Hmong Movement 08 Winter 2004

sWINTER 2004 HHSSIICC QQUUAARRTTEERRLLYY PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONN VOLUME III: ISSUE 8

Hmong Movement

The State of Hmong Culture: Vanishing Culture or Culture of Resistance?

Editorial StaffEditor-iin-CChief:Seng A. Vang, UC San DiegoAssistant EditorNkauj Iab Yang, UC BerkeleyHeadlines Editor: Mary Xiong, St Mary’s College Features Editor:Mary Vue, St Mary’s CollegePerspectives Editor:Chong Moua, 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:

May FangSerge Lee, Ph. D.Srida MouaChris T. Vang, Ed. DKao VangKong VangNenick VueKaBoth Yang

HSIC Officers 2003-2004President 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 2004. 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 our Winter issue of Hmong Movement.Since 2002 Hmong Movement has served as a com-munity-reader driven forum for individuals to share

and exchange experiences through fictional or non-fictional writ-ing and poetry, where important socio-cultural, political, and edu-cational issues are discussed. HM has worked towards three objec-tives: Media Representation, Education, and CulturalExpression. This issue marks the beginning of the third year ofHmong Movement. We have accomplished a lot and set manyprecedents but must build upon and continue the momentum weestablished.

In this issue we focus on the state of Hmong culture. Are we avanishing culture or a culture of resistance? During the resettlement and transition of Hmongrefugees to the U.S. in the early 1980s and 1990s, the dominant scholarly discourse and themedia have portrayed the Hmong as a group who has a vanishing culture. Most Americans areunconscious of who we are because we are among the most invisible groups. What is knownabout Hmong is usually how we are often depicted in the mass-media images of domestic vio-lence/suicides, bride kidnaps, youth delinquency or traumatic refugees suffering from depres-sion and soul loss. Most scholarly works about Hmong often focuses on these issues affectingour communities. Yes, we faced many challenges but that is not only who or what we are about.We must challenge this discourse with "counternarratives," that we are not a vanishing culture.We are using Hmong cultural strategies as a form of resistance. Evidence of this is transparentwith the more than 20 chapters of HSIC working on project such as this publication, or thenumerous conferences, outreach events, and culture shows that each chapter does at their uni-versity for the Hmong community.

We believe that culture is fluid and dynamic, culture is constantly changing. It is trueHmong culture is being redefine and has experienced transcendous transformations since ourarrival to the U.S; but these changes constitute a new Hmong American culture and identity notthe death of Hmong culture. The emergence of “Hmong Americans,” is our generation steppingforward and discarding of the "refugee" label, taking control of our own destiny, taking the bestof Hmong culture and traditions and combining the best of American ideals to create a new cul-tural experience and identity.

Spring is the important time of the year where most of our chapters will be hosting theirmajor community events such as conferences and culture shows. Please check the HSIC web-site for the calendar of events of when and where events will be taking place. Also on the hori-zon, HSIC will be holding our second Leadership Retreat this Spring and this Summer we areexcited to put on Hmong Youth Leadership Olympics in Fresno. More information of theseevents are on the HSIC website. http://www.HSIConline.org

In closing we hope you will enjoy reading this issue. We look forward to receiving yourcomments. Do not hesitate to let the editorial staff know what you think. Thank you for yoursupport.

In Solidarity,

Seng A. VangHM Editor-in-Chief

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Hmong Movement WINTER 2004

President’s Messageelcome to this issue of Hmong Movement

as we move into Spring. Spring is the sea

son of student activism and organizing.

Keep a watchful eye out for the many different Hmong

college student organization projects throughout

California. These projects range from high school confer

ences to cultural and art events. If you wish to get an

update on all of the different events going on throughout

California, please tune to the events calendar on the HSIC

website at http://www.HSIConline.org.

HSIC's most current statewide was on January 31st, 2004 at Devry, Fremont. The theme,

"Spring into Action," sets the tone to start the HSIC projects that are coming for the rest of

this year. The main HSIC projects to look forward to are the Leadership Retreat and Hmong

Youth Leadership Olympics. To get involved with these and other projects, please attend the

HSIC regional and statewide meetings to get on board or feel free to contact any of the

Regional Reps or Executives. Please also visit our website for the most up to date events

and projects.

We are always looking for more Hmong college students to help us continue the drive for

greater Hmong student activism. Be you an energetic ball of energy or the more reserved

person, we want to challenge all Hmong college students to be more active and visible to

each other and our communities in California. We have many great projects lined up for the

rest of the year so please take advantage of your opportunities to be involved and give back.

Don't ever say that there's nothing going on in California for Hmong college students

because we are right here to make the rest of this year a blast. I hope to see you all at upcom

ing projects and events!

Enthusiastically,

Xai LeeHSIC Executive President [email protected]

2 Hmong Movement WINTER 2004

WContents

HHeeaaddlliinneess

HSIC 2nd Statewide .......................3

Leadership Retreat.........................4

Youth Leadership Olympics............4

FFeeaattuurreess

Hmong Americans NeedCollaborative Efforts to VindicateUnderage Marriage........................6

Hmong Culture Still Lives...............7

The Beautiful Hmong Culture.........8

PPeerrssppeeccttiivveess

Hmong Pride till We Die...............11

An American Awakening .............11

Gook & Gay Hmong..........................12

Change ......................................12

Canvas Identities.............................12

SSppoottlliigghhttss

Organization Profile:Hmong Student Association of SanDiego..........................................13

OOppiinniioonn

Letters to the Editor.....................14

What Do You Think About HmongNew Years....................................14

For more information about the HmongStudent Inter-Collegiate Coalition visitthe HSIC Website http://www.hsicon-line.orgHmong Movement is available online.Need back issues? Download them forfree at the Hmong Movement Websitehttp://hm.hsiconline.org

HeadlinesHSIC

2ndStatewideMeeting

By Seng A Vang

On January 31, 2004HSIC held the second

Statewide Meeting for YEARTWO at DeVry University in

Fremont. The meeting drew over50 attendees from more than 10

chapters. This was the most focusedstatewide meeting held by HSIC thus

far. The meeting included intense work-shops and planning sessions to discuss

upcoming HSIC projects.

The opening workshops were divided into three sessions toaccommodate the level of attendees' experience with HSIC.The three sessions included: 1) HSIC 101: an introduction towhat is HSIC, history, structure, and issues in the communi-ty; 2) HSIC as a Vehicle: for intermediate members of HSICwho know the basic of HSIC but want to learn more aboutthe insides and how things work within HSIC; and 3)Mapping HSIC: for experience members of HSIC such as

cofounders, past and current officers or boardmembers or project directors to discusshow to improve the coalition.

Next was the project planning sessionswhich included HSIC LeadershipRetreat, Hmong Youth LeadershipOlympics, Hmong Movement andStudent Issues Committee, and a pro-posed So-Cal Hmong Youth

Documentary project. This springRegionalMeetings willtake place ineach region tocontinue com-municationamong HSICchapters and pro-mote the upcom-

ing projects.


eadership Retreat FocusIn Fall of 2002, HSIC received a Civic Action Network (CAN) Grant from the Central

Valley Partnership and James Irvine Foundation to hold the first Leadership Retreat at theUniversity of California, Irvine. This year HSIC once again received the CAN grant to hold anotherLeadership Retreat, which is tentatively set in Spring of 2004.

eneral ObjectivesOn an individual level, the purpose of the HSIC Leadership Retreat is to foster and promote

empowerment in the Hmong college student population. This event is geared towards inspiringand motivating students as well as providing them with the knowledge and the resources necessaryto make a difference in the community and in society as a whole.

As a coalition, the HSIC Leadership Retreat provides an event where many HSIC members,prospective members, and alumni can come together and discuss ideas concerning the communityas well as the coalition. The retreat gives us an opportunity to pass down experiences, thoughts,and resources to younger generations of leaders.

orkshop ObjectivesThe Leadership Retreat workshops' primary objectives are to provide leadership skills to

the students who attend the conference. Our workshops will be geared towards group and leader-ship dynamics, grant writing, leadership experience sharing, and other administrative and leadershipskills that students must apply to run successful organizations. These leadership components willbe presented to the attendees as a necessary means to find resources and funding, as well as toimprove leadership abilities and work within group dynamics.

iscussion ObjectivesOur discussions will be focused more on intra-personal growth and understanding. Themes

of identity, culture, social location, perspectives, and inter-subjectivity will be addressed. Thesethemes are designed to inspire and cause the attendees to think critically of themselves and the soci-ety around them. We will challenge their sense of their understanding of themselves in hopes thatthey become better leaders, activists, and students, once they come to more concrete conclusions onwho they are and their place in society.

ocial ObjectivesOur socials will be centered on two themes, network building and social inequality. We will

attempt to lodge students from different universities together as well as divide groups according tothe students' lack of familiarity with one another. In addition, games and meals will be reflective ofsocial inequalities, such as our planned hunger banquet, where some attendees will be served betterthan others to demonstrate the inequality of the society we live in. Such events will lead attendees

to question the social order and structure andrelate our social events to society in general.

esultsThe resulting affects of the Leadership

Retreat on the attendees will hopefully causethem to think more critically and inspire themto achieve and advocate more on a communitylevel. By understanding more about them-selves and their social location, the attendeeswill be more able to identify the issues andproblems that surround our community andhave more initiative to solve them. The atten-dees will then take back their newly acquiredskills and thoughts back to their organizationsto strengthen the organizations at their schools.In addition, the Leadership Retreat will create astronger network between the Hmong organi-zations statewide and allow new leaders to bediscovered and introduced into HSIC.

If you like more information or want to getinvolve on committees to organize the Retreatplease contract: Leadership Retreat 2004 Chair:Nenick Vue at [email protected].

In June 2004, HSIC will be hosting theHmong Youth Leadership Olympics in Fresno,CA. This will be a one-day event consisting ofteam games for Hmong youths. These gameswill be designed and facilitated by varioushigher-educational institutions throughoutCalifornia and will promote the following ele-ments: communication, teamwork, and friend-ship. There are three main objectives to this event:1). Leadership Development2). Empowerment3). Mentorship

This event will be unique in many ways.First, teams will be composed of youthsbetween the ages of 11-17. Thus, youths ofdifferent ages will be forced to interact withone another in these teams. They will have tolearn how to communicate and listen to oneanother in order to work together. Second, itwill give college students the opportunity toserve as mentors. College students will be ableto serve as strong, positive role models for theyouth to look to for guidance and support.Third, it will be an enriching event for every-one involved. An inspirational key note speakerand performers will be present. Therefore, it


Leadership Retreat 2004By Nenick Vue

Leadership Retreat @ UCI 2002

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Hmong YouthLeadership OlympicsBy May Fang

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it will be a day where every one, both youth andcollege students, can just have some "good oldfun." Laughter, smiles, and happiness are theguaranteed byproducts of this event. With allthree combined, this event promises to touch thelives of all those involved, in addition to being apowerful vehicle for building positive life skills.

The Youth Leadership Olympics Committeeis seeking volunteers. Help is needed in organiz-ing this event. If you would like to help in anyway, please contact:

May FangYouth Leadership Olympics Committee [email protected]

Hmong college student organizations are neededto plan and coordinate games. If your schoolwould like to design and facilitate one, pleasecontact:True XiongYouth Leadership Olympics ProgramSubcommittee [email protected]

If you would like to participate in the eventand/or have any other questions, please contact:May MouaYouth Leadership Olympics [email protected].


his is a response to a recent newspaper article featuring Hmong cultural mar-riage, traditions, and the New Year celebration in Stockton, California to pro-vide different perspectives relative to the state of Hmong culture and its man-

ifestation. The intent is to educate Hmong Americans and other Americans on issuessurrounding typical underage marriage. This is a social dilemma that exists in othercommunities as well. Underage marriage is a critical issue affecting the social welfareof teens in America.

The article "Marrying of Teen Girls Kept Quiet" (November 10, 2003) stunnedHmong Americans in California and elsewhere. Some saw the article as another exam-ple of the media's inaccurate and negative portrayal of their cultural values. Otherswere concerned about the impact of early marriage. Underage marriage is a pressingissue in some Hmong American communities. Everyone involved--teenagers, parents,Hmong leaders, and educators--needs to have a clear understanding of the problem andrealistic approaches to its solution.

Nowadays, Hmong children learn American culture very quickly, but most still donot understand what constitutes a lawful marriage. Some Hmong teens feel that theirparents are trying to control their lives and that living in America allows them to do asthey wish. And this perception misleads most teenagers toward being defiant and bel-ligerent in the home. Most misunderstand the concept of "freedom," using it to chal-lenge their parents' values and to justify disregarding their parents' wishes. Somebelieve that all American teenagers can do as they please. But the truth is that mostAmerican families have their own cultural values, and most parents expect their chil-dren to respect those values in matters of courtship. Courtship in a culture may followcultural patterns, but teenagers must know that underage marriage is a serious legalmatter in California and else where in the U.S.

In general, adolescents do not have full knowledge of life's consequences. Somebitterly argue with parents that time has changed and they live in a new generation.Many parents try to be persuasive but often fail to deter early marriage. Generation gapseems to widen. Many have seen children raising children in the home. The conse-quences of life could be varied, but perhaps the final result is somewhat similar orsame when teen parents suffered financially and academically. Many Hmong teenagersprecariously think that getting married will bring them happiness. However, young

Hmong Americans Need CollaborativeEfforts to Vindicate Underage MarriageBy Christopher T. Vang, Ed. D

T

Features

Early marriage is not necessarily the best solution to teenage problems.

Need tobe SEEN?Advertise with

HmongMovementContact us for

[email protected]

209.380.5971


girls often are not ready for the responsibilities ofmarriage and motherhood. Life can be hard, andassuming family duties is difficult for a girl asyoung as 14. Teens must be urged to learn aboutparenting before becoming parents to raise theirown children. Becoming a parent is often a diffi-cult job, and perhaps is the hardest job in thewhole world. Most teens are not prepared to dealwith real life situations.

Moreover, teenagers may not realize that whatis culturally accepted may not be legal, and whatis legal may not fit in with their culture. Someblindly overlook the law and must suffer the legalconsequences. Hmong teenagers need to under-stand that the law regarding marriage is not con-cerned with culture, but with age. And perhaps in this country legal marriage is a privi-lege, not a cultural rite. They need to realize that this fact conflicts with their cultureand they need to find alternatives to traditional courting practices. In some cases, get-ting married culturally is a scary experience for Hmong teens when authority figuresquestion the legality of a marriage. The clash of culture and law could be a doublejeopardy.

Many Hmong parents have seen this before and are culturally and legally defense-less when their children wish to marry young. They neither condone nor deny thebehavior. And the choice between cultural obligations and legal consequences is quitetough. Hmong Americans are adamantly opposed to having children born out of wed-lock and fervently in favor of two-parent families. Many believe that early marriage isa viable option for preventing teenage promiscuity and pregnancy. However, they areunaware of some of the adverse effects of early marriage in American society. Earlymarriage is not necessarily the best solution to teenage problems. In fact, it may createsome of the most serious and perpetual problems among teens.

Parents must help their children learn about the legal requirements for marriage andthe consequences and benefits of marrying at different ages. Most teens often appreci-ate quality in life only when that quality is absent. When parents see their childrenstruggling to raise their own children, they then realize that early marriage can result indifficulties. Should marriage be a pro-life or a pro-choice for teens? Parents mustdevelop a meaningful lesson plan for teaching their children from a young age thatearly marriage has legal as well as life consequences. Parents are their first teachersand must teach them about life before life teaches their children about teen parenthood. In addition, Hmong parents must cherish their cultural values, and meanwhile theyshould also realize that their children are growing up in two or more cultures. Even if itmeans shattering or distorting their parental wishes, they must accept the fact that theirchildren are bringing a new set of values into the family circle from outside the homeand they must learn to modify their circumstances to accommodate the new values.Sometimes, it is all right to think outside the confined box in order to learn newapproaches to help leverage children's attitudes and behaviors. Whether teens are hav-ing too much freedom or too many choices to choose or not, parents must limit theiroptions with logical consequences. Otherwise, irresponsible teens will be recklesslovers.

Hmong leaders and mutual assistance agencies (MAA) have a very important roleto play in solving socio-cultural problems in their communities. Most are somewhatinvolved in mediating family issues anyway. However, some still lack the knowledgeof how to deal with early marriages and teenage promiscuity and pregnancy. Hmongleaders and MAA should not shun critical issues involving families, parents, children,and traditions. It is about time for them to take charge of the problems to lead the wayto stop the epidemic of underage marriage.

Leaders and parents must accept the legal age for marriage and should promote gen-der equity in their communities. At the same time, they should help teenagers to learnand live in both cultures. Complying with traditional values is a respect to Hmong-American families, and however, complying with the law must be an equally and legal-ly responsibility of everyone. Hmong leaders and MAA must lead Hmong people in

The Hmong people have gone throughmany hardships and conflicts after theSecret War of Laos (Vietnam War).Because of the war we left as refugees tomany different countries such as the U.S.and other Western countries. We havespent many years to rebuild our culture.The Hmong culture in many ways hasgrown and changed throughout the lastthree decades. I am proud to say that ourHmong culture is not disappearing or van-ishing. One example is how traditionalknowledge is passed by the elders tellingoral stories and real life experiences to theyounger generation, so we know who weare and where we came from. No matterhow much I become American I willnever be someone I am not because I wasborn into this world as a Hmong person.

Is our culture vanishing? The answerto this question is NO! Even through itmay be true that we as a Hmong commu-nity has changed a lot, yet we have notchanged many things that are important tous since we settled into America. Hmongtraditions and culture are great things thatmake Hmong people unique. The Hmonglanguage is an important part of our cul-ture and we are continuing to speak andteach it to the younger generation, andeven other ethnicities who want to learnto speak Hmong. Another example, "pebcov Hmoob" have gardens in our backyards, which grows traditional vegetablesand herbs not offered in stores. Also nowthere are a number of Hmong who ownedstores and businesses and they can supplyus with traditional necessities that we pre-fer. My uncle has a vast area of land andthe only things that are on that land areacres of traditional Hmong vegetables.There are many Hmong farmers who sup-ply certain stores with certain products tomeet the needs of consumers. Just as theHmong people traditionally practiced sub-sistence farming; we still practiced thisand even adapted this cultural strategiesto new ways.

The media have often portrayed theHmong as a group who has a vanishingculture, but do they have the true facts ofwhat we do? Do they know why we havepaper on top of our doors? Do they under-stand why we call the "dah" or spirits on

Leaders and par-ents must acceptthe legal age formarriage andshould promotegender equity intheir communi-ties.

Hmong Culture StillLivesByKaBoth Yang

on special occasions? Do they even knowor understand our culture? Can anyoneportray us when they are not Hmong?! Today in society, we still have HmongNew Years to celebrate the gathering ofHmong people from all over the world.The Hmong New Years traditionally is atime for rest from farming/work and atime for new beginnings. Many Hmongfamilies celebrate the new beginning of ayear with a ritual ceremony to wash awayold luck and ask their ancestors to bringin new luck for the New Year. Even todayin Laos and other places such as Franceand Australia, Hmong families still havethis traditional cultural event. A briefdescription of the process is as follow:

-Females are towalk around thetree branch 3times and themales are to walk4 times, then arooster is sacri-

ficed.-Families are prohib-ited from spendingmoney and travelingtoo far and this goeson for three days andthree nights. I still know this cul-tural event becausemy parents do this rit-ual ceremony yearly.I look forward to theevent because it isdifferent from othercultures and it repre-sents who I am bydoing so. People maybelieve or try toassume that my culture will vanish, butwithin me as well as the Hmong societythe culture lives.

The Hmong culture spreads fromChina all the way to California to theCarolinas, as well as from Alaska toArgentina. These many places are whereHmong people can be found. We shouldknow the fact that Hmong people live inmany parts of the world. They are stillperforming the many traditional and cul-tural event passed from ancestors andother relatives.

Some Hmong have converted toChristianity but many still practice tradi-tional ceremonies and shamanistic heal-ings. They believe in God and we believein spirits or "dah", however, they have

relatives that perform the rituals and somestill attend to these gatherings. TheHmong culture will not vanish or die likea lifeless leaf that falls from the tree. Theculture will live on in books that are writ-ten about our people. Many of our storiesand traditional cultural events are record-ed in camcorders and videotapes. TheHmong culture is becoming more widelyknown to many Americans and otherswho respect and understand our way oflife.

Another cultural and traditional eventof the Hmong people, which is still takingplace to this day, is our traditional wed-ding negotiation and brideprice. When aHmong female is taken away from her

family by her futurehusband, she is worth aprice and the man willhave to bring his fami-ly and relative to nego-tiate the brideprice.This is a way to showrespect to the woman'sside of the familybecause he took heraway. After the longnegotiation the familiesprepare a feast for thenewlywed. Both sideof the families as wellas relatives bless andchant while tying whitestring yarn around theirwrist to wish them aprosperous life togeth-er.

We have many dif-ferent traditional waysfrom performances todances and songs,

which in many ways are just like otherethnicities (Mexicans, Chinese, andVietnamese). Is Hmong culture vanish-ing? Are other groups in society losingtheir cultures? Will our culture disappear?Can people say that the Hmong culture isvanishing? People may say what theywant to say, but our culture will continueto live on if we continue to pass on whowe are and where we come from to thenext generation of Hmong.

Biography_________________________KaBoth Yang is a first year student atCalifornia State University, Sacramento.She is majoring in Biological Science.

continuesthe Western world while preserving theircultural values. And their primary roleshould be to advocate for the greater goodof the people in order to bring social tran-quility and legal age marriage practicesinto the community.

Hmong educators should be mentorsfor the uneducated parents and can helpHmong and other Americans understandthe legal and cultural issues surroundingtypical teen marriages. They can explainto non-Hmong, for example, that Hmongparents do not foresee their offspring ascommodities and do not buy, sell or tradetheir children for money when they per-mit them to marry. Parents only act basedon social and cultural norms to assist theirchildren. Furthermore, they can alsoremind other Americans that the HmongNew Year celebration is not a bride andgroom market for promoting young mar-riages. Rather it is a time for all Hmongto affirm their culture and traditions.Hmong scholars cannot continue to besilent while other Americans portray theirpeople, culture, and traditions inaccurate-ly and negatively. They should come for-ward to help leaders, parents, teenagers,and the legal system deal with this kind ofcultural dilemma.

Some educators are proactive and aresomewhat involved in social welfareissues. However, most consider early mar-riage to be an individual problem. Thetruth is that early marriage is a societalconcern among all Americans. Asdenounced by some parents, Hmong-American educators can be part of thesolution or part of the problem. Hmongeducators should stand for something orthey will stand for nothing. As manyasked, "Who is waiting for whom?" Thetime to act is now. Perhaps, education canbe the key to modify current perceptionsabout early marriage. Hmong intellectualsshould not have to wait for people to tellthem what they need from them. Insteadthey should ask themselves what theycould do to help. Otherwise, there is noone out there looking out for Hmongteens. Without educational support, under-age marriage will continue to affect thelife of Hmong teens unless everyone iswilling to take part of it.

Let Hmong Americans go back tobasics so they can examine and evaluatethe state of their culture and traditions.

See page 13


The Hmonglanguage is animportant partof our cultureand we arecontinuing tospeak andteach it to theyounger gen-eration...

Early Marriage

The Beautiful Hmong CultureBy Serge C. Lee, Ph. D.

Every human society-small, large, civilized and uncivilizedhas a name. Some names come with proper descriptors; othernever really have a proper description. As it is known the name"Hmong", is also among the later group. "Hmong" has not hadany real meaning and interpretation attached to it for hundredsof years ago. From the early 19th Century until now, culturalanthropologists and historians had attempted to interpret thewords "Hmong, Mong, Miao, Mao, and Meo" with little success.Most researchers would agree; however, that the terms Miao andMeo had connotative meaning, including rice shoot, southernbarbarian, cat sound, as well as people of the dirt. Creativeinterpretations for "Hmong" and "Mong" included free and freepeople, while other Hmong thinkers are also starting to questionthe relevancy of viewing "Hmong" and "Mong" as having thesame meaning. Whatever arguments and interpretations oneused, we now know that the descriptor provided to our people byforeigners have been inconclusive.

What I wanted to explain in this brief article is not so muchabout the meaning of "Hmong", but more about the unique cul-tural features of being "Hmong", the powerful values and tradi-tions of our culture, which are unique and are not shared by anyother groups of people.

From the late eighteenth century to modern time, from thesteep hills of Southwest China to the Vietnam and Laos plateausand now in the United States, the Hmong have a unique heritageand cultural traditions that the world communities know almostnothing about. The current estimation puts the Hmong popula-tion at about ten million people worldwide. About eight millionare spread around five major provinces in Southwest China,mainly Guizhou, Hunan, Hunbei, Sichuan, and Yunnan. Theother 1.5 million Hmong are scattered around other Asian coun-tries, such as Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, and Burma. The remain-ing Hmongs are scattered around Europe and in the UnitedStates and Canada.

The name "Hmong" was unheard of by most people outsideSoutheast Asia until after the Vietnam War. While the war wasfought simultaneously in three countries: Vietnam, Cambodia,and Laos, the fighting in Laos was better known as the SecretWar. When the Secret War was over, about half of the Hmonginside Laos left seeking new freedom. Of those who left, rough-ly 60% sought refuge in the United States. The remaining pro-portions went to France, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Israel,Great Britain, Germany, French Guyana, and China. The late-comers have either remained in Thailand or repatriated back toLaos.

It was estimated that the Hmong first appeared in Chinese lit-

erature some 400 years ago. The immigration from China toSoutheast Asia (Vietnam and Laos) took almost 200 years. TheHmongs' exposure to several types of cultures and religions didnot compel them to give up much of their original traditions.Even the much more influential Christian Missionary aggressiveoutreach to the Hmong in Laos during and after the FrenchIndochina War as well as during and after the Secret War, and to

the Hmong community inAmerica have not had muchaffect on the Hmong culture.People are wondering why?Well, the answers to the ques-tion are easy for the Hmong toexplain but it's difficult forWesterners to understand. Tohelp the younger Hmong gener-ations and the American publicgain a better understandingabout our culture, let me brieflytalk about two elements of ourculture that really represent whowe are. I will just call these ele-ments (1) the Hmong socialnorm, and (2) a Hmong home-ostasis.

The Hmong have unique cultural traditions where their cus-toms, values, and ideologies are tied together in a homogenousand honorable manner. Being who they are provided a sense ofhomeostasis within the Hmong communities. To most Hmong,using the term "Hmong" is a social righteousness and customaryobligation. Members of the Hmong community literally refer toeach other as ib tsoom kwv tij Hmoob (ib=one, tsoom(pab/pawg)=group, kwv tij-keu ti= relative or family,Hmong=Hmong). Even though there is no proper translation,Ib tsoom-ee tsong, can perhaps best be defined as, "all of us-areall in one". Therefore, regardless of country and state of resi-dency the descriptor "Hmong" are kwvtij neej tsa. Neej tsa-nengtsa= the other family. Together, kwv tij neej tsa refers to theHmong family and Hmong relatives. The concept was consid-ered to be and continues to be perceived as very powerful socialtools for Hmong individuals, families, and leaders committing tosocial justice and political causes. A clan group always carries adeep sense of blood brothers and sisters even though they areNOT related at all. For example, when a Lee dies, not only doesfamily lose a family member but the Lee clan just loss a

“...the Hmonghave a uniqueheritage andcultural tradi-tions that theworld commu-nities knowalmost noth-ing about.”


member as well. Being Hmong alwayscarries the depiction of "Hmong rela-tives." Whatever they are and whereverthey might be, the Hmong people refer toeach other as kwv tij. Even during theSecret War, Hmong leaders treated theAmerican GIs as their kwv tij Americansagainst the communist. When the Hmongaccept the group as peb (our) cov kwvtijKwvtij, they will protect and safeguardthe group just the same as their own peo-ple. To the Hmong this bonding is aneverlasting one.

The social norms and social bonding ofthe Hmong also provide members of thecommunities with values that no othergroups in America are able to demon-strate. Among them are economic respon-sibility, individual and family courtship,and community leadership.

In customary traditions, when an indi-vidual or a family is faced with kev nyuajsiab-kay nua shea (difficulty), the com-munity will show their sympathy in theform of lub siab pab-lu shea paa/ or kevsib pab-kay shi paa (free will or love fromthe heart). Instances such as the death ofa loved one and a young couple is gettingmarried, neighbors, acquaintances, andstrangers, all send their condolences orcongratulations and help in the form oflub siab pab. For example, a funeral now(mourning the death using Hmong tradi-tional culture) costs anywhere between$15,000 to $30,000. Because of this lovefrom the heart, it's rare that after thefuneral, the family will be left with hugedebts. In most instances, the well-wisherswho are either passing by or showingtheir respect and condolences will givethe family some cash assistance, rangingfrom $10 to hundreds of dollars. For aperson who was perceived as a good per-son (tus neeg zoo) while he/she is alive,the total well-wishers collection (not inthe form of welfare), is often sufficient oreven exceeds the money needed to covermost of the major expenses.

In the process, these typical wordingsare exchanged: the giver "tsi muaj yamdab tsi tuaj pab hlub, lam muab ib nyuagqhov nyiaj no pab…" In response, the

receiver will say "ua tsaug nawb mog,…tsi cia li…ho muab nyiaj muab txiajtuaj pab…..Ib hnub nram lub ntsisyog…tsi hais txog los cia li…hais txogcai …yuav tuaj nco txiaj nco ntsim.." Inword-for-word translation: the giver "hasnothing to help the victim's family, just togive a little money to help." The receiver:"highly thank you, …from such a kindheart…you give money to help…somedayin the future if…don't let us know, cannotdo anything…if you let us know we willremember your generosity." The last line"remembering your generosity" was andis the core foundation that every Hmongis expected to live up to.

In a traditional wedding too, a youngman does not need to have all the neces-sary savings before starting a family.Family members, acquaintances again dis-play their generosity in the form of kevsib pab. A wedding now costs between$5,000 to $10,000. The young couplethat is well known or well respected inthe family and in the community usuallywill receive some type of khoom plig(gift), or kev sib pab. Similar to mourn-ing a death, for most weddings, the youngcouple will be left with little or no debt.In the worse case scenario, the moneywill be given to the young man as a loan(no term limit) so no one will have tostruggle alone.

The above customary traditions cannottake place without one of the most crucialelements of the Hmong culture-the clansystem and leadership network structures.Unity usually outweighs friction in theHmong community. Traditionally, theHmong do not have a system (autonomy)that a leader is to be chosen or elected.Individuals (male or female) usuallyemerge from the Hmong community asleaders based on their credibility as tuscoj noj coj ua- tu co noj co ua (one wholeads) by practicing the best of theHmong values, and their willingness toserve. Tus coj noj coj ua occurs at severallevels. First, at the family level. Everyfamily regardless of social and economicstatus will have someone serving as tusthawj coj -tu ther co (one who leads), tus

cev lus-tu ce lu (spokesperson), tus sibsab laj -tu shi sha la (consultant).Whatever term one uses, these leaderscarry a tremendous amount of responsibil-ity almost a 24/7 duty with no monetaryvalue attached or expected. They do itbecause of a simple cultural gesture-kevsib pab-kay shea pa (free well). Theseleaders carry a powerful and well-respect-ed role in any situation whereas majordecision must be made; members of thefamilies are not obligated to abide bytheir decisions; however.

In the larger community too, Hmongleaders carry the same title as at the fami-ly and local level. In the old days whenthere were no official legal procedures,the roles of these leaders were to judgeand make community decisions. Today,

leaders still gain incredible respect fromthe community even though these leadersno longer make decisions. They are, inthe most positive ways, continuing therole as cultural broker in bridging con-flicts and misunderstandings among indi-viduals and families. Among otherresponsibilities, they are also serving ascultural educator teaching Hmong valuesand beliefs. In some situations, they areserving as liaison hoping to resolved diffi-culties among individuals, families andHmong communities before exposingthem to the American legal systems.

The above philosophical ideologiesdemonstrate the beauty about the Hmongculture. For the younger Hmong genera-tions, they should not take tsoom kwv tijHmoob (our Hmong) society lightly. Infact, it is inappropriate for one to go to afar distance and not spend time withHmong families in the area. Since theyare perceived as kwv tij neej tsa (Hmongrelative) everyone is welcome in everyoneelse's house. One will be perceived as abetter person if he/she spends the night ata Hmong's house rather than checkinginto a hotel.

Biography:________________________Serge C. Lee is professor in the Divisionof Social Work at California StateUniversity, Sacramento.

“...during the Secret War, Hmong lead-ers treated the American GIs as their‘kwv tij’ Americans against the commu-nist.”

“...the powerful val-ues and traditionsof our [Hmong] cul-ture are unique...”


Perspectives


n the fake wooden wall of my old bedroom, my younger brother has taken theliberty of not pinning, but taping up "posters" or what I would call cutouts of"Asian rides" with abundantly exposed females all up and over the hood. Yet,what catches my attention is the wall to the right where etched behind more

cutouts my brother has artistically tagged "Hmong Pride til We Die."

My brother, born in America with broken English and broken Hmong. My brother,who neglects to learn about his culture and traditions,because chatting with girls on HmongOnline is moreimportant. My brother, with his pants sagged to his knees.My brother, who sports a green and black marijuana ban-dana wearing sunglasses during the cold winter justbecause it makes him look good, and yet, it is My brotherwho still claims his Hmong pride. Yep! That's my brotheralright.

So what does he have to do with all this? As the themefor this issue suggests, is the Hmong Culture vanishing orare we a Culture of Resistance?

My brother is a mere representation of the youngerHmong generations that will lead us into the future. Thatis, a generation that will be forced to use less of theirnative tongue in order to succeed; a generation that will beforced to understand less of their own traditions and val-ues in order to be seen; and a generation that will stand upto defy and change the norms of the mainstream HmongCulture.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hmong men and women willequally have a place at the dinner table. As much as wewant to say that we are truly Hmong, it is with theAmerican ideals of equality, opportunity, and independ-

ence that not only are we becoming more Hmong-American than ever, but also our veryown culture is becoming "Hmong-American."

Have we assimilated? Yes. Like all other ethnic minorities who have entered into"free America," we have all nonetheless assimilated in order to survive; in order to thriveamong those who will not let us.

Our Hmong Culture is not vanishing; rather we are becoming a culture of resistance.We are becoming a culture that opposes to be kept unseen, unheard, and uneducated. Weare a culture that strives against inferiority, against dictatorship, and against derogativestereotypes. "Hmong pride nationwide… Hmong pride till we die."

My brother may not have the "Hmong-ness" in him, I may not have the "Hmong-ness" in me, but if you trace the roots of the Hmong people all the way back to themountains of China, the mountains of Laos, the refugee camps of Thailand, and now toall over the world, we ARE a culture of resistance. Within our veins flow the blood ofour Hmong ancestors - survivors, warriors, and to this very day, Hmong "FreedomFighters" who will always stand their ground. As for my younger brother, the mere

"Hmong Pride till We Die…"By Srida Moua

O

...our Hmongancestors -s u r v i v o r s ,warriors, andto this veryday, Hmong" F r e e d o mFighters" whowill alwaysstand theirground. ”

“

This narrative reflects the theme of the summer edition of Hmong Teen Magazine and apoem from Hmong Movement Issue 5, 2003.

representation of the younger Hmonggenerations, they will lead us into thefuture by molding unto this earth,roads that never been traveled.

And along this road, will they ever findthemselves carrying on their backs,a lost identity, they will know that theanswer will lie in the ROOT of theirproblems."Hmong Pride Nationwide… HmongPride Till We Die."

Biography______________________Srida Moua is a sophomore at theUniversity of California, Berkeley. Sheis majoring in Mass Communicationswith a minor in Political Science.Moua serves as HSIC Vice President.

An AmericanAwakening By Nenick Vue

They all sleep, keeping those dream of seeking, this American dream, but their eyes are peeking, hoping for those beeping phones, a chrome car and a home made of stone, being known for the things they own, sewn into the dream of green and gold, seen and sold, they sleep soundly, patient, waiting, while I sit here and think, on the brink of insanity, can-it-be me who's got it wrong, my blasphemy against fate all along, as their dream drags on and on, I get sleepy, lonely, their phony dreams sound better, than my thoughts that fester, rest here, they say, and sleep, and listen, and wait, forever forsaking, this worthless American awakening, that is only taking away, my happiness....

Biography______________________________Nenick Vu is a freshmen attending UC Davismajoring in International Relations. He hopes tobecome a successful poet someday.

Damn! That f***en gook thinks he's all thisand that because he's got two different wiveshe can go home to?What a f***en corrupted individual!And that ugly ass animated oriental think hecan come into our town and open up af***en supermarketThe only damn people he hires are slantyeye AsiansWhatever happened to the so-called word ofrepresentation?

Hehe, look at that gay ass freakNiag ntsej muag ntaw gay tiagCov neeg gay qias neegLawv coj txoj kev ruam tiagCov neeg twb tsis paub poob ntsej muag

Know how to pick up your garbage youinhumane dirt bagThis is my f***en neighborhood you pieceof trashDon't you f***en dare park your car hereand change our cityBecause your practice of shamanism justdisgusts meYour sacrifice of animals is illogicalAssimilate to Americanism and execute theways of BuddhismGo back to your f***en country where youbelongYou lazy ass welfare consuming HmongThaum kuv pom ob tug txiv neej tuav tessib hnia, cas yuav qias neeg ua luajOb niag ntsej muag khas toy tsum txhobsib txiagNtsej muag ntawv tsis txhob los ze kuv,kuv tsis xav mob kas cees li cov ntshejmuag faggotYog lawv tseem chwv kuv, kuv ua komlawv pob kub lem kiag

That's right, you too with the disturbingimport cars causing catastrophe around thecity. And the slutty sixteen-year-old girlwho's already pregnant with a babyHow the f*** are you going to degrade thissociety? Ten o'clock news, and again moref***en rapes and killing within your gangsHow many f***en gooks are they going toallow to grotesque this country?

"Our happy hours are cheaper than aBangkok brothel". "Two Wongs can makeit white". Eradicate out you perpetual for-eigners. You could never be Americanbecause you look too different.

Quav dev! Ua cas peb cov nom tswvtsis ua dab tsi txog qhov teeb meem nov?Ua cas cov nom tsis paub tias cov faggotnov tsis zoo rau peb cov me nyuam saibCov neeg faggot no tsis muaj nqis.Kuv tsis xav ib tug txiv neej txig lawv rabqau rau hauv kuv qhov quav.Cov ntsej muag faggot no yuav mus dabteb. Cov faggot no siab phem, ntseeg tsistau lawv, lawv yuav mob koj.Faggot khib xuav heev

Can't you see that you're discriminatinganother group of minorities?Can't you see that you're judging anothergroup of minorities?Can't you see that you're being just igno-rant and stupid?Do you understand why using oriental andgay inappropriately is offensive?Racist white supremacists hate Hmongpeople.The same way some of us hate homosexu-als.

Biography_________________________Kong Vang is a junior at the University ofMinnesota, Twin Cities. He is majoring inAmerican Studies with interest to pursuitdocumenting the contemporary experienceof the Hmong in the United States. Vang isinvolve with Innovative CommunityElevation (ICE), which is a group thatspreads the art of Spoken Word to the youththrough workshops and hosts monthly openmic events for the community to freelyexpress their minds through all genres ofart.


Gook & Gay HmongBy Kong Vang"Ignorance exists everywhere even in other ethnicities or toward people's sexual orientation. Iwanted to show how Hmong are being discriminated, but at the same time some Hmong are dis-criminating others as well. I still hear many people use the word oriental, gook, gay, and faggotinappropriately and it bugs the heck out of me. This poem is for everyone and especially for theHmong audience. Hopefully through this piece Hmong people especially the ones of our generationcan actually see and understand why these words are stupid and harmful."

“ Your sacrifice of ani-mals is illogical...You lazy ass welfareconsuming Hmong.”

Change By Nenick Vue

Change erases and rearranges the pages, so stories written too early will burn, and crumple and fall while wildfire rages, till all that should be will get its fair turn,

as cyclones of change run through paths yetuntaken, change will raze all things that canb e ,while souls who do not yet know they are for-saken, stand by dead ends refusing to flee,

change reigns as the truth and the constant, responding neither to plea nor to reason, changing the meanings of what truly oncemeant, real from season to season to season,

and when there's nothing left in this world tobelieve in, know who you are and who youlove, know your path and walk it even, for that is all it takes to be enough,

to be that story that will never fade, and that dreamer who will find his way, as change blows and burns what is made, into the sad skies that are still so grey,

may you find that in between the charred lines, there are still stories still waiting to be sewn, and in the remnants of those happier times, the path and home you call your own.

Canvas IdentitiesTwo paintings I have, one fake, one real, one Ihave bto remake, one to seal my forsakenideals, one a inflated deal to subsist in thisparaded society, both related as they connectto form the word"Hmong-American" which I believe is wrongagain, as I do not claim what I don't need....youcan take my American, and burn it, and turn it,and spurn it, yet the word American has earnedit, as it meant nothing except spent effort, todefine what isn't mine...yet if you take myHmong, you would take the very part of methat would remind everyone the art in me, theyellow and brown and black on the canvasthat is white with American, empty andblank....that needs the grey of concrete and theblack of punk, the green of money, and thebrown of basketball dunks and chunk themtogether and you'll find that the wordAmerican is only a canvas to be painted, asoulless ghost maintained by the misguidedbelief, that white is the most beautiful of allwhen every color should be up on that wall.


Early Marriage continues from pg. 7

There is no question that they have seen underage marriage orhave heard about early marriage over and over again. Andenough is enough. Now is time for them to do something aboutit to help their teens.

Altogether, let them learn from the past to change the presentto prepare for the future. Today's action is tomorrow's success.While the culture is manifesting, Hmong Americans should reex-amine its values to adopt necessary changes to accommodatepresent life situations and must plan for the betterment of futuregenerations. Furthermore, Hmong Americans should not shyaway from the problems that are happening in their families andcommunities. They should be bold to face the problems andshould seek logical approaches to improve the current practicesof Hmong culture. For instances, acknowledging that early mar-riage is still a social concern that may hinder the quality of lifefor young people is the first step in slowing the epidemic. Andadmitting the problem recognizes that no culture is superior toanother and that every choice has consequences. Only when allparties look at the issue honestly and are willing to deal with it,the underage marriage will begin to diminish. Keep in mind thatunderage marriage and teen promiscuity are pervasive socialpractices that must be denounced. And Hmong Americans cer-tainly need collaborative efforts to eradicate it from the groundup since it is so detrimental to the quality of life. HmongAmericans have a personal responsibility to start educating oneanother at home and continue to address its severity culturallyand socially in the community.

Hmong teens should be urged to legally learn about marriagebefore they culturally think about marriage. And once theylearned, as any Americans, they will have their freedom to start anew family without fearing any unnecessary legal consequences.Hmong Americans must encourage their teens to change for thebetter alternatives. Best of all, everyone should help polish theculture to preserve its integrity. And then the beauty of Hmongculture and traditions will prosper forever. In the end, a marriageshould be the happiest moment of a lifetime. It should not haveto be a criminal trial to prove his or her innocence or guilt.

Biography_________________________________________________Christopher T. Vang is assistant professor in the Department of TeacherEducation at California State University, Stanislaus.

Hmong teens should beurged to legally learnabout marriage beforethey culturally thinkabout marriage.

he Hmong Student Association of San Diego(HmSASD) is a collaboration of most of the collegesin San Diego County. The colleges are MiramarCollege, Mesa College, San Diego State University,

University of San Diego, and University of California, SanDiego. Together, we establish a foundation of support for oneanother and a community of Hmong students. Cofounder andcurrent president Shawn Thao said "I really wanted to getHmSASD started because the Hmong students at the time wereactually the first Hmong people I've met down here besides mycousins and relatives so later on, it became more of a secondhome, but most importantly a second family."

The goals of HmSASD are:

“Promote culture awareness on and off campus.”“To be a support group for incoming and current stu-dents.”“To develop social, cultural, leadership, and communica-tion skills for its members.”“To acknowledge and discuss various issues that areaffecting the Hmong Community.”“Promote higher education through the mentoring pro-gram.”“To preserve the Hmong Culture”

The Hmong Student Association of San Diego has been run-ning for four years now since 2000. With each year, our organi-zation has grown with new faces as well as seen old faces andalumni's return. We hope that with our help, we can motivateother Hmong students such as in high school to continue on withhigher education. We have started a mentoring program inwhich one of the members becomes a mentor to one of theHmong high school students to help them prepare for collegeand to go on with their education.

With a new year, there are many events our organization isplanning to do. Be sure to check out our webpage for the eventssuch as our Valentine's Dance, Multi-Cultural Fair, and AnnualBanquet. For more information about us, visit us online athttp://www-acs.ucsd.edu/~hmsa. We look forward to hearingfrom you.

SpotlightsOrganization Profile: The HmongStudent Association of San Diego By Kao Vang

T

President: Yee Thao (SDSU) Vice President: Xieng Lee (UCSD) Secretary: Shoua Fang (SDSU) Treasurers: Pa Moua (SDSU), Pengsue Yang (UCSD) Historian: Paul Vue (MESA) Public Relations: Seng A. Vang (UCSD) HmSASD Representative: True Xiong (UCSD) Webmaster: Kao Vang (UCSD) Student Advisor: Mai Lee Xiong (UCSD)

HmSASD 2003-2004 Officers

Opinion


The Editorial Staff of HM looks forward to receiving your comments and feedback. Please helpus continue to improve the publication. Letters should be sent directly to the HM mailingaddress or via email to [email protected] Editor,

Recently, I picked up a copy of the Fall 2003 Hmong Movement issue and I just have to say thatI am thoroughly impressed and proud of how far along the road we have come; even if it's been arocky one.

Sometimes I look at our fellow Hmong people and I see youths who feel indifferent about ourculture, elders who no longer try to care because we are so busy living the "American Dream" andparents who sigh in sorrow because all of their efforts may have amounted to nothing. I feel sadnessovercome me and I ask myself why should I feel this way? Have we lost the belief in ourselves, inour own people?

We should never have to ask ourselves those questions and I am so grateful I came upon yourpublication, which emphasis advocacy for one another, love for the person next to us, and especiallythe importance of promoting cultural awareness. It's not just people outside of our own ethnicity thatneeds this kind of awareness; it's our own people who need this kind of support the most.

I praise the exceptional work you have done, I praise the path you have chosen to walk on and Ionly hope that the generations after us will continue to tread this path towards liberation because wehave remained silent for far too long.

The road is not over for us. We still have a long way to go. I look forward to your next issues.Sincerely

Hiyana Yang XiongSt Paul, MN

"The Hmong New Year in the United States has…evolved into some sort a flee market. It seemsmore to be about competition and making profits. How do we teach others about our roots when wedo not know how to nurture our own"-Amy Xiong, CSU Fresno

"I think that Hmong New Years is a great way to meet new people. One of the reasons why we haveNew Years is for courtship to find someone special. It's great to see people that you haven't seen thewhole year and a time to catch up."-Vanessa Vang, UC Davis

What is your favorite thing about Hmong New Years? "The New Year celebrations are a great place to go and reconnect with our culture, family, andfriends. However, what keeps me returning is the food. You can't miss out on the sticky rice and theHmong sausage." -Linda Lee, Stanford University

The best thing about the Hmong New Year is being able to reunite with friends and family after along year of hard work. Being able to enjoy and share with new and old faces makes the event quitesignificant. -Amy Xiong

What you dislike most about Hmong New Years? "At many New Year celebrations gang fights occur. This has caused celebrations to be severelyguarded…the security available is not enough! Work has been done to try and prevent fights fromhappening, but it is not effective. This has caused many people to be hesitant and refrain fromgoing." -Linda Lee

February 2.28.04 CSUSacramento HmongUniversity StudentAssociation EducationalConference: "Education:A canvas today, a mas-terpiece tomorrow."Union Red Wood Room.9:30AM to 4:00PM.Contact Johnny Her @916.628.8954http://www.csus.edu/org/hmong/

2.28.04 CSU FresnoHmong StudentAssociation: "FresnoHigh School Activity Day"9:00AM to 2:00PM.Contact Mailee Moua @559.313.8565http://www.csufresno.edu/studentorgs/hmsa/

March3.20.04 CSU FresnoHmong StudentAssociation: "Beyond theBoundaries." SatelliteStudent Union. 8:00 AMto 3:00 PM. ContactShawn Her: 559-250-3105 or Michelle Her at559-273-3841

April 4.2.04 to 4.4.04 HND 9thHmong NationalConference: "ConnectingAcross Communities"Marriott City Center.Charlotte, NC.http://www.hndlink.org

To post your events onlinesend an email to webmas-t e r @ h s i c o n l i n e . o r g .

Calendar

What Do You Think About Hmong New Years?

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H.S.I.C. OrganizationsYEAR TWO

Hmong Student AssociationCSU Chico

Hmong University Student AssociationCSU Sacramento

Hmong Student Association Consumes River College

Hmong Student AssociationUniversity of Pacific

AmerAsia ClubHmong Student AssociationCSU Fresno Chapter

Hmong Student Association UC Riverside

Hmong Student Association of San Diego UCSD, SDSU, Miramar College, Mesa College

Association of 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].

Membership Information

Hmong Student AssociationFresno City College

Documents

Hmong Movement 08 Winter 2004