicides issue,this is an important issue affecting many Hmong families in California. We want you to take thisopportunity to learn more and discuss this issue with your peers, youth or parents you know whocould potentially be affected.

This issue is also a special collaboration with HmoobTeen. HmoobTeen is a magazine madeby a group of Hmong high school students in the Twin Cities area. HmoobTeen will featureHmong Movement in their Summer issue and vice versa. This is an opportunity to reach out tomore Hmong youth and students on a national level for both publications. Lastly, we decided topush our literature reviews section until the Fall issue to spotlight some insightful HmongAmerican literature.

We want to encourage you to continue to send us submissions for Hmong Movement. HmongMovement's emphasis has always been to be a reader driven publication, meaning all of our sub-missions are literally "in their own words" of each author. Granted the editorial staff do edit andrevise grammatical errors if necessary. You do not necessary have to be a college student or evenbe part of HSIC to submit. Nearly every issue of Hmong Movement over the past two years, halfof the material in each is from community members especially youth or professionals. This illus-trates the inclusive extension beyond HSIC that Hmong Movement strives to achieve. FurtherHmong Movement stands firmly behind our commitment to ensure that Hmong Movement is dis-tributed FREE at HSIC meetings and events. If you are not able to attend a HSIC meeting or eventplease download the online version and pass issues are also available on the Hmong Movementwebsite http://hm.hsiconline.org.

In closing I hope that you will enjoy the other exciting articles and columns presented in thisissue such as the organization spotlight and student profile. Stay tuned as the new HSIC Boardwill have many upcoming activities for you to take part in. The first statewide meeting for YEARTWO is tentatively set towards the end of August. Thank you for your support and please do nothesitate to let the editorial staff know what you think of Hmong Movement. We look forward toreceiving your comments.

In solidarity,

Seng A. VangEditor in Chief

W

Hmong Movement SUMMER 2003

ContentsHeadlinesYear One In Review ..........................3

Election Results for YEAR TWO..........4

The “Not-so-Secret” War in Laos: Information You Should Know...........5

The Hmong vs. Mong Debate............6

The Political Battle between Hmongand Mong Americans in California....7

FeaturesHmong Teen Suicide.........................9

PerspectivesHow I Escaped My Marriage............12

Hmong Pride till We Die..................12

Txoj Kev Kawm Ntawm............................13

Kuv Lub Plawv Yog Koj Li................14

SpotlightsStudent Profile:

Michelle Yang, DJ MiYa.............17

Organization:Hmong Student Association of UC Riverside: .......................18

OpinionDear Abby? Yeah Right, my Butt! Morelike “Dear Hmong Dude”................ 19

For more information about theHmong Student Inter-CollegiateCoalition visit the HSIC Websitehttp://www.hsiconline.org

Hmong Movement is available online.Need back issues? Download them forfree at the Hmong Movement Websitehttp://hm.hsiconline.org

The editorial staff looks forward toreceiving any comments or questionsfrom readers. Please let us know whatyou think? Email: [email protected]

President’s Messagereetings to HSIC members and supporters. Myname is Xai Lee and I am the newly elected pres-ident for HSIC. I am a fourth year Political

Science undergraduate student at UCLA and a fellow con-cerned Hmong community member.

We are now in the beginning of YEAR TWO of HSIC andthird year in existence. This year will mark a new step towardsbuilding a greater collective consciousness and advocacy forissues effecting Hmong college students and the Hmong com-munities. Student organizing and activism has become a con-temporary marquee of progress for ethnic people in America.With this constantly in mind, I am enthusiastic in seeing the

wonderful development and progress of student organization and activism inside and aroundHSIC in these past two years of establishment. We are a network and forum for positivedevelopment of our communities in America.

The Hmong people have been in the United States for nearly three decades. Through theseyears of transition we have gained better understanding of who we once were in Laos andhave found a new sense of who we are now as Hmong in America. In the midst of findingourselves, we constantly search for signs of development, progress, and success for our peo-ple. RIGHT NOW, in my reflection on all of the college students in California and with thegrowing number of other Hmong college students and organization throughout the UnitedStates, I feel that we need not look any further. We need to recognize that we, Hmong col-lege students are those very faces of development, progress, and success for our people inthis country. Let us continue work through this coalition to gain better understanding of whyit is entirely important that we stand together as Hmong college students for our communi-ties. Our commitment is a promise to our parents, relatives and our ancestors that whatevercircumstances might come our way, we will always keep our people together, live and well.

To begin this year, we kicked things off with the HSIC statewide elections held at CSUFresno on Saturday, June 28th. The other important positions filled during and since thestatewide elections are the other three executive positions and nine RegionalRepresentatives. For the YEAR TWO of HSIC we have: Srida Moua as Vice President,Vanessa Vang as Treasurer, and Xia Lee as Secretary. For regional representatives thus farwe have: Linda Yang, Bee Yang and Johnny Her for Northern Region; Mailee Moua and MaiMoua for Central Region; and True Xiong and Bright Vue for South Region. I hope thateveryone will familiarize themselves with these names because these people will be the firstof many to drive HSIC towards a great and meaningful year.

Summer has already begun and some of us are taking breaks from the insanity of the aca-demic year while others are continuing their insanity through more schooling and even morework.. In addition to desperate attempts at maintaining our own sanity, planning for thiscoming year of HSIC is currently in the works as my fellow HSIC Board members (4 exec-utives, 9 regional representatives) and I are trading blood, sweat, and tears to create a morefocused vision for this year. I hope that everyone will hang on tightly because this is mere-ly the beginning and though it seems that things are seemingly secret, nothing has reallybeen said in this letter to explain what to expect for this coming year, I can give my person-al promise that we will make our presence felt as a coalition by making this coming year anincredible one. Once again, hold on tight and let us make this year "tight," together in unity.

Enthusiastically Serving,

Xai LeeHSIC Executive President

2 Hmong Movement SUMMER 2003

G

Headlines

EAR ONE (Youth Empowerment Awareness Recruitment Organizing NetworkingEducation) was the theme for the Hmong Student Intercollegiate Coalition's first officialyear as an organization. For those new to

HSIC? Founded in the summer of 2001, HSIC is astatewide network of student organizations representingHmong students from more than twenty universities inCalifornia. As a strong networking system, HSIC hascome together to increase awareness and to address imper-ative issues concerning the Hmong American community,such as acculturation experience, generation gap, racialconcern and higher education. HSIC collectively promotesstudents to be involved in higher education, mentorshipprograms, civic participation, and community activism.HSIC is divided into three separate regions: NorthernCalifornia, Central California, and Southern California.Each respective chapter member organizations withineach region elect three Regional Representatives to servewith the four Executive Officers elected on a statewidelevel. Together the four Executive Officers and nineRegional Representatives form the governing body ofHSIC.

Over the past year HSIC has held numerous events,projects, and everyone's favorite day long statewide andregional meetings. Uniquely established for YEAR ONEwere the committee positions such as Editor in Chief, chairof the Publications committee, Webmaster for the Websitecommittee, HAI Director for the Hmong American Issuescommittee, Director to oversee Grant ProposalCommittee, and Fundraising Coordinator to the Fundraisingcommittee. Some of the committees and directors/chairsworked very well and accomplished more than expected. Atthe same time some committees made very little or noprocess. Granted this is YEAR ONE so it is a learningprocess for everyone. Hopefully the new Board for the sec-ond year will critically focus on improvements instead ofrevamping what has been successful.

The following will be a review of some of the majorHSIC events and projects and include comments taken from evaluations by HSIC members. The firstevent that kicked off YEAR ONE was the Leadership Training Retreat, which took place at theUniversity of California, Irvine in September 2002 for more than 75 college students to network,

interact and engage in workshops with the intentto take back, share and apply their experienceswith their own student organizations, campuses,and communities. The following objectivesserved as the framework for LeadershipTraining: Leadership Training andDevelopment, Coalition Building, Networking,Promotion of Higher Education. Positiveremarks toward the Retreat included "providingopportunity to network and bond with fellowHmong college students across California," and"workshops provided useful resources." Oneparticipant noted that the Retreat provided inspi-ration and energy to take back to her campus.Another noted that the free hotel accommoda-

tions provided by HSIC for participants enableher to attend the Retreat. On the other hand,some participants believe that for a future eventsuch as this there should be more focus on actu-al training. Another participant noted that theworkshops seemed very last minute and throughthe boarder Asian American workshops wereeducational, there should be more emphasis onHmong related issues workshops. Other partici-pants cited more time, lack of communicationand problems with transportation as improve-ments for a future Retreat.

The second event that HSIC hosted was atable to outreach and distribute informationregarding college admission and talk to youthand parents who were interested in finding outmore about experiences of Hmong college stu-dents. The week long event included manyactivities such as a day for Hmong college stu-dents to dress in traditional Hmong costumes,college sweater day, and onstage performancesat the New Years Festival. The traditionalHmong costumes day was to encourage morecollege students to wear their costumes and beproud. Since many college students usually dis-like how artificial and commercialized theHmong New Years has become this was oneway for us to make it a more meaningful event.The college sweater day was a strong messagecollege students wanted to send to the commu-nity, that our numbers in higher education


HSIC YEAR ONE In ReviewBy Seng A. Vang

HSIC 2003-2004election @ CSU Fresno

YHSIC increase[s]

awarenessand...address[es]imperative issuesconcerning the

Hmong Americancommunity, such asacculturationexperience,

generation gap,racial concern

and highereducation. ”

““The traditionalHmong costumes daywas to encourage morecollege students towear their costumesand be proud.”

are increasing, but at the same time realize manyin our communities face cultural barriers andlack resources and access to higher education.The onstage performances consisted of four dif-ferent acts; the first consisted of a duet about

Hmong pride, next consisted of traditional dancein traditional dress, then a hip-hop dance four-some, and concluded with a freestyle motiva-tional song. Additionally each HSIC region hadone day reserved for them to table and outreach.

Numerous participants noted that the activitieswere very enjoyable and the performances bytalented students were very entertaining. One

dishearten participant noted that the HSIC festiv-ities at the New Years made him look forward to

attending. Overall the enormous number of stu-dents performing, greater number of supporterswho worked the long hours at the booth talked tohundreds of youth and parents illustrated theunity and what can be accomplished if we

worked together towards the same goals. Oneparticipant did note that to better outreach, weneed to improve on speaking Hmong to elders.This coming year hopefully the success can beduplicated at other large New Years in differentcities and grow larger at Fresno Hmong NewYears.

What has worked well for HSIC is how it isable to bring together large numbers of Hmongstudents from great distances to collaborate andwork toward a common goal. Equally importantto what makes HSIC what it is, are the relation-ships and experiences that student bring andlearn from each other. A participant noted astrong statement, "HSIC often overlooks theresources it has within HSIC," often there aresuggestions to increase more people to getinvolve and outreach to more people aboutHSIC. But what has made HSIC successful thepast two year are individuals with initiative andvision to dedicate countless hours, resources andenergy into the projects they do for HSIC.Essentially "START WITHIN the HSIC com-munity!" not to please people who are notinvolved or lack the time commitments.Additional comments for the organizationinclude a stronger emphasis on bridging the cul-ture gap, better communication among chaptersand HSIC and more accountability in seeinggoals accomplished (i.e. HSIC officers shouldmake an attempt to at least know who each chap-

ter representative is and attend and support morechapter events), and more focus on involvementdirectly with youth and parents. Taking theseimprovements into consideration, the new HSICBoard will continue the success and traditionsestablished by YEAR ZERO and YEAR ONE.z

HSIC Election Results

for YEAR TWO By Mary Xiong

On Saturday June 28, 2003, as the anticipat-ed Fresno heat quickly warmed up the rectan-gular room across California State University,Fresno student union, HSIC members slowlystrolled into the familiar room that hosted manyof the previous HSIC state-wide meetings. Oldand new members greeted each other withwarm hugs or hand shakes as they patientlywaited for laggards to pull in. The third HSICelection was on its way.

The meeting began with a brief introductionof everyone that transitioned to an interactivegame of "Do you love your neighbor" whichgot everyone jumping, running, and even fight-ing for a seat to sit on. After the entertainingice breaker, presentations were made by HSICmembers about possible projects. Mary Xiong,the St. Mary's Representative, made a presenta-tion about a potential book drive in the Hmongcommunity. Srida Moua, Hmong AmericanIssue Director, proposed a potential teen suicideprevention conference for HSIC to organizeand host in the near future. She also displayeda gallery of graphic but touching pictures of thepast, present, and future of the Hmong peopleand informed members about the latest updateon California's Assembly Bill 78, a bill thatwould include the Hmong people's involvementin the Vietnam War in the history curriculum ofK-12 students. Following that, Moua, showed,"Hope Lost: Massacre at Pha Sie Cliffs," a dis-turbing but heartfelt documentary that capturedthe dehumanizing and torturous lives of theHmong people in Laos today.

Soon after the presentations, HSIC chapterselected new executive officers and regional rep-resentatives for this upcoming year. Xai Leefrom UC Los Angeles was elected President,Srida Moua from UC Berkeley was electedVice President, and Vanessa Vang from U.C.Davis was elected Treasurer. Because no oneran for Secretary, the other officers are inprocess of appointing someone to fulfill thespot. In addition, Mailee Moua, CSU Fresno,


...what has made HSIC successful the past two yearare individuals with initiative and vision to dedicatecountless hours, resources and energy intothe projects they do for HSIC.”

“

...the consistent work ofpublishing HmongMovement, the HSICwebsite http://www.hsi-conline.org and HmongAmerican Issues, tomany, YEAR ONEwas a very suc-cessful year.”

“

We are proud @ Fresno, Cal.

here tob e g i n ?

That is the question.Born in Thailand andraised in the UnitedStates, I have neverseen a bomb explodebefore my eyes. I havenever suffered the painof death, the pain ofhunger, nor have I everfeared fear itself theway many of theHmong, Laotian,Khumu and the manymore that fought in theSecret War - have. Iwas not there when theCentral Intelligence Agency (CIA) recruit-ed General Vang Pao in 1960 to leadground troops against the NorthVietnamese and Pathet Lao. Nor was Ithere when our parents, grandparents, andrelatives had to flee Laos; crossing theMekong River with the dreams and hopesof a better tomorrow on their bare backs.What the heck! I wasn't even born yet. So,why is the Secret War so important tosomeone like me and someone like you?

It has been 28 years since the VietnamWar ended in 1975, yet to this very day,many of the Laotian, Khumu, and especial-ly Hmong soldiers and their families arestill being targeted for their involvement asallies to America during the Secret War.These soldiers and families have had noother choice but to escape into the deepjungles of Laos in fear of being inhumane-ly persecuted by the Laos People's

Democratic Republic(LPDR). Where do Ibegin, to explain awar so foreign to youand I, but so deeplyrooted in our pastand current history?Let us begin with thef a c t s .

It was the year1962. The UnitedStates and SovietUnion had sign theGeneva Agreementson Laos, thus assert-ing Laos as a neutralcountry and there-

fore terminating military operations inLaos. However, exempted from theGeneva Agreements, was the humanitarianaid that the United States were providing tothe Hmong villages via Air America, thatis, weapons, money, and rice in exchangefor recruits for the "Armee Clandestine[the Secret Army] employed by the CIAwhich consisted of Hmong and ethnicLaotians."2 By taking advantage of AirAmerica, an air war erupted with bomb-ings all over Pathet Lao-controlled territo-ries. It wasn't until 1969 that the UnitedStates was fully engaged in war with NorthVietnam and Laos. The war in Laos wasdeemed "secret" because neither theUnited States nor North Vietnam wouldacknowledge that bombing was occurringin Laos. By acknowledging the Secret Warin Laos, the world would know that bothNorth Vietnam and the United States wereviolating the 1962 Geneva Agreement. By

the end of the war in 1975, the Hmong andother allies of the United States were given

three choices: 1) join the CommunistPathet Lao 2) leave Laos or 3) be killed.With that in mind, thousands of the Hmongand other Southeast Asian exiles fled torefugee camps in Thailand, where somemoved on, some were left behind, andsome were sent back to Laos.

Thus, putting an end to a war "not-so-secret," but still unknown to the many gen-erations that trail after it. Yet today, inrestricted areas in Laos, particularly theSaysomboun Special Zone, the LPDR con-tinues to bring destruction on the Hmongpeople and the rest of the "FreedomFighters" of the CIA's Secret Army. TheSecret War, 28 years after largely remainsinvisible, 28 years of ongoing sufferingand 28 years of crying for the freedom thatwe take for granted goes unheard. Peb covkwv tij tau ev Ameslikas lub txim los ntevlawm.

For more information on the current sit-uation of the Hmong people in Laos,please visit: http://www.factfinding.org,http://www.cmp.ucr.edu/site/exhibitions/indochina/history.txt,and www.hmongihrw.org. In addition,there is a documentary produced by theFact Finding Commission called, "HopeLost: Massacre at Pha Sie Cliffs" that showfootage of the current situation in Laos aswell. z

By the end of thewar in 1975, theHmong and other

allies of the UnitedStates were giventhree choices: 1)

join the CommunistPathet Lao 2) leaveLaos or 3) be killed.


“

..today, in restrictedareas in Laos, par-ticularly theSaysomboun SpecialZone, the LPDRcontinues to bringdestruction on theHmong people andthe rest of the"Freedom Fighters"of the CIA's SecretArmy.”

“The “Not-so-Secret” War in Laos: Information You Should KnowBy Srida MouaHmong American Issues Director"[T]he Hmong, an ethnic tribe… hired by the United States CentralIntelligence Agency (CIA) to fight North Vietnamese and Pathet Laotroops in a vicious sideshow battle to the Vietnam War."

W

and May Moua, CSU Fresno, were elected regional representatives for the Centralregion. True Xiong, UC San Diego, was elected as the Southern region representative.After the statewide meeting Bee Yang, Pacific Union College, Johnny Her, CSUSacramento, and Linda Yang, CSU Chico were appointed to the Northern region repre-sentative and Bright Vue, CSU Northridge was appointed to Southern region representa-tive.

To wrap up the day, northern region hosted an entertaining open mic night with greatperformances. Once again, the HSIC state-wide meeting proved to be a success with afairly good amount of members showing up, engaging presentations about potentialHSIC projects, and newly elected officers and regional representatives. z

n May 24,2003, the LosA n g e l e s

Times published theirnewspaper with the head-lines screaming, "BillSpurs Bitter Debate overHmong Identity"!!!

Immediately, the words "Hmong Identity"popped out at me so hard, that I knew I wasnot ready to expect the unexpected. I amalready contemplating the answers to thewho, the what, the where, the when, thehow, and the why about my own identitythat I felt unable to handle any new infor-mation or as we, the younger generation,put it, more "drama." Assembly Bill 78(AB 78), introduced by Assembly womanSarah Reyes (District-Fresno) in mid-December of 2002,was the bill whichstirred so much com-motion among ourHmong community.To recap, AB 78 wouldincorporate instructionof the role of theHmong people andother Southeast Asiansin the "Secret War" inLaos to students allacross California,namely, students fromgrades 7 to 12. In theLA Times, Hmongscholars acrossCalifornia explainedthe differencesbetween Hmong andMong, with Hmong representing WhiteHmong (Hmoob Dawb) and Mong repre-senting Blue Mong (Mong Leng). When Ifinished reading the article, my jaw fellopen so wide that I was speechless for sev-eral hours with crazy thoughts runningthrough my head. May 24th marked thebeginning of a battle over the letters "H"and "M" in the English word "Hmong,"yes, the same exact word that was finallyseen in a bill that was on its way to becom-ing legislation. Three months later, thatsame word, "Hmong" is removed andreplaced by "Southeast Asian" in fear offurther dividing the Hmong/Mong commu-nity.

The LA Times states that "many Hmong- from community leaders to studentactivists - are startled by the controversy"and yes, we are startled. In schools andplaces all across this country, "race" and"ethnicity" already divides us and placesus in our own minority groups, only to befurther divided by class, that is, our socioe-conomic status, and last, but not least, gen-der. Now, it seems that the "debate" hasbrought up the idea that Hmong and Mongpeople are two different people. Differentnot because of skin color, but because weare, according to the non-profit organiza-tion, Mong Federation, "culturally and lin-guistically" different, even though we canmutually understand one another. To clari-fy things, I am White Hmong, but I supportand respect the fact that we should also

promote the teach-ings of the GreenMong dialect.Language is, afterall, the key to under-standing an individ-ual's identity and thebest way to keepingour culture and tradi-tions alive. Yet, whatconcerned me are theemails that I havereceived from intel-lectuals asserting themost preposterousclaims about Hmongand Mong. This arti-cle is not meant todisrespect anyone ofany dialect, but to

inform and find answers to all this childish,yet simultaneously, serious issue - an issuethat the younger generations will face ifnot resolved now. I do not want to have tofear using the word Hmong in a sentenceor conversation for fear that I might disre-spect my Mong Leng brethren and viceversa. Ask questions, find answers, and donot judge. And when you are working toachieve something great, think about whoyou are making the difference for: not forthe White Hmong community, not for theGreen Mong community, but for the entireHmong community, particularly theyounger generations that come after ourgeneration. We are the leaders of tomor-

row, they, on the other hand, are the lead-ers of the day after tomorrow. An articlefrom the Sacramento Bee states: "Thefuture of the Hmong will fall on the shoul-ders of hundreds of young people whostraddle two worlds often at odds.". z

The Hmong versus Mong DebateBy Srida MouaHmong American Issues Director

Hmong isremoved andreplaced by

"Southeast Asian"in fear of further

dividing theHmong/Mongcommunity.”

“


The futureof the

Hmong willfall on the

shoulders ofhundreds of

young people…who straddle

two worlds oftenat odds.”

“O

“...when you areworking to achievesomething great,think about whoyou are making thedifference for: notfor the WhiteHmong community,not for the GreenMong community,but for theentire Hmongcommunity...”

n the time of the probable passing ofa new education bill for California'spublic schools, Hmong-American

families and communities in California areshocked by the public debate over a mor-phological distinction of a name. Someare arguing about their ethnic designation:"Hmong" or "Mong." This debate is occur-ring in conjunction with Assembly Bill 78(AB 78), at one time was a HmongEducation Bill, introduced by Sarah Reyes(D-Fresno). Some strongly feel that thebill should containboth names and oth-ers believe it is apolitical maneuverto sabotage the bill......The turmoilmakes some HmongAmericans wonderhow their culturalpolitics work in thewestern setting. Theunsettling antago-nism may weakenHmong communitycollaborations whilethe debate may fur-ther divide Hmong-American familiesand communities throughout the state, andperhaps else where in the world. Some aretaking sides while others are trying to findcommon ground. A few are appalled, call-ing the controversy a "nonsense tactic todivert attention and to undermine the pub-lic" interest. Some urge others to unify.Yog ua cas Hmoob thiaj lis sib cav sib cegua niag dev vwm leg, sib muab xav saibpuas txaj muag qaib.

For some, this kind of cultural discordis very discouraging and inhibits the desireof many Hmong Americans to becomeinvolved in politics. For others, this kindof rancorous discourse has been prevalentin their communities for decades, and per-haps centuries. However, arguments of thisnature are deeply rooted only in the mindsof a few. Muaj ib cov tib neeg xav pom tuskheej xwb, tsis xav txog txoj kev dav raucov pej xeem huab hwm sawv daws. Tab sisnco ntsoov tias tsis muaj lub pas dej ceslub nkoj yeej tsis ntab.

Some like to take advantage of a polit-ical campaign or assembly bill as a meansto solicit support to politicize a personalpropaganda. Perhaps, the tactics is a dou-ble-edged sword that will further scarHmong pride, solidarity, and posterity.Afflictively, some Hmong Americans areshortsighted and lack a pluralistic viewthat may benefit their own people. Tej tusneeg tsis xav pab txhawb pej xeem sawvdaws, tab sis xav tos thaum dej hlob esthiaj lis zoo dov cav xwb, yog Hmoob coj

zoo lis no ces txawmmuaj kev txawj ntsesiab npaum licas losyeej tsis tau ua tus kavvim tsis muaj ploojsiab dav.

Many are workinghard to support the billand are tensely watch-ing its movementthrough the legislativeprocess inSacramento. Forsome, this bill meansnothing to them, but apolitical game, es thiajlis lauj Hmoob kostaw txiav Hmoob kev;

muab xav mas tu siab tshaj plaws lis. Yogvim licas kaum tus ua es yuav cia rau tugnrhuav. Muab ua tib zoo xav saib puas tsimnyog Hmoob yuav. Ib lub quav tsuag yuavua puas tag ib tsum mov cov neeg phem nontshe tsis yog noj Hmoob mov.

In light of the debate, the name of thebill has been changed from "Hmong" to"Southeast Asian." Now AB78 could bebeneficial to other Southeast Asians whomay have no interest in it, and it could bemeaningless to the few Hmong Americanswho fought against it. For those who lob-bied in support of it feel disappointed andsomewhat betrayed by their own people.No doubt that the amoral controversy hascaused some stoical feelings that willremain in many people's heart for quitesome time until the bill finally becomeslaw. Thaum luag muab Hmoob lub npe rhotawm hauv tsab cai kiag lawm ho zoo sawvdaws siab npaum licas. Tus twg los uaneeg ntsej lag muag dig tsis paub lawm

xwb. Yog lis ntawd, sim muab coj mus xavpuag pw saib puas yuav tsaug zog tausthiab puas yuav ua npaus suav zoo tias uacas Hmoob cov tub txawj ntxhais ntse rovqab ua tsov tom Hmoob.

The terms "Hmong" and "Mong" areEnglish word created to describe Hmongethnicity five decades ago. Perhaps noname for Hmong had been written inRoman letters prior to 1952. The Englishwords are not phonetically correct and are,perhaps, meaningless. However, thewords were written as they sounded toWesterns at the time. Some claim that"Hmong" refers to White Hmong, meaningHmong Dawb, and "Mong" refers to Greenor Blue Hmong, meaning Hmong Ntsuab.The distinction indicates that there are dif-ferent dialects, and each clan with its ownunique rituals and traditions. However, therecognized official ethnicity for all is"Hmong". Txawmluag lwm haiv neeg yuavtis sau lub npe Hmoob zoo licas los pebsawv daws yeej paub lawm hais tias pebyog noob neej Hmoob, roj ntsa Hmoob,thiab caj ces Hmoob.

The suffixes Dawb, Lees and Ntsuabdenote colors and are used only to differ-entiate clans, families, dialects, costumes,customs, and linguistic variations betweenthe same group. These suffixes are notused to communicate disdain, condemna-tion, inferiority, or humiliation. PebHmoob muaj ntau pab ntau pawg, peb haisntau hom lus, muaj kev cai dab qhuasthiab kev ntseeg txawv, tab sis sawv dawspuav leej yog haiv neeg Hmoob.


..the debate mayfurther divideHmong-Americanfamilies and com-munities through-out the state, andperhaps else wherein the world.”

“

The Political Battle between Hmong and Mong Americans inCaliforniaBy Christopher T. Vang, Ed. D. (a similar version of this article was concurrently published in the Fresno Bee)

Some like to takeadvantage of a politi-cal campaign orassembly bill as ameans to solicitsupport to politi-cize a personalpropaganda.

I“For those who lobbied in support of AB78 [it] feel disappointed and somewhat betrayed by their own people.”

Today Hmong Americans belong to oneof two distinct groups--White Hmong andBlue Hmong--recognized by the dialectspoken at home. Nevertheless, mostWesterners are completely unaware ofHmong dialects and colors, and they treatall Hmong Americans alike. MostWesterners recognize "Hmong" but not"Mong" as an ethnic group emigratingfrom Laos. And all Hmong are classifiedunder one immigration label "Hmong"when resettling in America. The word"Mong" did not appear on official docu-ments, except for personal and/or familialusage. Yog neeg Asmesliskas tsis paub pebhaiv neeg Hmoob zoo, ua cas peb tsis uatib zoo qhia rau luag kom luag to taub peb.Peb tseem muab peb lub ntsej muag thiablub fwj chim nrhuav rau luag hnov thiabpom kom luag qhuas peb, tab sis luag saibpeb zoo nkaus lis cov neeg tsis paub kevcai nom tswv. Muab teeb meem menyuamyaus mus hais rau nom tswv mloog, pebpuas yog neeg tsis leem cai?

Many Hmong families now mix two ormore languages and cultures in theirhomes. If this fractionalization shouldcontinue, how would such a Hmong-American family classify its children? Arethey White Hmong, Blue Mong, GreenMong, Hmong-American, Mong-American, or perhaps Hmong-MongAmericans? Hmoob ua neej nyob sib hlubhaus sib ce, tej laus thiaj hais zaj tshoobtias "Koj qaib pw kuv cooj kuv os pw kojnkuaj." Tuaj nyob teb chaws no tau 27xyoo xwb es peb tseem siv coj tus xeebceem zoo lis no, Hmoob tej xeebleej xeebntxwv yuav ua cas ev Hmoob lub npe lawmyav tom ntej.

Can Hmong Americans ever resolve thiscontroversy? Maybe never. Politically, asJames Emery wrote, "Hmong may be theirworst enemy," vim Hmoob yeej tsis xavhlub Hmoob. Tej laus thiaj hais tias "Kuvua los tsis txau koj siab qhua koj ua los tsiskuv siab qhua es Hmoob thiaj li sawv tuajsib tua." Ua nyab laj sib tua tau muaj 40xyoo los tsis txaus tseem yuav muabHmoob lub meej mom nrhuav kom ntiajpaub tias Hmoob muaj pob muaj caus. Thedispute over names serves no purpose,makes no difference in life, but producescultural mystification, incivility, hostilityand turmoil. Ironically, the dispute may

cause great harm for Hmong communitiesand will become a hindrance that may neg-atively affect the creditability of potentialHmong-American leaders. If the conflictcontinues, no one wins, but "npua tshomrau dev noj, vim Hmoob yeej hais tsis tauHmoob es thiaj sib nrhuav rau luagmloog."Yog ua cas, thaum luag qhib qhovrooj ces Hmoob ua dev sib tog, thaum luagkaw kev ces Hmoob ho mas lis mus ua luagzog. Hmoob yuav ua neej sib hlub losHmoob yuav ua neej sib txhub. Tej laus xavtias cov hluas yuav yog cov los coj, tab sisthaum kawg tseem rov muab Hmoob muagnoj.

Hmong Americans have nothing to losein this bill, but themselves, and shouldconsider leaving personal spats aside, andjoin hands to advocate for a measure that isin the best interests of the children in thepublic schools. AB78 is not about clannames and tribal leaders; rather, it is aboutpast history. Txhob muab tej me kev chimsiab mus txiav Hmoob hauv kev es Hmoobtxoj sia thiaj kav ntev. Tej laus thiaj haistias "Tus yuav pab yog tus nyob tom hauvntej, tus yuav nkaug yog tus nyob tomqab." Yog vim lis no es Hmoob thiaj lis ualub neej rov qab tsis xav sib pab, txawmtias khiav tau ntau xyoo poob teb poob

chaw ua neeg thaj nam lawm los tseemniaj hnub xav ua rog phim npab.

Hmong should think about the future todemonstrate a unified leadership thatmobilizes others to support AB 78. Hmongchildren should not have to worry abouttheir ethnic name too much; however, theyshould be concerned about equal opportu-nity to learn about who they are, wherethey have come from, their culture and tra-ditions, and how their parents fought fordemocracy and freedom. Tej laus twb haistias sib hlub thiaj tau ntuj ntoos sib koomtes thiaj tau txais qhov zoo. Ua neej nyobpaub hnub nyob xwb tsis paub hnub tuag,muaj peb Hmoob li xwm keeb kwm los haisqhia tseg rau cov xeebleej xeebntxwv komxyaum ua zoo kom caum raws tau luagsaib puas muaj hnub vamhuam zoo rawslis Hmoob lub zeem muag.

So far, the dispute has hindered HmongAmericans' civic participation needed forthe greater good, and the political attentionis shifted to fulfill the needs of a special

interest group. Rather, the discussionshould focus on to educating otherAmericans about Hmong's role in theworld history, not about Ntsuab, Lees orDawb. Sadly, chim lub laj xeeb tsis txawjtag thov kom peb Hmoob tsis txhob plag,chim lub laj xeeb yuav tuag thov kom pebHmoob caum raws kom tau luag, chim lajtsis chim xeeb thov kom Hmoob cov tubtxawj ntxhais ntse xav kom ntxheeb ntx-heeb, despite the name change, let's sup-port AB78 to become an education policyfor the betterment of all Californians.Thaum kawg no, thov kom ntuj pab komHmoob tsis txhob ua dej kub sib hlab, thovkom ntuj pub kom muaj ib hnub Hmoob rovqab ua neej sib hlub, thov kom ntuj kavkom Hmoob rub lub siab nqaim mus ua taulub siab dav, thov kom ntuj xyuas komHmoob lub neej tsis txhob puas, thiab thovkom ntuj pom kom Hmoob cov xeebleejxeebntxwv muaj cuab kav sib tws tau nrogluag ua nom. z


If this fractional-ization shouldcontinue, howwould such aHmong-Americanfamily classify itschildren?

[they] Hmong childrenshould be concerned aboutequal opportunity tolearn about...howtheir parents foughtfor democracy andfreedom.”

““Hmong

Americans havenothing to losein this bill, but

themselves, andshould consid-er leaving per-

sonal spatsaside, and join

hands toadvocate for ameasure thatis in the best

interests of thechildren in the

publicschools.”

FeaturesHmong Teen Suicide By May Fang


IntroductionSuicide is the 10th leading cause of

death among all adults in the United States.Suicide Prevention and Crisis InterventionService of Alameda County OperationsManual and California's Helper'sHandbook for Suicide Intervention explainhow "suicide shows little prejudice to eco-nomic status. It is represented proportion-ately among all levels of society…Thoughwomen attempt suicide twice as often asmen; men commit suicide twice as often aswomen." They further reiterate, "Suicideis a highly individual matter" but "no sui-cide case has only one victim. Wives, hus-bands, children and friends all suffer froma loss through suicide." Thus, suicide is afatal health problem with extremely irre-versible and destructive consequences.

Since late 1998, eight Hmong teenshave killed themselves in Fresno County.These suicides accounted for nearly half ofthis county's teen suicides in the last fouryears, Anne Dudley Ellis, a journalist forthe Fresno Bee, states since November of2002, "Fresno Unified counselors andteachers have referred 21 Hmong studentsto the district's new suicide-preventionprogram…In the past year, at least threeHmong teens have attempted suicide."She further explains, "the teens are amongthe first generation to be raised in America.Their parents had hoped they could restorehonor and pride to a displaced people, butthe teens struggle to balance theirAmerican lifestyle with Hmong tradi-tions."

There is relatively little known about theHmong teen suicide rates throughout theUnited States. In addition, there is evenless known about the suicide rates amongolder Hmong community members.However, most, if not every, Hmong canname a family member who has attemptedor succeeded in committing suicide. The prevalence of suicide among this com-munity can be attributed to historical, cul-tural, and social factors. These factorsinterplay to aggravate and increase theincidence of this very deadly and tragichealth problem.

Definition of SuicideSuicide is the act of killing oneself.

According to the American College HealthAssociation, depression, primarily causedby the loss of personal worth and self-esteem, is the most common and immedi-ate cause of suicide. External factorsresponsible for depression include thebreakup of a friendship or romance,divorce or family separation, and/or aca-demic or financial stress. Internal factorssuch as unrealistic standards and assump-tions, lack of defective coping skills,and/or a feeling of not getting enough loveor support from parents or other importantpeople can also cause depression. TheAmerican College Health Association fur-ther states in some cases, several causesmay be tightly intertwined. For example,the interaction of a painful event, ineffec-tive coping skills, negative thinking, andself-devaluing behavior increases feelingsof hopelessness, worthlessness, and uncer-tainty.

Historical, Social, and CulturalFactors that Contribute to theHigh Suicide Rates of the Hmong

The factors contributing to the Hmongcommunity's high rate of suicide must beseen within a historical, social, and cultur-al context. Jillian Inouye in her article"Asian American Health and Disease,"states "Their unique experience of beingrefugees, of losing connections with fami-ly and kin, and of living in poverty hasimplications for the general health andmental health of this population."

The history of the Hmong span thou-sands of years, beginning in China wherethey struggled for independence, eventual-ly to Indochina, particularly to Laos, wherethey were subjugated to French colonialrule. With a reputation as tenacious fight-ers and training from the CIA, manyHmong defied communists Laotians byhelping American soldiers during theVietnam War. An estimated 30,000Hmong died in combat and an equal num-ber of Hmong civilians perished during thewar. From 1975-1985, roughly half the

Hmong population left Laos, afraid of ret-ribution from the communist governmentfor aiding the American war effort. Duringthe journey to Thailand, an estimated100,000 Hmong starved to death, died ofsickness or drowned while crossing the

Mekong River to enter Thailand. As aresult, many members of the Hmong com-munity are experiencing post-traumaticstress syndrome. This syndrome con-tributes to the current high rate of suicideamong the older members of this commu-nity.

Anne Dudley Ellis, attributes the stringof Hmong teen suicides to culture gap.She states in her article, "Lost in America,""teens often hide their depression, or par-ents fail to notice. This problem can becompounded in Hmong families, wherecommunication can be poor." She furtherexplains "While the teens were raised inthe United States and have embracedAmerican ways, many of their parents holdtight to the conservative traditions fromLaos…Many teens have trouble fitting intothe American mainstream but also shun theHmong lifestyle .Hmong parents, raised ina primitive, agrarian society, expect theirchildren to follow and respect their culture.They also want them to succeed inAmerican society. Sometimes these

Their unique expe-rience of beingrefugees, of losingconnections withfamily and kin, andof living in povertyhas implicationsfor the generalhealth and mentalhealth...”

“

expectations conflict,sometimes with tragicresults." Kou Yang,professor of ethnicand women's studiesat California StateUniversity, Stanislaus,reaffirms this theoryby stating, "My spec-ulation is that many ofthese teen-agers feellost. They do not real-ly belong to theHmong community orto the mainstream community either.Many have no one to talk to, feel the oldergeneration doesn't understand." In fact,research shows people who stand in themiddle of two cultures are really at risk fordepression and anxiety. Ellis states, "Perhaps no other ethnic groupimmigrating to the United States has comefrom a society so different." AnneFadiman further explains, in her book, TheSpirit Catches You and You Fall Down, "Apopularly held notion is that the Hmongrefugees who came to the United Statesafter the war were, as one newspaperreporter put it, 'transplanted from StoneAge to Space Age.'" Like other Asiancommunities, family patterns are charac-terized by filial piety, male authority, andrespect for elders. However, the Hmongculture possesses many unique attributes.First, Hmong girls often marry at 16, eitherby their own choice or when parentsarrange a marriage. Girls also may be kid-napped and forced to marry, although thathappens less frequently in the UnitedStates. These early marriages force indi-viduals to assume adult roles at very youngages. Second, the practice of polygamy isstill widely accepted among the traditionalsegments of the community. This practiceusually results in very big families andconsequently, not enough attention beingbestowed upon each child. Third, there isdomestic violence. As a result, Hmongteens often witness their father physicallyand emotionally abusing their mother andmore often than not, the teens themselvesare also the victims of this abuse.American culture promotes none of these.In fact, an individual may be arrested forpracticing these cultural beliefs. Thus, it isunderstandable why Hmong teens becomevery depressed when they are forced toadopt these contradicting cultural valuesand practices. Pressure is placed on themto maintain their Hmong culture and to

succeed in theUnited States.However, successin the United Statesis achieved byadopting Americanculture, which pro-motes individual-ism, assertivenessand self-determina-tion. MaijueXiong, in her story"An UnforgettableJourney," states,

"In many respects, they raised us as theythemselves were raised, but at the sametime, they have pushed us toward a lifethey have never known. They do notunderstand that there is a gap between theirgeneration and ours. Growing up inAmerican society, I am caught betweentwo very different cultures." Thus, theopposing cultural values make it impossi-ble for a Hmong teen to obey his or herparent. As a result, he or she becomesdepressed and may attempt suicide.As for the socioeconomic status of theHmong, 63% of the Hmong have incomesbelow the poverty line. Fadiman states,"the most drastic change bred by the warwas the loss of the single asset the Hmongprized most highly: their self-sufficien-cy… Few things gall the Hmong more thanto be criticized for accepting public assis-tance. " Many are ashamed they have torely on welfare. Those who are employed,as Fadiman explains, "are immovablywedged at or near entry level. They can'tget jobs that require better English, andthey can't learn English on their currentjobs…Every Hmong can tell stories aboutcolonels who became janitors, militarycommunications specialists who becamechicken processors, flight crewman whofound no work at all." 60% of the Hmong

are linguistically isolated, which furthermarginalizes them and exacerbates theirpoverty. Three out of four did not speakEnglish very well, according to the 1990census, and literacy among the foreign-born remains low. Thus, self-worth is lostand self-esteem destroyed. They are oftenforced to work at least two jobs. This pre-vents them from being home. Thus, thereis a break down of familial support thatfacilitates the presence of depression andsuicidal thoughts.

Fadiman provides the following studiesto demonstrate how poorly this communi-ty is doing:

The Hmong are suffering from loss of con-trol and sense of not belonging. Thesestudies reveal why the suicide rate amongthis community is so high.

A cultural factor that promotes the highincidence of suicide is the lack of discus-sion around this issue. The topic of suicideis avoided in many Hmong householdsbecause it is believed such a discussion

“Many have noone to talk to,feel the oldergenerationdoesn't under-stand.”


The Hmongare sufferingfrom loss ofcontrol andsense of notbelonging.

In…a longitudinal study of Hmong,Cambodians, Vietnamese, andChinese-Vietnamese refugees, theHmong respondents scored lowest in"happiness" and "life satisfaction." Ina study of Indochinese refugees inIllinois, the Hmong exhibited the high-est degree of "alienation from theirenvironment." According to aMinnesota study, Hmong refugees whohad lived in the United States for ayear and a half had "very high levels ofdepression, anxiety, hostility, phobia,paranoid ideation, obsessive compul-siveness and feelings of inadequacy."The study that I found most dishearten-ing was the 1987 California SoutheastAsian Mental Health NeedsAssessment, a statewide epidemiologi-cal survey funded by the Office ofRefugee Resettlement and the NationalInstitute of Mental health. It wasshocking to look at the bar graphscomparing the Hmong with theVietnamese, the Chinese-Vietnamese,the Cambodians, and the Laos…andsee how the Hmong stacked up: Mostdepressed. Most psychosocially dys-functional. Most likely to be severelyin need of mental health treatment.Least educated. Least literate.Smallest percentage in labor force.Most likely to cite "fear" as a reasonfor immigration and least likely to cite"a better life."


can bring bad luck. In addition, Inouyestates, "Attitudes toward mental illnessfocus on it as evidence of personal weak-ness…mental illness is seen as shamefuland as punishment for misdeeds." Thus,shame, loss of face, the stigmatization ofthe health problem and denial prevent theHmong from disclosing their depressionand from seeking help. Cultural pressuressuch as reserved display of strong emo-tions, reluctance to disrupt social order,and maintenance of family unity furthercontribute to the prevalence of suicide.

Intervention and the Need forSocietal Change

The Hmong believe their illness can becaused by a variety of sources-includingeating the wrong food and neglecting tomake offerings to one's ancestors-but byfar the most common cause of illness issoul loss. Fadiman explains, "A life-soulcan become separated from its bodythrough anger, grief, fear, curiosity, orwanderlust." Bruce Thowpaou Bliatou, apublic health administrator in Portland,Oregon, explained in an article on mentalhealth concepts that what the Americanswould call mental illness is attributed to aliver that has become diseased or damagedthrough soul loss. Thus, in order to effec-tively treat a Hmong patient, Bliatout rec-ommends practicing conjoint treatment-that is, integrate Western allopathic medi-cine with traditional healing arts, such asshamanism.

Merced attorney Paul Lo further adds,"Our community is already well-organizedby close, large extended families andclans." Therefore, intervention methodsshould employ these organizational struc-tures. Enlist the support of family andcommunity leaders. The Hmong commu

nity must be taught to embrace the fact thatgetting help is a sign of strength, not weak-ness. In addition, community membersmust be educated about warning signs of asuicide attempt.

Structural barriers-including lack oftechnical assistance, data collection prob-lems and funding levels, limitations ofaggregating data, limited infrastructure ofAsian and Pacific Islander agencies, net-work of API service providers, and lack ofpolicy representation-as well as "other"barriers-including lack of services forwomen, inadequate youth services, insen-sitivity among providers, lack of alterna-tive treatment, etc… must be overcome. Inaddition, it must be recognized that themodel minority myth is a myth. By believ-ing and perpetuating this myth, manyAsian American health problems are beingoverlooked. Thus, whatever strategies areemployed for prevention, education, andtreatment, they must be linguistically, cul-turally, and gender appropriate. This briefprimary article is the first step for youngHmong professionals and college studentsto be conscious of this urgent issue affect-ing many in the Hmong community. Ourgeneration must step forward and workcollaboratively with parents, educators andyouth towards implementing preventivestrategies on this issue. z

The topic of suicideis avoided in manyHmong householdsbecause it isbelieved such adiscussion canbring bad luck.”

“

Bibliography

Casken, John; "Pacific Islander Health and Disease: An Overview;" from PromotingHealth in Multicultural Communities; Huff, R. and Kline, M.; Sage Publications: (pp.397-418); 1999.

Chen, Moon and Hawks, Betty Lee; "A Debunking of the Myth of Healthy AsianAmericans and Pacific Islanders;" from American Journal of Health Promotion; Vol9(4): 1995, (pp. 261-268)

Ellis, Anne Dudley; "Funds Help Hmong Teens: Fresno Unified Uses A SuicidePrevention Program Grant;" from The Fresno Bee; November 18, 2002.---------"Lost in America;" from The Fresno Bee; August 11, 2002.

Fadiman, Anne; The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down; Farrar, Straus, and Gilroux,1997.

Inouye, Jillian; "Asian American Health and Disease: An Overview of the Issues;" fromPromoting Health in Multicultural Communities; Huff, R and Kline, M.; Sage Publications; (pp. 337-356); 1999.

Srinivasan, Shobha; Guillermo, Tessie; "Toward Improving Health: DisaggregatingAsian Health;" Vol. 90 (11); 2000, (pp. 1731-1734).

Xiong, Maijue; "An Unforgettable Journey;" from Women's Lives: A MulticulturalPerspectives; Kirk, G., Okazawa-Rey; Mayfield Publishing; (pp. 97-102); 1998.

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Perspectives


Hmong Pride till WeDieBy Cindy Josephine Thao

So many things left to tellSo much secrets covered in ourselvesWho is there for us to open up to?Is that person you?You tore our lives apartYou left us to survive in the darkYou promised us a promiseYou never intended to keep itYou evacuated our landAnd left us to survive in our own handsAnd now we ask for a voiceAre you letting us have a choice?Or are you going to turn us away?And allow us to live on everydayFeeling so lost and confusedFeeling so dumb and usedDo you realize the pain you cause?Do you know the people that we lost?To this war that wasn't made for usTo this war that had no trustNow you question usWhy we make such fussAbout information never toldAbout secrets left in the coldTell us one thing AmericaWhere is your love?Do you wonder why I'm here?Do you see all the fearThat's left inside my people?That took up their time availableCan you hear all the cries of the moun-tains?Can you still see our blood fountains?Maybe your answer is noCause you left before this was soAnd now in cloths you see us sewAbout the pain that had to goAbout the peace and quiet we hadBefore you came upon our backsAnd took away our innocenceThat made us so obedientAnd when our parents reach this countryWhat is it that they see?What is it that they face?That's right, people discriminateNow you write us out in papersAbout the teen suicides we have to remem-berNow you go around making storiesThat you will never seeSaying that we eat cats and dogsTrying to make us feel lostYou write about our healthAnd have your children hate us for our less wealthSo a movie you make

Here is a story of a courageous Hmong girl, who fought to be heard and broke thesilence. Names have been changed.

Hmong girls are still being kidnapped and forced to marry. They are forced to live with aman they hardly know. Their voices are smothered by cultural influences, which defy thelaw. Parents don't call the police if the offender kidnapped their daughter for marriage,because traditionally if a chicken had been waved over the couples' heads then it wasbad luck if the daughter returns to her family.

ummer was approaching and school was nearly finished. The ambiance wasno longer cold, and the flowers were in full bloom. Bao was looking forwardto the end of her junior year of high school, and couldn't wait to find a sum-

mer job. She felt safe and secure living in Steven's Point, Wisconsin. She trusted herneighbors and believed her family. On June, 15, 2000, the crystal clear picture of herhometown shattered as she encountered the most horrifying experience of her life.

Weeks before, Bao had attended a local party, where an older man saw her and wantedher number. Her uncle who was also presented handed her phone number over to the 32year-old man, Blong. From then on, Blong became totally obsessed. "I swear, if you don'tlet me come and visit you right now then I'll run my car into your parents' car and killmyself," Blong would threaten Bao from his cell phone outside Bao's house. He wouldnot stop until she let him come in. For days on end, Bao would cry to her mother for sup-port and guidance, but like other Hmong women, her mother would emphasize the dutyof being a respectful Hmong girl.

At 11:00 am on June 15, 2000, Blong convinced Bao that they should go to the videostore to return the rented movies from the previous nights. Her brother agreed to comealong, so Bao reluctantly agreed to go. On the way back home from the video store, shebegan to notice that Blong was taking the long way home. "I have to return my keys to afriend's house," Blong claimed. Unconvinced, Bao begin to argue with him, begging himto take them home. Minutes later, they pulled up to a house. There were cars full ofHmong people, lined up and down the block. Trapped in between cars and people, therewas no way of escaping. Blong's relatives opened the back door and grabbed Bao's broth-er. Screaming and fighting off the old Hmong people, Bao soon realized that Blong wastrying to take her out of the car. She began kicking and managed to free herself by kick-ing the door into his jaw. His relatives lunged at her and managed to drag her out of thecar. In the struggle, her shirt was completely torn off. Bao's world became a blur. Herhead was spinning, eyes swollen from crying, and knees weak from the terrible trem-bling. Neighbors walking by notice the situation and asked what was happening. Blong'srelatives lied, explaining that she had just arrived from a mental hospital and was not sta-ble.

It was a total of three hours before Blong's relatives managed to drag Bao into thegarage. During that time, she had tried desperately to escape by running and fighting.Because of all the screaming and fighting, Bao was going in and out of consciousness.She began to have trouble breathing and the scenery around her was becoming a blur.People were trying to comfort her, but she couldn't hear them because their voices sound-ed far away.

At 2:00 pm., three hours into the agonizing fight, she thought it was over when she sawher uncle come through the garage door. She was relieve that her family had come to herrescue, but soon realized it wasn't so. "Why can't you just be a good daughter and getmarried? I had a daughter just like you and I sold her off!" he screamed into her face.These words were a stab straight into her heart. Bao's breathing begin to quicken, making

How I Escaped My MarriageBy Zoua Xiongexcerpt from HmoobTeen Magazine

S

Txoj Kev KawmNtawmby Nkauj Yeeb Xyooj

haum ub muaj ib tug ntxhaislub npe hu ua Nkauj YeebXyooj. Nkauj Yeeb yog ib tug

ntxhais uas mloog lus heev, siab zoo, txawjxav heev, tsis nyiam mus yos ua si thiabnws tsuas yog niaj hnub nyob tsev tas lixwb, nws kuj zoo nkauj kawg thiab nwsyog ib tug ntxhais ua mob siab kawmntawv heev li.

Nkauj Yeeb thiab nws ntsev neeg tautuaj rau teb chaw Asmeslivkas no lig lig esnws thiaj tsis txawj thiab paub ntawvAsmeslivkas li luag. Asmeslivkas pheejtuaj txawb qe rau Nkauj Yeeb lub tsev esnws thiaj tau hais rau cov Asmeslivkas komlawv tsis txhob txawb qe rau lawv lawmtab sis cov Asmeslivkas tau cem NkaujYeeb hais tias Nkauj Yeeb twb tsis yogAsmeslivkas es kom Nkauj Yeeb rov qabmus nyob nws lub teb chaws Nplog.

Nkauj Yeeb xav rau nws tug kheej thiabquaj hais tias, "Sim neej no ua cas tu siabua luaj li os cov phooj ywg. Yus tuaj tau liglig es thiaj raug luag cem nto zij ncaug rauyus. Cov phooj ywg nej puas txom yem likuv? Nej puas hlub kuv, thaum nej tauhnov kuv cov lus no?"

Nkauj Yeeb tau tuaj txog teb chaw nolig lig es thiaj tsis muaj leejtwg yuav lospab thiab hlub nws li. Nkauj Yeeb niamthiab txiv tsis paub hais lus Asmeslivkasthiab tsis paub ntawv Asmeslivkas kiag li esqhov twg los nws niam thiab txiv tsuas tosnws xwb. Nkauj Yeeb thiaj yog tus ua pabnws ntsev neeg xwb. Tau muaj ntau leejntau tug tau cem thiab zij ncaug rau NkaujYeeb lawv tab sis nws yeej tsis xav li caskiag vim rau qhov lwm tus tib neeg tseemtsis tau pom qhov zoo ntawm Nkauj Yeebxwb. Tib neeg tau ntxub nws thiab nwsntsev neeg heev es yog li no, nws thiaj liyuav los ua ib tug ntxhais zoo thiab yuavmob siab mus kawm ntawv los yog muskawm txuj ci seb puas yuav muaj ib hnubtwg Nkauj Yeeb puas yuav txawj ntawv liluag es seb nws lub neej puas yuav nyobluag txhi. Nkauj Yeeb yuav mob siab muskawm txuj kawm ci seb nws puas yuavtxawj ntawv li luag es seb cov neeg ua tauntxub ntxub nws puas yuav rov qab los uazoo rau nws ib hnub twg. Es kuv thov komib tsoom phooj ywg mob mob siab muskawm ntawv es thiaj li ua lub neej tsis poobqab li kuv tus Nkauj Yeeb no. z

Marriage (continues)it difficult to breathe. Her own uncle wouldn't help her; she felt as if her whole world had

just ended.

Somehow managing to get a hold of the telephone, Bao struggled and cried to her mother,"Please come get me! Come get me! Please!"

"If you love him so much then stay!" her mother yelled into the phone, not knowing the tur-moil that her daughter was going through.

"No, no, no," Bao began to hyperventilate and her words soon came out in a coughingsound. Suddenly her world turned black when she realized that she was helpless and her par-ents weren't going to do anything to help her. She was stuck in the underworld and couldn'treturn.

Three months being kidnapped by Blong, Bao was now a senior in high school. Not a daywent by that she didn't ponder the idea of suicide. Everyday after school, Bao would stareat herself in the mirror, holding a knife, and would think of how badly she wanted to die.One day, she actually attempted to take her own life, but was unsuccessful.

A month after the suicide attempt, Bao worked up the courage to go to her school coun-selor's office. After a few moments of talking to her counselor, the devastating secret of hermarriage came pouring out. The police and an investigation were quickly notified. Blongwas arrested on school grounds. He was charged with kidnapping and child molestationwith the option of bail, the charges were dropped.

Finally, four months and two days after living a life worse than hell, Bao came home to herparents' open arms welcoming her back. They apologize to Bao, explaining that everyonehad lied to them. Blong's relatives had claimed that she desperately wanted to marry Blong.Her parents had never known that she was actually forced into it.

Presently, Bao is attending college; she still struggles when thinking about the painful expe-rience. She hopes that no other girl will have to go through the same experience. Her adviceto other girls is this, “You have to realize that sometimes family can't help you, and some-times they just don't want to. You, yourself, have to make sure you never put yourself in thatsort of situation by reporting anything suspicious right away.” z


T

Hmong Pride (continues)

About the Vietnam War that America had to faceBut what about my people?Where are we in that sequel?Where was our involvement?Where was our excitement?Not one word has leaked outNot one information was foundSo one last message to my fellow HmongsLet's try to make this longLet's work hard and achieveWhat we are suppose to beLet us make our lives worthwhileAnd go the extra mileTo let America seeThat we are not weakThat we are strong and braveAnd fight for our terrible history that they madeLet us show who we areLet us show that we all have one heartLet us fight for the dreamThat our parents want to be seenLet us show our Hmong prideThat will always be within us till we die. z


Kuv Lub Plawv Yog Koj LiBy See Moua

……Saib xyuas koj, Neng.Sib ntsib dua, Gao Sheng.

A smile escaped his mouth. She always ended her letters that way. Without much thought, he folded the letter back to its originalstate.

One down…two more to go, he silently told himself. He was only gone a month and already there were three letters from her. Heshould probably write back as promised. For now, he ought to finish reading.

After the second letter, Neng sighed contemplatively. In the back of his mind, he could hear her voice reading along, verbatim. Likeall those times before, he neatly folded the letter as it was originally done, safely placed it back into its blue envelope before addingit to the stack on his desk.

Over the last three years he had accumulated many stacks of letters from her. Unlike most, he kept every single one. Whether happyor sad…short or long…important or not, he was glad to know someone was awaiting his return.

His return. The thought lingered in his mind.

Opening the third letter, his eyes followed the neatly printed words. Casting his eyes over it, something caught his attention immedi-ately. Reading over the short paragraph, his eyes widen.

"Shoua and John got married last week. It was a beautiful wedding Neng; I really wished you were there."

As on cue, the letter fell from his grasp as the statement played over in his head. For a moment, Neng sat speechless; immovable asa gust of pain tugged at his heart while his memories drifted backwards.

"Stop acting like an idiot and ask her to dance," his friends laughed as the group sat around the semi-decorated table. With a whiteplastic cloth to hide its deteriorating interior and a single rose in the center, the table wasn't exactly alluring. When he gave noresponse, his friends laughed again at his idiotic behavior as they so naively termed such shy demeanor.

However, Neng heard nothing. Not his friends' insults or laughter. Not the soft melody of the overexposed slow song that seemed toplay at every Hmong dance throughout. Even the florescent lighting that flickered every ten minutes didn't catch his usual attentiveself. No, all his attention was focused on her, and only her.

From the moment he entered the ballroom, his eyes refused to look elsewhere. How could he? She was beautiful and damn sexy too.Her short formal dress clung perfectly onto her body. Her wavy, black hair fell effortlessly down, giving off the impression of inno-cence. Her brown eyes, enhanced by mascara, stood lively. She was, in his world, the spitting image of an angel. The object of hisaffection ever since their introduction six months earlier.

"…Shoua…" Her named whispered softly in his head. For six months he had admired her. However, he couldn't tell her. No, she wasout of his league and rejection was something he feared. There was no doubt his chicken-ness got the best of him, leaving him towallow in dreams and desires.

"NENG!" his friends all laughed at once, showing that even though in college, they were as immature as ever. Finally, he gave intotheir ramblings. "What?" he asked with irritation. "Man, just go over there and ask her to dance," Tou, his best friend commented,giving him a slight nudge on the shoulder. "You're scaring her with your stares," he further teased.

"Shoot, if you're not, I'll go," one of his friends threatened. Neng laughed half-heartily. However, concern swept him as he thoughtabout the statement. "Fine," he sighed in defeat.

Hiding his nerves, he walked over to where she gracefully sat. Her smile broad as she chatted happily with her friends. He could feelthe heaviness of his feet and rapid heart beats with every inch toward her.

"Hi Neng," Gao Sheng, his best friend's sister, greeted when he reached the table. With his attention on "her", he only gave a slightnod, his rudeness apparent. Turning to Shoua, he spoke awkwardly, "May I have this dance?" She nodded, giving him the sweetestsmile. On their way to the dance floor, he caught glimpse of Gao Sheng, a tint of pain was evident in her eyes. Wonder filled hismind, but was soon erased with the touch of her hands. .

"I heard you asked Shoua out," she asked sadly, trying to conceal her tears and breaking voice.

"Uh-huh. We're a couple now Sheng," Neng grinned, oblivious to the pain in his companion's voice.

His response struck her heart harshly. As much as she wanted to deny it, the truth was painful. For years, her feelings for him haddeveloped into something she could no longer brush off as a crush. However, she couldn't tell him now. Not when he was so happy,so in love. She could see in his eyes and actions, he was truly in love with her friend Shoua. She had already decided, like anyfriend, she would step aside. It was better to have both of them as friends then neither one.

"I'm happy for you," she lied.

He nodded like an idiot. "Is Tou around?"

"He's in the back," she replied with a broken voice as tears slowly slid down her eyes, unto her cheeks. The sorrow in her heartcould no longer be restrain. Not when he was so close, yet so far away.

"Neng…" her brother called the moment he caught sight of her tears. Turning the other way, she quickly made her way out of sight.

"What's wrong with your sister?"

Tou gave his friend a warily look. "There's nothing wrong with her."

"Why was she crying then?" he asked concerned. Although he didn't want to pry into her life, he considered her a friend.

"Man, you know girls. They're always emotional. It's nothing. Come on, everyone's waiting."

As the two made their way out, Neng took one last look. He knew Sheng, and she wouldn't cry over spilled milk. Something wasbothering her, but what?

"I have something to tell you," her face was troubled and anxious. She was out of her usual apparel; the t-shirt, jean and no make-upgirl sitting before him looked nothing like his girlfriend of the past 8 months. Sitting with her eyes averted down, she looked as ifshe was carrying the weight of the world on her.

"Uh-huh..." he replied casually, unaware of her intentions, too blinded by his love for her.

"I can't do this anymore-" she started.

His eyes looked on with uncertainty. Still, he remained silent and allowed her to speak, even as his better judgment warned him itwas fatal.

She looked and spoke to him, but avoided actual eye contact. She knew the news would devastate him. Things weren't supposed toturn out the way they did. Part of her wished he was cruel, because then, she wouldn't feel so guilty.

"We should break up. I can't do this anymore." She held nothing back, her voice harsh, the words aimed directly at his heart.

He took a moment to consume what was said. The happiness in his heart plummeted as fury rose, encapsulated with sorrow andpain.

"WHY!" he demanded, raising his voice at her for the first time, showing a dark side of him she never knew existed.

Stupidly enough, his pain caused her to sob. "I-I don't love you anymore." Then, as if what she revealed wasn't painful enough, sheblurted "there's someone else."


The last statement shot directly at and through his heart. Fury, pain, disgust, they all consumed him immediately. Unable to look ather and too angry to speak, he got up from where they sat and stormed away.

There was nothing else he could've done. Yelling at her wasn't going to do anything. Nothing was going to remove what she saidfrom his memory and heart. The look on her face, through the fake sobs, showed she no longer loved him, if she ever did. Her lastsentence, the icing on top, told him she moved on already, even during their relationship.

No, nothing could remove the pain she imparted on him.

Life's a bitch, he told himself, as if replaying the statement would take away some of the hurt. Two weeks and he still felt like crap.His muscles ached, his mind drowned in memories, his life a living hell.

As expected, as soon as her bogus sobs dried off, she was already smiling that fake smile he loved, flashing around town with hernew prey. His friends had given him words of her actions. Even before their breakup, she was already fooling around with someoneelse, he later found out.

The news didn't surprise him. The throbbing pain in his heart didn't change. Drowned in regrets, he cursed himself for being a fool, afallen victim to love. Never again, he warned. He wouldn't be made a fool twice.

"Are you sure?"

Neng gave a slight nod. "I'm sure Tou. It's the best thing for me, seeing her everywhere is too hard."

"Man, I can't believe you're skipping town like that."

He shrugged his shoulders lightly and turned to look at Sheng, who stood silently next to her brother. They were the only two pres-ent to bid him farewell. He didn't want anyone else.

When he caught glimpse of her, he saw her watery eyes. Part of him wanted to ask and confirm what was on his mind, however, thepain in his heart warned against it. He wasn't ready and didn't wish to know.

Giving her a weak smile, he headed toward his terminal. Before he took a step, she caught hold of his arm. "Neng, take care of your-self and your heart. If not for anyone, then for me," she cried.

"I'll write," was his only reply to her cries. She nodded and walked away in the opposite direction, unable to watch his heartbreakingdeparture.

The bitterness that accompanied his memories brought Neng back to reality. The image of him and Shoua together was still toohaunting. Three years had not been enough for him to fully forget her, their time together and what she did.

Picking up the envelope that enclosed the third letter, a picture fell out. Grabbing it, he saw that it was of Sheng and Shoua at theircollege graduation, his alma matter. His eyes cast over Shoua. She was as beautiful as ever his memory told him. This is how Ishould remember her he finally realized; the light bulb in his head finally switched on. Not with remorse and hatred, but as the girlhe once loved.

Next, his eyes fell on Sheng. For a minute, he stared endlessly at her, taking notice of something he never thought too much ofbefore. Three years certainly matured her he notes immediately. Her beauty, he finally recognizes, was beyond what was imprintedin his memory. Her action, however, was always near.

Shoua may have broken his heart, but Sheng, she helped restored it; picking up the pieces her friend so ruthlessly left behind.

Again he studied her picture. Tracing it with his eyes, picturing her tearful eyes the day he departed. All along, love never fooledhim. It was him who was blind, giving his heart to the wrong person.

...I found a great job today Neng. I'm so proud of myself. Are you proud of me? This summer is looking great, I'm almost happy


now. Have you found your happiness yet? I truly hope so.Saib xyuas koj, Neng.

Sib ntsib dua, Gao Sheng.She quickly read what was written. Unsatisfied, she grabs her pen.

P.S, there's something I've always wanted to tell you. I want you to-

The screeching sound of the rusty gate to her backyard stopped her abruptly.

"Hello Sheng…"

The voice entered her mind swiftly, causing her heart to skip a beat. No one calls her that except…no, it couldn't be she told herself.He was on the other side of the country. Still, she felt compel to look up.

"I've done what you asked Sheng," he softly said when their eyes locked. She stood motionless, her stomach in knots, tears stream-ing down her eyes. Quickly she blinked, making sure it wasn't a dream, causing more tears to slide down her cheeks.

Unable to move, she stood still as Neng walked to her. "Kuv lub plawv yog koj li Sheng, please take care of it."

His heartfelt statement caused her to smile through the tears. Finally, after so long, the last thing she wanted and needed finally cametrue. "I will Neng, " she cried happily. A smile escaped his mouth. Taking her into his embrace, he carefully wiped away her tears.

She watched on with adoring eyes. "Kuv hlub koj" she whispered softly, causing him to stop at once. Looking deeply into her eyes,he saw the sincerity, the love…yes, she was the right person to give his heart to. Lifting her chin, he kissed her deeply, sealing theirlove. z

ichelle Yang is a twenty year-old student at the University of Oklahoma, studying to become a nurse. She is the perfectpicture of the average Hmong girl who enjoys anything from clubbing to camping. From first impressions, she is describedas an outgoing and fun character who is easy to get along with. In the long run, you will dis-

cover that she is an opinionated and total music freak with a drive that most people lack.Clubbing is a scene most of us (college students) are familiar with and dancing is what most of us go

there to do. Few of us, especially females, ever step behind the turntables in front of a paying audienceand share our passion for music. Michelle, or DJ MiYa, may be the first Hmong female to enter that rimof the club scene.

A little over a year ago, a friend of her sister's showed her the ropes after she was able to acquire herown equipment. She was inspired after moving to college and diverging on the club scene where she sawhow a DJ moved a crowd. "I was hooked the first time I touched them tables" she wrote to me in an email.

In the summer of 2002, DJ MiYa made her first public appearance at a Kind Beats event called HmixedUp. At Club Metro, though her hands were shaky and she missed a lot of beats, she kept her cool andkept on going. Six months later and with much practice she spun again at Kind Beats' Fantasia in Fresno.Her set was almost flawless. "She skipped no beats, had smooth mixing and great track selections," said her personal friend, DJ JohnnyPlastik. He also said that, "For a DJ that practices on her own in Oklahoma without help from the KB DJs… she has gotten really good."

Though starting to DJ was made easy because Michelle already knew many people in the scene, her DJing was not taken serious-ly until she did it professionally. She has found many clubs and party hosts receptive to female DJs and says that female DJs bring awhole new flavor to the DJ scene since it is male dominated.

Michelle's advice to new DJs? "Never give up even though it can get frustrating. Keep practicing." She has no future plans of mak-ing DJing her career. For her, it's only a hobby. Whether she gets a gig or not, she's not concerned. Her most honest words were "Don'tspin if you're in it for the fame or money. You should spin because you have a passion for it." Her passion for the hobby is evident inthe way she writes about it and the way in which others are glad to talk about her doing it. And though she is pursuing a nursing degree,

she is a Hmong female DJ at heart. z

SpotlightsStudent Profile: Michelle Yang, DJ MiYa By Mala Vang

M


Organization: HSA of UC RiversideLets Get Ready To Rumbleeee….By: Nancy Cha

ets get ready to rumbleeee!! Were the words that kickedoff the Hmong Student Association (HSA) of UCRiverside's 3rd annual Hmong Culture Show, "Crossing

Worlds" held on May 10th at the Riverside campus. The themewas "Long Ago" or in Hmong, "Puag thaum ub."

But back to reality, before HSA had a successful culture show,"Long Ago"there was a cul-ture show com-mittee that con-sisted of threemembers: DianaVang, CatherineYang andmyself, NancyCha, who wentout of our way tomake sure every-thing ransmoothly. Wehad to scramble

to write the skit, find our actors, held many weekend practices,find performers from other Universities and confirm their per-formances. We sent out proposals, went to grant hearings, bookeda speaker, find rehearsal rooms, made our own props and gener-ously provided gifts and food for the cast and crew social. Whew!With all that done we were still able to crack a smile.

Our theme "Puag thaum ub" was an interesting phrase that fitperfectly into our skit. We wanted to reflect upon Hmong fairy-tales and Hmong history. In the Hmong culture, whenever aHmong elder tells a fable, he or she is likely to begin with thebeginning of the world. This is comparable to how Americanfairytales begins with "Once upon a time."

Which ties greatly into our skit "Nkauj Nog" (Chue Vang) aHmong Cinderella of an orphan girl who is abandoned by herfather. Whichleads "NkaujNog" in search ofher mother's spiritand a new life.This traditionalfolk tale wasmodernly trans-formed withNkauj Nog andNkauj Nrhee(Nancy Cha) whogoes off to grandmother's house. We both receive different giftsfrom our grandmother. Nkauj Nrhee was unsatisfied with hers'and bumps into Nkauj Nog on her way back home, where they

encountertwo guys.One wasm o r eattractiveand betterd re s sed ,w h e r e a sthe otheris just theopposite.N k a u jN r h e eobviously takes the better-looking guy, leaving her sister with theother. In the end Nkauj Nrhree consequently gets screwed, whileNkauj Nog and her man lived happily ever after.

Other highlights from the culture show did not just stop there.HSA went away from the usual "qeej" and "kwv txhiaj" from thelocal Hmong communities and instead brought in more perform-ances from other local Universities. These performances variedfrom the traditional Hmong dance done by HSA's very own dancegroup, "The Irresistible" to the hip-hop piece presented by theladies from UCLA's Associated Hmong Students and an awesomefashion show that oueed and awwwed the crowd!

“This has been one of the better culture shows I've attended,”commented Yeng Xiong, who was the guest speaker. Fortunately,Mr. Xiong was not the only person who felt that way. We had a packed house of approximately 130 attendees rangingfrom all ages and ethnicities. This was a 40% increase from lastyear. The culture show was a definite success!However, the whole point of this year's show was to enlighten the

1st generation Hmong children.Although the souls between ourparents and ourselves are sadlytearing, we must not forget whatour ancestors and parents who hadto endure and ultimately give uptheir lives "Long Ago" as they fledthe oppression in China, to thehighlands of Laos and fought in the"Secret War." Eventually makingtheir way to the sunny Californiashores, in order for their children

their only future to live a stress-free life. It's up to "us" to keepour culture "rumbling," loud and strong into the future. z

L

2003 HSA UCR Culture Show...we must not forget what ourancestors and parents who had to endureand ultimately give up their lives "LongAgo" as they fled the oppression inChina, to the highlands of Laos andfought in the “Secret War.”


OpinionDear Abby? Yeah Right, my Butt! More like “Dear Hmong Dude”By Sonny Yang

reetings to all of my fellow (Hmong) sisters and brothers, welcome to HM's newest column, "DearHmong Dude." As a spin off of the nationally syndicated column, "Dear Abby," readers such as your-self now have the opportunity to send HM questions/statements about issues in your life. I, the "all-

knowing" resource, will reply with a comment regarding your inquiry. To be courteous, please keep the materialPG-13; wait, this is a college magazine, so don't be shy and get down with yo' bad self. Therefore, feel free to send me an email at [email protected] or to the [email protected] with anyconcerns or comments relevant in your life. Whether it's love problems or drama with yo' mama, I am here togive you professional advice (I just took Psychology 2).

On a serious note, I believe this column can be a useful tool to help address issues surrounding the Hmongand youth culture. Think of this article as another avenue to discuss topics relevant to you, so help a brotha' outand tell a friend. Who knows, if all goes well, you might just be hearing the Hmong Dude on KBIF AM 900 inFresno.

Final Thought:To conclude every piece, I will reflect on the issues addressed in the column or current events affecting the

youth. Since this is the inaugural article, I will give my thoughts on news in the world today.

First off, what's up with stars telling us everything going on their life? With all of the paparazzi attention theyreceive, I thought the last thing they'd want is to inform the public about their daily affairs. I mean, who reallycares about Britney Spears spilling the beans on Justin and her. Besides, I bet they were probably hitting it upwhen they were in Disney anyways.

Secondly, I'd like to mention the recent Supreme Court decisions on affirmative action. There were two rul-ings: in one, the court upheld the use of affirmative action because they guaranteed each applicant a "highly indi-vidualized" review. The second case, however, nullified the use of a point system when taking into account raceas a factor in the application process. Affirmative action is relevant for everyone because it is essential that thehardships we, as minorities, face (e.g. language barrier, financial difficulties, discrimination) is recognized andaddressed.

Quote of the Day:"Hello, hello, I love you; hello, hello, I need you." (Lyrics from a Hmong love song)

G

In Collaboration with HmoobTeen MagazineLet your voice be heard! We pay for work we publish! Articles / Essays = $25Comics = $25Drawings = $20Poems = $15(5 per year) Send us $8. and we will mail you the next 5 issues. Teens all over America are receiving HmoobTeen.

The place whereHmong teenscan speak andbe heard.

Hmong American PartnershipATTN: HmoobTeen1075 Arcade St. Saint Paul, MN 55106(651) [email protected]


Hmong Movement is a forum for individuals to share andand exchange experiences through fictional or non-fictional writ-ing and/or poetry, where socio-cultural, political, and educationalissues can be discussed. Hmong Movement is published quarterlyin January, April, July, and October annually

zHeadlines: Current events, reports and news in the HmongAmerican community.

z Features: Forum for professionals, educators, graduates andundergraduate students to contribute articles relevant to theirdisciplines or area of expertise on imperative issues concerningthe Hmong American community.

z Perspectives: Creative writing, fictional and/or non-fictionalcompositions, poetry, and folklore literature.

z Spotlights:-Organization(s): Information regarding a student organizationand/or campus and their events.- Student profile(s): To feature a student displaying exemplaryleadership or outstanding academic excellence or unique experi-ences.

z Creative Corner: Showcasing student artwork and talents.

zOpinions: Your own words and thoughts.

Submissions may be in English or Hmong must be double-spaced and saved as Mircosoft word document. Submissionsshould be sent via email as an attachment to [email protected]

Your submission must include the following: Name:__________________________________________________________Address:_______________________________________________________School:_________________________________________________________Phone:__________________ Email:_________________________________Organization:___________ Male/Female:_________________________Age: ______ Year of college or Profession:________________________Photo: (Optional)Personal Description: (please limit to 100 words).

This information is necessary in contacting you if your submissionis chosen. If you submission is chosen you will be notified byemail and/or phone.

For further information please contact Seng A. Vang at [email protected]


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Hmong Movement is availableonline. Need back issues? Downloadthem in PDF format for FREE at theHmong Movement Website http://hm.hsiconline.orgLimited reprints of past issues areavailable for re-order. Please seeorder form on page 22 for orderingand subscription information.

August 2003

Dear community supporter,

Hmong Movement needs your support. Your funding assistance willenable publishing and distributing Hmong Movement to the community.Hmong Movement is a FREE quarterly publication for individuals to shareand exchange experiences through fictional or non-fictional writingand/or poetry, where socio-cultural, political, and educational issues canbe discussed. The publication promotes and engages students or youthto compose literature relating to important civic and community issues.

The media often focuses on negative aspects such as youth gangs,domestic violence, murder suicides, and welfare dependency which shapenegative stereotypes of the community. Hmong Movement's objective isto serves as a positive media resource to develop, display, and recognizethe talents and creativity of the students and community. HmongMovement seek to accomplish a more objective media representation ofthe community and dismantle negative stereotypes.

Over the past few years, Hmong American college students through-out California have diligently worked to establish the Hmong StudentInter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC). As a strong networking system, HSIChas come together to increase awareness of imperative issues concerningthe Hmong American community. These issues include acculturationexperiences, generation gap, racial concerns, higher education, and thepath of Hmong people in their new settlement as Hmong Americans.

HSIC is a statewide network consisting of student organizations, andincludes community members and professionals in an advisory capacity.All events such as meetings, outreach, workshops, trainings, or confer-ences are organized and executed by students. HSIC is an organizationfounded by college students, managed and run by college students. HSIC collectively promotes higher education, mentorship programs, civicparticipation, and community empowerment to achieve the fullest poten-tial of Hmong Americans. Currently, there are more than 25 campusesinvolved in HSIC and continuing to grow. Additionally, HSIC is in theprocess of incorporating as a non-profit organization.

Hmong American students sit at the forefront of our community'scritical issues and have the potential to overcome them by serving as acatalyst for social change and responsibility. We hope that you will con-tinue to help foster the goals and visions of the Hmong American com-munity as the next generation steps forward with a people that havelong-survived displacement and disempowerment. Thank you for yoursupport.

Sincerely, Editorial Staff

Hmong Movementc/o Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC)Hmong Student Association of San Diego G-10University of California, San Diego9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla, CA 92092-007

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Please mark the option that you prefer. Hmong Movement is distributed FREE. However we request a generous donation of theamount next to the subscription choices to cover postage and handling expanses. Thank you for your support!

Your generous contributions will continue our commitment to distribute the publication to the public free of charge.

___ Annual Subscription 4 issues (Individual = $10 Donation)___ Organization Subscription 4 issues (10 copies of each issue = $75 Donation)

For a limited time back issues of Hmong Movement will be available for re-order. Each back issue is $3.00 for Postage and Handling___ Winter 2002 Issue 1 $3.00 each issue___ Summer/Summer 2002 Issue 2 $3.00 each issue___ Fall 2002 Issue 3 $3.00 each issue___ Winter 2003 Issue 4 $3.00 each issue___ Spring 2003 Issue 5 $3.00 each issue

Enclosed is an additional contribution to Hmong Movement

Please make checks or money order payable to Hmong Student Association of San Diego

___$20 ___ $50____ $75____$100 ____ $150 ___ $250 Other: _________________

Hmong Movement c/o Hmong Student Inter-Collegiate Coalition (HSIC)Hmong Student Association of San Diego G-10University of California, San Diego9500 Gilman DriveLa Jolla, CA 92092-0077

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Support Hmong MovementThere are two ways to support HM, you can either:

Submit Donations to HSIC. If you are interested as co-sponsors for the publication please contact us! We desperately need assistance from the public via donations or advertisements to distribute the publication to the public free of charge.orAdvertise in HM. Need to be seen? Have upcoming events? Place an ad in the next issue of HM. The publication is distributed quarterly January, April, July, and October across California to all HSIC member organizations. Contact us for advertisement rates!

All work will be voluntary; no staff will be paid. Funds will be used only for publishing costs and otherassociated expenses ((postage). All expenditures will be recorded. If you are interested in contributing orknow anyone who is interested please contact Seng A. Vang. Phone (209) 380-5971 or [email protected]

We all know “great achievements are rarely accomplished alone.” Please make check or money orderpayable to: Hmong Student Association of San Diego


H.S.I.C. OrganizationsYEAR ONE

Hmong Student AssociationCSU Chico

Hmong University Student AssociationCSU Sacramento

Hmong Student Association Consumes River College

Hmong Student AssociationUniversity of Pacific

Hmong Student AssociationCSU Fresno

Hmong Student Association UC Riverside

Hmong Student Association of San Diego UCSD, SDSU, Miramar College, Mesa College, F.I.D.M

Associated Hmong Students UC Los Angeles

Hmong Student UnionUC Santa Barbara

HSIC ChapterCSU San Luis Obispo

HSIC ChapterPacific Union College

Hmong Student Union UC Davis

Laotian American Student RepresentativesUC Berkeley

HSIC ChapterSt Mary’s College

Hmong Organization of TechnologyDeVry University

Hmong StudentAssociation UC Irvine

REGIONS:NORTHCENTRALSOUTH

Membership shall be open to any college organi-zation, irrespective of race, religion, ethnicity,color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender,handicap, or age reflective of the HSIC preamble.For complete detail, please. visit http://www.hsicon-line.org/join.htm or contact Xia Lee [email protected]. z

Membership Information

hmong movement 06 summer 2003

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