sFALL 2003 HHSSIICC QQUUAARRTTEERRLLYY PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONN VOLUME II: ISSUE 7

Hmong Movement

Faces of HSICYEAR TWO

Editorial StaffEditor in Chief: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:

Kia ChaMay FangIa HerJohnny HerXia LeeNpaug Tracy LorKao Yang

HSIC Officers 2003-2004President Xai Lee, UC Los Angelesxailee@ucla.eduVice President Srida Moua, UC Berkeleysrimoua@uclink.berkeley.eduSecretary Xia Lee, UC Berkeleyxialee@uclink.berkeley.eduTreasurerVanessa Vang, UC Davismvvang@ucdavis.edu

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 our Fall issue of Hmong Movement. Weare in full swing for HSIC YEAR TWO. This issuealso marks the end of our second year of HM. We

have many exciting new projects in store for 2004 and our thirdyear of HM. In this issue we are proud to bring a number of newcommittee members to the team these include: Mary Vue asFeatures Editor and Chong Moua as Perspectives Editor. In addi-tion, returning for another year is Mary Xiong as Headlines Editor,True Xiong as Layout Editor, and Mala Vang as AdvertisementEditor and the start of full terms for our Assistant Editor, NkaujIab Yang, and Hmong Submissions Editor, Jin Thao.

In this issue we feature updates from our literary book projectthis summer where we performed a Hmong folktale skit to youth at the Hmong/Mien SummerSchool Program at Pacific Elementary School and a report from the very successful statewidemeeting held at the University of Pacific in Stockton in September. Furthermore, the HSICBoard approved of a new Hmong American Issues Director, Yileng Cha and two additionalcomponents to the HAI committee, Hmong Youth Issues coordinated by May Fang and HmongCollege Student Issues coordinated by Jin Thao. Members of HSIC truly apprentice the ground-breaking initiatives Srida Moua accomplished as HAI Director for YEAR ONE, who is the cur-rent Vice President. We hope to build upon the precedents set last year.

Although we will not have a Features Section for this issue, our new Features Editor will behard at work preparing for the next issue. Nevertheless, for this issue we received a great numberof submissions for the Perspectives section showcasing the creativity and talented compositionsof Hmong college students. These narratives touch upon a number of themes such as identity, his-torical knowledge, memory, and culture. In our Organizational Spotlight, we feature one of ourlargest and most active chapters, Hmong University Student Association of CSU Sacramento. Thearticle discusses many of the important community and mentorship events that the organizationhosts for the Hmong community in the Sacramento area.

On the horizon, HSIC has a number of projects in the coming months. First, we will have com-munity outreach events at both Sacramento and Fresno Hmong New Year Festivals similar to lastyear. Secondly, HSIC is planning to hold a leadership retreat for Hmong college students acrossthe state to network and dialogue about important issues concerning the Hmong American com-munity. The leadership retreat will be a great opportunity to learn leadership skills and shareexperiences to bring back to your campus organization or community. We hope you will come outand take part in these community events to make them successful.

In regard to our Winter Issue 2004 of Hmong Movement, our theme is entitled, "The State ofHmong Culture: Vanishing Culture or a Culture of Resistance." We are approaching our thirddecade in the U.S. since our arrival after 1975; the focus of this issue will discuss the incredibletransformations our community has undergone and illustrate what challenges we still face andwhat successes we have accomplished. Further, the Publication Committee is planning to puttogether an anthology, "Growing Up Hmong American" (working title) in the coming months.This will be a collection of life story narratives to discuss the many complexities of growing upmulticultural and multilingual. Stay tune for more information to take part in this project.

In closing, we hope you will apprentice reading this issue. Do not hesitate to let the editorialstaff know what you think of HM. We look forward to receiving your comments. Thank you foryour support!

In solidarity,

Seng A. VangHM Editor-in-Chief

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Hmong Movement FALL 2003

ContentsHHeeaaddlliinneess

HSIC Statewide Meeting....................3

Community Book Drive.....................3

Hmong Movement Updates..............4

Youth Component of HAI.................6

PPeerrssppeeccttiivveess

My Home No Name Street.................7

No Story...........................................7

Snapshots...................................................8

Hachee, Big Brother.........................9

Paj Huam........................................10

Dreaming in Time...........................11

SSppoottlliigghhttss

Organization Profile:Hmong University Student Associationof CSU Sacramento: .......................13

OOppiinniioonn

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

For more information about the HmongStudent Inter-Collegiate Coalition visit theHSIC Website http://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 what youthink? Email: HM@hsiconline.org

President’s MessageALL into HSIC with enthusiasm, passion, anddedication.

We are embarking on the new academic year with not onlymidterms, papers, and finals to occupy ourselves with butalso, we are fueling-up our Hmong college student organiza-tions for the many projects, programs, and events to be heldfor this coming year. From northern California down to south-ern California, Hmong college students have not only realizedthe importance of personal success through higher educationbut, we are looking beyond ourselves and reaching out to eachother to address issues important in the community.

The first statewide meeting for YEAR TWO was held on September 17, 2003 at theUniversity of Pacific (UOP) in Stockton. The event drew attendance from 17 college stu-dent organizations and 98 students. I like to thank the generous support from the UOPHmong Student Association for hosting this important event. The theme was entitled,Nourishing Our Hmong Roots, which focused on cultural identity and fostered a greatermeaning of what HSIC stands for. From the first statewide meeting, we have project ideasin the works and a greater sense of the direction to head towards. I wish to personally thankeveryone who put their time and effort to attend the meeting and hope to see those who werenot able to attend at future events.

In addition, the HSIC Board (4 Executive Officers and 9 Regional Representatives)recently passed proposals for creating a Hmong youth issues component and a college stu-dent focused component under the pre-existing Hmong American Issues Committee. Thehead of the college student component is Jin Thao and the head of the Hmong youth com-ponent is May Fang. These two components will respectively focus on issues, projects, andevents at the college student level and at the youth level.

There will be many exciting HSIC events to look out for such as surveys, activities andevents at the Sacramento Hmong New Years and the Fresno Hmong New Years. The HSICBoard and Committees have projects and events to plan for but we also wish to see moreprojects and events from all other interested individuals new and long-standing to HSIC.HSIC is always looking for new and fresh faces to jump on board to work on different proj-ects and events so please feel free to contact us and we will get you up and going.

There are many projects that we are excited to push into action and I am hoping to seemany new faces along with us. As President, I sincerely feel that HSIC is the appropriateplace for a large scale collective of college student mobilization, activism, and advocacy. Insaying this, I hope for HSIC YEAR TWO to draw out other college students with the samecompassions and concerns to put this year into full effect.

In Solidarity,

Xai LeeExecutive President

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F

Headlines

n September 27 at University of Pacific (UOP), approximately 90 students from 18 dif-ferent colleges throughout California came together at the first HSIC statewide meetingto kick off YEAR TWO. The statewide meeting was, for the first time, focused arounda theme -- "Nourishing our Hmong Roots." To fit the theme accordingly, the President's

welcome speech was in Hmong, a story was read about the struggles and trials that a Hmong familyhad to go through in order to escape the Communist soldiers from Laos to Thailand, and a skit, based

on a Hmong book, Liab thiab Tsov, was performed. Aside from suchactivities, business was also taken care of during the statewide meet-ing. HSIC was redefined to new and old members through the histo-ry and simplification of its goals. The purpose of HSIC was intro-duced into four separate pillars, or different fields that allow HSIC tocategorize its events, projects and programs. The pillars consist of cul-ture, community service, social, and political and within them, HSICis given the option to work on the national, community, organizationand/or individual level. Another business item included committees.The committee directors - Alex Vang of HM, Srida Moua of HAI, andTrue Xiong, the Webmaster -- gave brief updates on their committeeswhile May Fang of UC Berkeley and Jin Thao of CSU Fresno pro-posed two new committees. Fang proposed to create a committee forHmong Youth Issues and Thao introduced his ideas on a Hmong

College Student Issues Committee. The final item discussed was project planning. Regions were

separated and ideas were generated within eachregion before the whole coalition brainstormed,as a whole. Definite projects included the NewYears project and the Leadership retreat. Otherprojects proposed were outreach, a hmong artexhibition, and friendship games.

HSIC kicked off its first Hmong book driveat Pacific Elementary School Hmong/MienSummer School Program in Sacramento thispast July, with the generous donation of 100copies of the Hmong folktale, "Liab ThiabTsov (The Monkey and Tiger)." The AmericanFriends Service Committee in San Franciscodonated the books to HSIC. More than 200Hmong and Mien students gathered in the spa-cious cafeteria to watch enthusiastic HSICmembers transformed the folktale into a livelyand amusing skit.

The skit opened up with Blia Moua andJohnny Her, sword fighting across the dimmedcafeteria as two naughty kids teasing eachother. As they heard the calling of their grand-father, played by Chong Vang, they hurriedlyjumped onto the stage where they were scoldedand forced to listen to their grandfather's folk-tale of the monkey and tiger.

The stage lights came on, the curtains openedand the narrators, Srida Moua and Linda Yangbegan telling the story. Paul Cha, appeared asthe mischievous monkey who continuously liedto the gullible and sometimes scary tiger, NancyLor.

"Rrrrrrrrrrr," growled the angry tiger after beingtricked into hitting a bee hive and choking onbananas and bamboo shoots. "You lying mon-key, I'm going to eat you now."

"Tiger, tiger," answered the startled monkey."Please don't eat me, I'll catch some crabs foryou and you do the same for me."

Naively, the tiger fed the monkey crabs until hewas full and satisfied; however, when it came tothe monkey's turn, he purposely clawed thetiger's mouth with the crab and ran away.

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HSIC Statewide MeetingBy Xia Lee

Statewide Meeting @ UOP

OTThhee ssttaatteewwiiddeemmeeeettiinngg wwaass,,ffoorr tthhee ffiirrsstt

ttiimmee,, ffooccuusseeddaarroouunndd aatthheemmee --

““NNoouurriisshhiinnggoouurr HHmmoonngg

RRoooottss..””

Community Book Drive“Liab Thiab Tsov”By Mary Xiong

The monkey continued to trick the tigerthroughout the skit until the he fell into a hugehole where he was finally at the mercy of theangry tiger.

"Ha…I'm going to eat you now," growled theirritated tiger. The tiger swiftly leaped into the hole and chased the monkey.

"If you eat me now and don't throw me back up,"cried the monkey. "The sky is going to fall onyou."

Suddenly frightened by the monkey's claim, thetiger threw the monkey out of the hole as the tigerremained in the hole.

After the performance, HSIC gave away booksto four courageous students who impersonatedthe tiger and monkey and gave PacificElementary School twenty copies of the book.

Besides showing the kids a good time, the skitwas meant to promote cultural awareness andhigher education to the students.

"I hope our presence and performance of the skitencouraged the students to think about highereducation and the Hmong culture in a differentlight," said Sonny Yang, a junior at UC Berkeley,who missed summer school to be part of theevent. "It is good to know that we can do some-thing like this for the students and community. Ihope we can do more of this."

HSIC plans to do more community events likethe book drive in the near future. The Centraland Southern regions of HSIC are planning theirbook distributions and events for their respectiveregions.

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s we approach our third year of Hmong Movement (HM) what most peopleoften identifies as the "heart and soul" of HSIC has been HM. Throughoutthe lows and highs of HSIC over the past two years, what has been consis-tence is HM. Although HM has been very successful and draws more than

2,000 readers per issue, many members within HSIC do not know what HM is. Overthe summer and early fall HM took proactive measures to publicize and outreach. Thisis our third year and we just barely began to scratch the surface of the full potential ofwhat HM and HSIC means and can do for the Hmong American community. We wouldvery much want and need you to take part and improve our efforts to accomplish thesegoals together.

These are some of the ways we worked towards increasing public relations for HM.This past summer HM collaborated with HmoobTeen magazine (St Paul, MN). HMfeatured HmoobTeen in our summer issue and HM was featured in the HmoobTeensummer issue. This exposure enabled both publications to reach more Hmong youthand college students on a national level.

Next, in fall of 2002, HM undertook a massive public relations campaign to outreachand better inform Hmong college students and the community about the objectives ofHM. HM was born out of a collective ideas among many Hmong college students atthe same time similar discussions evolved into the formation of HSIC. A series of pre-sentations took place at various HSIC Chapters to provide background information on

a brief history of HM and HSIC over the past two years. The series started off at theUniversity of Pacific Hmong Student Association (HSA) on September 2nd, followedby three presentations at CSU Fresno to the Hmong Student Association (HmSA),Southeast Asian Teachers Association, and Amerasia Club on September 5th, and con-cluded at CSU Sacramento Hmong University Student Association (HUSA) onSeptember 13th.

These presentations illustrated how HM came about and the direction that frames thisproject. HM's first objective is to be a positive media resource to display the talentsand creativity of college students and youth. Often when Hmong are depicted in themedia, the focus is on youth delinquency, domestic violence, murder/teen suicides, andwelfare dependency, which perpetuates negative stereotypes of the Hmong Americancommunity. HM serves as a forum to challenge media representations and dismantlenegative stereotypes. Secondly, HM is a pivotal educational resource that featuresHmong research and scholarship relevant to Hmong issues. Lastly, HM enables culturalcompetency for Hmong youth and new learners to the Hmong American community

Monkey and Tiger

Hmong Movement UpdatesBy Seng A. Vang

A

(left to right) Ben Vue, True Xiong, Seng A. Vang

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by featuring submissions written in Hmong and folklore literature.

In addition, on September 13 the Layout/Design Editor and I attended the Hmong TodayTV show to explain to Hmong parents and youth about HSIC and HM? The discussion

also focused on our experi-ences as Hmong scholars inhigher education. The HmongToday TV show has been run-ning in Fresno County forover 13 years and is a bilin-gual televised weekly pro-gram that reaches severalthousand viewers in theFresno area.

Overall, the responses fromthis public relations cam-paign were very positive,many students, who previ-ously were unaware, nowknow that HM is out there

and are very interested to contribute writing or artwork. From the TV show, parents andeducators were able to call in live and encourage us to continue our work and be posi-tive role models for the Hmong youth. The public relations campaign will continue atmajor Hmong New Years Festivals along with the HSIC New Year Events. HM willcontinue to participate at more various HSIC Chapter meetings and events such as con-ferences, culture shows or banquets in the coming months.

Questions & Answers:

Who works on Hmong Movement?

The HM editorial staffs are college students from various HSIC Chapters. HM ispart of the HSIC Publications Committee. The Editor-in-Chief is Chair of thePublications Committee, and the various Assistant or Section Editors are memberswithin the committee. All staff for HM volunteers their services, no one is paid.

Who writes for Hmong Movement?

HM is a reader-community driven publication. Contributing writers or artists areopen to any individual as long as topics are relevant to the Hmong American com-munity. Writers and artists do not need to be members of HSIC to participate. Inthe past our contributors range from youth in high school, college students, univer-sity professors, and community members. Due to the high volume of submissionsreceived not all will be selected for each current publication; however we willwork with you in revising or editing the submission for a future issue.

Who gets Hmong Movement?

HM is distributed FREE at HSIC regional and statewide meetings. Interested indi-viduals may subscribe for an annual subscription (4 quarterly issues) with a dona-tion of $10. HM is read by Hmong college students from more than 40 universities

“Overall, the responses fromthis public relations cam-paign were very positive...”

nationwide (including the 25 HSICChapters), and it is also distributed toabout two dozen community organi-zations or institutions. We are dili-gently working to increase distribu-tion and ensure that the publicationreaches more youth and communitymembers.

Why is Hmong Movement FREE?

HM is committed to ensuring that thepublication is distributed for FREE toyouth, college students and commu-nity members. We fully believe thatyouth and community membersshould have full access to learningabout the experiences of Hmong col-lege students in higher education. Weare not interested in making a profitoff the community. With this frame-work, HM does need financial sup-port from subscribers and sponsor-ship from community organizations.Most of our funding the past twoyears has come from dedicated HSICmembers and from a few grants.Nevertheless, we will need your con-tinual generous support to ensure HMis FREE. (Please see the backSubscription Form for ways to support HM).

The Board of Directors is the governing bodyof HSIC. The 13 member Board consists offour Executive Officers and nine RegionalRepresentatives (three per region).

Executive Officers:President: Xai Lee, UCLAVice President: Srida Moua, UC BerkeleySecretary: Xia Lee, UC BerkeleyTreasurer: Vanessa Vang, UC Davis

Regional Representatives:

North RegionBee Yang, Pacific Union CollegeLinda Yang, CSU ChicoJohnny Her, CSU Sacramento

Central RegionPao Her, DeVry University (Fremont)Mailee Moua, CSU FresnoMay Moua, CSU Fresno

South RegionBright Vue, CSU NorthridgeChong Moua, UCLATrue Xiong, UC San Diego

Board of Directors 2003-04

Stories about Hmong youths killing each other and themselves have been circulating among the Hmong community for years.Instances of early teenage pregnancies and marriages are present in almost every Hmong family. Hmong youths are joining gangs atunprecedented rates. In fact, more are joining gangs than entering college. The high school drop out rate for the Hmong populationremains high. Although there are more Hmong students in higher education than ever before, the number still remains low com-pared to other ethnic groups. And the list of problems/issues afflicting Hmong teenagers goes on and on…

However, these problems/issues are not pertinent and applicable to only Hmong youths. What they do not only affects them-selves, but their siblings, parents, relatives, friends, basically everyone.

The goal of this component is to prevent and reduce problems/issues among the Hmong youth population. This componenthopes to achieve this goal through the following activities:1) Community Mobilization/Collaboration/Empowermenta. Mobilize and collaborate with educational facilities, juvenile delinquency institutions, community based-organizations, andlocal communities to develop a comprehensive plan that will reduce Hmong youth problems/issues.b. Empower the Hmong community with the knowledge necessary to create a safe, healthy, and successful environment 2) Researcha. Develop and conduct research on prevention and/or intervention programsb. Develop and conduct research on Hmong youth problems/issues. In order for any youth intervention/prevention program to be effective and successful, the input of youths is required. Thus, thiscomponent will gather and incorporate youth input into youth programs. This component will ask youths what their issues are, whatthey think are the causes and factors of these issues, and how they think these issues may be prevented and/or resolved. 3) Information Sharing and Disseminationa. Disseminate research findings b. Serve as a knowledge base of Hmong youth issues/problemsc. Possess and share information on effective intervention and/or prevention programs targeting Hmong youths4) Training/Educating/Curriculum Development a. Train and educate others in the area of Hmong youth problems/issuesb. Develop a curriculum for community members, school administrators and teachers, and health professionals on Hmongyouth issues5) Mentoring and Other Youth Outreach Programsa. Serve as mentors for Hmong youths.b. Conduct outreach among the Hmong youth population

Anyone interested in the youth component of HAI should contact May Fang at missmayfang@yahoo.com or 510-701-0385.

Youth Component of HAIBy May Fang

Statewide Photos

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Perspectives

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No StoryBy Mary Vue

"For my beloved father Nhia Bee Vue"

There is no story to tellThere is no story to tellAt the vibrant age of twelve, he marchedoff with his daddy to that placewhere secret people did secret thingsBefore his scrawny figure, those peoplestood"To keep what is yours and for the sake ofjustice, take this," they saidHe took a rifle, and 3 bullets-one to theback and two to the legIt got to him, the bullets got to himIt is a secret you seeThere is no story to tell

By and by, he grew That boyish face, forever lostAnd in its place, only a handsome faceStarving of youth they gave him 3 stars,and a company tooAs Captain, he marched off with his bandto that placeA Secret War he and his comrades did fightFallen daddies and fallen boys All for justice's sake It is a secret you seeThere is no story to tell

"The fall of Saigon," that was their queAnd took to home those secret people didso A plague inflicts he and his people andthose behind;Shadows of the Secret WarLooming over them for having been theVertebrae of that secret kind.It is a secret you see. There is no story to tell.

To keep what is his,Into the forest,Mother, sisters, wife, and children by hisside.Shots banging left and right through hismindNo one can know his fear, pain, and angerinside.

It got to him, the bullets got to him.

And though freedom mother, sisters, wife,and children did find, It remains a secret you see. UnwrittenThere is no story to tell.

here I liveDon't laugh when I say the Jews were put in concentration camps.

Don't laugh when I say the Japanese were put in internment camps either.Now don't laugh. Don't laugh when I say the Hmong are put in refugee

camps. Yes, camps. The only difference is that it's for refugees…like us who run and runand finally get here where I am.It's a place called Chiangkham, people say. You cannot get out because the area is sotight, like a cage. As for getting lost, don't worry. I mean you can go to the farthest partof town and still know your way around. You'd see the old, the young, the rich, and thepoor. Everybody knows each other and yes, we get along fine.

I don't know if I can call where I live a house, because it's not. It's filled withlong identical shelters lined up along the main street. I don't remember the street having aname and maybe it doesn't. Each unit is divided into twenty sections, ten families on oneside and ten on the other. It's not a pretty house, but it's ahome for me though. My family, we live in section five,unit sixty. Within the unit, we don't have a room to call ourown. There's no privacy, like when you do something bad,everybody knows it all.

My eleven-people family shares a room together.There is no bed, except a long wood we call our bed. Somesleep at the foot of another kid and because there's a lot ofus, you could feel the bed shriek under you sometimes. Myparents suffer the most. They wait and wait for us to sleepcomfortably. They care for the baby in the middle of thelonesome night when there's no more milk left for him todrink. They go with us into the dark whenever we want topee. Sometimes if we don't want to worry them, we wouldhold on. Yes, that's how it is.

If I was to choose a house where I want to live oneday, I would be very grateful. I would make it the cleanesthome of all. I would invite all those who don't have ahouse, and I would not be so selfish having a house of myown. The Hmong live together, eat together, play together,and sleep together in the same roof under the eyes of God,so no matter where we go, we do everything together.

My Name is I-Am-BitterMy name is Ia. In Hmong, it's spelled I-A-B. It means bitter, like the bitter

flower, paj iab, in the mountains of the Hmong. It's like the bitter melon we always cookfor dinner and because we eat it too much, sometimes it tastes a little bit sweeter. It's likethe herbs in the forest which nobody wants to eat when they're out of meat.I got myname when I was born. My parents say you got to have a name, something to set youapart from the others. Like my friend, her name means the river, and the bell is the mean-ing for my brother, my sister, the sun, and my uncle, the cloud. And me, I'm just bitter;my dad says the only part left out is flower. When I ask my mom, she says that it mightnot be the same, but it's still a great name even if the flower or melon is not added to it.She's been saying that for ages. Perhaps she doesn't want me to be depressed about myname.

My brothers and sisters always tease me at suppertime. Whenever I whine abouttasting bitter food, they say that it shouldn't be bitter for you. And that is because I amalready bitter. They actually say that to me, as if the bitter melon is my best friend. As ifthe melon can talk to me and say, I'll only be sweet for you, girl. Ha, that would be avery, very bittersweet thing to say. Yes, to me it would.

My Home No Name StreetBy Ia Her (this article was previously published in the American College Review 2002)

W

D o n ' tl a u g hwhen Isay theH m o n gare put inr e f u g e ecamps.”

“

SnapshotsByKia Cha

The pictureTo be in itFamily portrait, community photoFramed pinned to the wall;

For my childrenMy name, my place

I give

Flesh and fractured spiritYours

This… this is how it is.*

Swelling temperSnap!In your raging brownsTerrorized woman cringes againNightShades of black and blue

Would you cross that line?

A heavy questionYou would not, could not

So I stayA heavy priceFor my children

My name, my placeFor dignityIf not from you from the rest

*Repair specialists the EldersThey fix things, all kindsThis… this is how it is

Menders of our livesof broken love

But what is love anyway?*

And just how farCould I run?

Crippled legs!Frail, shriveled

To this dayAnd this native tongue

Unbending to America]Could I please have a life-

And just what kind of life?*

Slap across the faceDivorceSaturated red, bloody redThis an option?Rules, conventions steel bars

Judgments will be madeAnd my children-oh, my children

I am strappedThe only thing I canWhat I've been taught to doBe a good mothera good wife

Sacrific.

No Name (continues)Bitter melon has become my favorite vegetable and I just don't know why. Maybe it'sbecause we always have it for supper. Maybe it's different from the other food and I'vegrown up eating it. Or maybe it's just an unusual plant with bumpy hills like the skin of aniguana. Or perhaps it's just the meaning of my name.

I don't know what those bitter flowers up inthe mountains look like because I've never seen thembefore in my life. Some people might like them andwho knows about the ones that don't. My name soundsokay to me, and it shapes who I will be. Like my dadsays, only the flower is left out. Like my mom says, it'sstill a pretty name even though the flowers and I aren'tthe same. Like my brothers and sisters tease, I should-n't be bitter about it because it breaks me apart frompeople all around me, such as these who always tease.

Government's Checking TimeToday is a day we have to clean up. We have

to make sure there are no washed clothes hanging likebats on the clothesline outside. My parents say that theguards say that you people should know how to clean.That's what they always say when it's checking time.There should be no market tables outside on the street.Every kid has to be inside because if the guards see you, they will beat you harshly. Lookingat them is not showing respect, they say.

I got to go inside, too. That's what I was told to do. I can't disobey my parents, soI rush in before the door is closed. They say that the guards come into the camp and expecteverything to be neat and not rotten from the blazing heat.

The only way I can see the brutal guards is through the holes in the thin woodendoor. Everybody peeps and there we can see the leader of the guards with his two partners.They all wear the same clothes. I can tell the difference between them because I learn thatthe master always wears a red thing around his shoulder, something that looks almost like acast you put on when you break your arm. The leader is always stricter and ugly, they say.

Nobody is outside for most of that scorching day. It is crowded inside with tons ofpeople, but we don't care much. We play and tell jokes to each other. I remember playingrocks with the other girls my age just not to be bored. Oh, it's also my favorite game. Theyalways say that I can be on their team because I'm an expert at it.

The grandmas and grandpas tell old stories of the Hmong living in their homeland,where there're no guards, no rules to follow. Don't forget it's a free land where there's onlyhappiness and not sorrow.

The Mango WomanI want to eat a mango as big as a squash, as green as a cucumber, as sour as a lime,

and as juicy as a watermelon. This is what the pregnant lady in the next unit says. She dreams of the huge man-

goes all the time, as if she's in another world. All our neighbors call her the "Mango Woman"because she will get her fruit when nobody can.

One day, she's longing for a sour mango because "I am having a baby," she says.Before we know it, she's already by the barbed wires, trying to buy mangoes from the Thaisalesperson on the other side of camp. Everybody tells her to move out of there or she'll bebeaten and dragged by the hair. I guess her hunger takes over her fear of the strict Thaiguards because she is still there trying to buy her favorite mango no matter what her peoplesay or how deep their affections show.

Right before the woman can take a bite on her fresh mango, the guards come. Theystart yelling. "What do you think you're doing here, woman?"

And they start beating her with their tree trunk weapon as hard as metal that whenthey hit you, you can feel your body on fire. The guards pull the Mango Woman like an ani-mal and disappear into a smaller and darker cage on the other side of camp.

All the people who warn her are just shivering there like naked bodies in the

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“ The grandmas andgrandpas tell oldstories of theHmong living intthheeiirr hhoommeellaanndd,,wwhheerree tthheerree''rree nnoogguuaarrddss,, nnoo rruulleess ttooffoollllooww.. Don't forgetit's a free landwhere there's onlyhappiness and notsorrow.”

9 Hmong Movement FALL 2003

winter night. They knew this would come, and how is it so?Because it's no different for them. It's what they hate but can'tescape. It's why they want to get out of this lovely evil placecalled home, where they don't even belong. But there's nothingthey could do except to wait. Waiting…waiting…waiting forsomeone to open up and let these sad and lonely birds out oftheir crowded cage so they can sing their hearts out.

A DreamWho wouldn't dream of coming to the United States of

America, also known as USA? People are talking about it as ifwe would be free there. Yes, we would be free. We would get toeat the tastiest food served in the most popular restaurants. Wewould get to shop in the biggest mall, even though it's thousandsof miles from home. We would get to taste ice cream and watchTV for the first time. We would get to drive a modern and never-seen-before car, cruising down the street, and we would winkwildly without thinking why we do it. We don't care as long aswe get to see all the beautiful places like the ones in paradise.

We would get to live in a luxurious home where thereare real beds. A home to call our own. A place where you don'thave to go out in the middle of the night to pee. A house wherethere's privacy even for the youngest baby. A home of our ownwhere we can share our happiness and live a life showered withlove and comfort.

I hope this dream comes true even though it's only adream. A dream we hold inside for a long, long time. An endlesshope we'd never want to lose, or it will break us all loose. Thishope will keep us alive until the day we can feel the sunshine. Itwill break us free from the pain we suffer so deeply. We arelonely birds, hoping…hoping…and hoping…Dreaming of theUtopia land we would be seeing.

We are lonely birds, hop-ing…hoping…and hop-ing…Dreaming of theUtopia land we would beseeing.

"I was born and raised in Fresno. I have two brothers, bothwho are the oldest among seven siblings. My oldest brother leftthe family. His absence has brought much hardship to the fami-ly, but it has helped me realized my own strengths and weakness-es."

Shh… Big Brother, did you hear that?I think it's the pounding of a silent combatThe season is changing and I am still without a diamond ring'Cause when I hear the clock ticking, I begin wondering…

If this world was full of pure loveAnd Earth was like the place aboveWould there even be an endTo the cure of broken hearts all waiting to be mend?See, when I think about the tragedies that has occurIn our family, especially to you, my Big BrotherI question what things and which people actually matters to meAnd in split seconds no one knows where I could beThoughts can drift me away until the crack of dawn'Cause I'm somehow disturbed by these, Big Brother John:

The monies spent on your many cigarsIf added up, can already purchase my dream carDon't get me wrong that I am trippingI'm still right here bold and strong after all the yesteryear'sweepingBut I just can't bear to hear that you are smokingSo to ignore, I'd laugh out loud as if you were jokingThat is, until I hear a heart-breaking coughDo I begin to think to myself when you'll ever have enough!

Hachee, Big Brother, haven't you heard of the great emperorWho smoked so much that his kingdom became a blur?I don't want to sound like a preacher, let alone pretend to be ateacherBut you are my role model, my parents' son, and my Big BrotherI only hope when you look up your sky is still blueYour memory is still clear and your kingdom is still there'Cause when I look up you are whom I see: A unique and special person, irreplaceable to me

A thought of you smoking makes Mommy frustrated and sadCould you and would you understand her when she becomesfuriously mad?Sure, it's apparent that Mommy has lights of autonomyShe's living out here, but that don't matter 'cause she's glued withshadows of despair

Do you know what it's like to care for someone with high-bloodpressureThat rises like temperature when she thinks beyond a lot?Just try to make Mommy feel complete and secureWhen her body language cries out, "You're all that I've got!"

Big Brother, sometimes I wish you could see Mommy's

"Hachee, Big Brother"By Npaug Tracy Lor

Biographies ________________________________Kia Cha is a second year graduate student in the Asian American Studiesprogram at UCLA. She is currently working on a creative thesis inspiredby the Hmong American experience.

Npaug Tracy Lor is a junior at California State University, Fresnomajoring in Liberal Studies. She works two jobs, Education Director forTree Fresno and Bilingual Instructional Assistant at BurroughsElementary School on top of being a full-time student.

Mary Vue is a senior attending St Mary's College (Moraga, CA). She ismajoring in English with interest in work related to social change. Thispoem was written for a presentation to figuratively parallel the theme ofslavery from the book Beloved. This poem coalesces with themes of trau-ma, entrapment and repetition as a way of healing that captures herbelated father's life as a young solider during the secret war.

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Hachee (continues)strengths turn into sighsAnd taste these tears that says we need you here before the promised "good-byes"'Cause every time you reach out for something as bad as dopeThe message you are sending us is to have no more hope

*Hachee, Big Brother, haven't you heard of the great emperorWho smoked so much that his kingdom became a blur?I don't want to sound like a preacher, let alone pretend to be a teacherBut you are my role model, my parents' son, and my Big BrotherI only hope when you look up your sky is still blueYour memory is still clear and your kingdom is still there'Cause when I look up you are whom I see: A unique and special person, irreplaceable to me

I miss you, Big Brother, and I honestly love you to deathBut how can I be around you if you're smoking without holding in my breath?I feel you when you say smoking helps relieve some of your stressBut feel me when I say you can write home at our family addressAnd when you're feeling depress or have symptoms of distressGo ahead, take initiative and impress S.O.S.With the muscles that you'll gain from doing the bench press;An alternative is to play the mind-thinking game of chessI'd challenge you but we're both physically apart And you know I'll do my best to beat you from the very startBut in the meantime go and challenge a friend or a strangerAs long as you keep yourself away from all of those dangers

If I am to put myself in your shoes, I know that I could lay back and chooseTo say no to drugs, hachee, what's there to ever lose?Please don't tell me it's "friends" because I'll rap this rhyme again--Your family won't ever pretend to be there for you until the very endWe will always be by your side to support you in all ways that we canSo don't break our beautiful bond short by refusing your role as a manDo it for yourself and for your loved onesWe, who patiently waits with open arms for your "home run"Of all things I ask from you, I only ask for one different and permanentchoiceSo in the end the family can embrace together with an everlasting rejoice-'Cause within the blink of an eye, I know you can shadow-kick all the smoking stuff good-bye;Please give up all those non-prescribed drugsAnd bring out to your family your warm, pleasant hugsMore importantly is today the family needs you like no otherFor you are the son of a caring father and motherAs well as six other siblings' wonderful Big Brother

*Hachee, Big Brother, haven't you heard of the great emperorWho smoked so much that his kingdom became a blur?I don't want to sound like a preacher, let alone pretend to be a teacherBut you are my role model, my parents' son…you are my Big BrotherI pray and hope when you look up your sky will still be blue,Your memory will still be clear, and your kingdom will still be there'Cause when I look up to my best homie--you are whom I see: A unique and special brother, irreplaceable to me

We love you Big Brother, don't leave us cold and lonelyAnd if you remember well, your word has always been "Hachee."

Cov lus no yuav thov muab xa

Kom nws ya nrog huab nrog cua

Rau tus tshua thiab tus kuv nco

Tias hmo no kuv xav txog koj

Txawm yuav noj thiab haus npaum cas

Haus tsawg pas los yeej tsis nqeg

Vim koj tseg kuv nyob ib leeg

Yam tus neeg tsis muaj txoj sia

Yog txawj txia yuav ua tus noog

Ya tuaj mloog lub suab qab zib

Li thaum ntsib thiab pom thawj zaug

Txawm siv qaug rau koj ib leeg

Thiaj li ntseeg cog siab rau koj

Yuav siab loj tuaj nrog koj nyob

Kom txhob mob lub siab ntxiv lawm

Lub sij hawm dhau lawm zuj zus

Siab tsis tus vim tsis muaj kojKuv saib zoj koj tsis rov los

Tsis xav tos thiab tshua ntxiv lawm

Thiaj hais tawm cov lus ntawm no

Kom koj nco tias tshuav kuv nyobEs tsis txhob cia kuv tos lawm mog

PAJ HUAMTus sau: IAB HAWJ

Biography______________________Ia Her was born in Chiangkham, Thailand and came tothe United States in 1992. She is currently a sophomore atUC Berkeley, majoring in Legal Studies and MassCommunications. Her future goals are to finish college,travel to Thailand and possibly go to either law school orbecome a graduate student in journalism.

Dreaming in TimeBy Kao Yang

11 Hmong Movement FALL 2003

I walk in stretches of time to aplace where you once tread. You are a lit-tle girl walking down the treacherouspaths of Laos. There is the full moon andthe gleaming river rushing ahead.Everybody is in darkness. The bambooleaves hiss in the night wind. You feel arough hand reach out to gently clasp yourown, "Shhh." It isthe echo of yourfather's voice. Froma distance you makeout the whimper of abrother, your motheris behind you. Theseare the footsteps thathave led a little girlfrom China to Laos.A little girl thatwould become yourgrandmother-as youwould become mine.

In theHmong culture you were born unlucky.Your mother and father died when youwere just a little girl. Your mother diedfirst because she got sick. Your fatherfollowed because he had no spirit for lifewithout her. Your beautiful older sisterfelled prey to the envious greed of a witchin a nearby village. Yes, I can stillremember your story, grandma:

It was during Harvest time. Myfather was still alive then. He was homewith us. I was younger, you see. Myolder sister, the one you never saw. Myolder sister, who your father never saw-was a great beauty. She had skin so whiteand eyes so bright, hair that flowed downthrough to her back. Not curly hair likemine, but straight black hair that the sunand loved to play with. Everybody knewshe was a great beauty even though shecould not have been more than sixteenyears of age. She went to the next vil-lage to join in the New Year's festivities.It was common then. All the young girlswalked to the courting fields of nearbyvillages to toss balls with the young men.The witch, everybody knew of her. Shewas an ugly old woman who lived by her-self. She saw my beautiful sister and shegot jealous. She made a brew of tears andother unsavory liquids. She let it boil andboil like her rising anger. It condensedinto a single drop that she trickled into

her palm. It was a mere throwing of herhands in my sister's direction. The younggirl saw the old woman, saw the gesture-and in fear her spirit took flight. Whenshe got home she was deathly pale, not atall the young laughing girl who had spirit-edly ran the path away from our home.My sister died shortly after the New Year.

What followed were thedeaths of my father andelder brother.My grandmotherbecame the oldest in herfamily. She was the old-est sister to two others, atoddler brother and ababy sister. I can stillremember the manycountless times shespoke of feeding herbaby sister:The baby was alwayshungry. My mother had

breast-fed her before she died. Before myfather died, I saw how he used to grindthe rice grains in his mouth and thenslowly trickled it down into hers, like thebirds. I saw it so I knew how it wasdone. After he died that is what I did. Iwould put in the rice grains and chew andchew until it was nothing more than softfluids on my tongue, and then I wouldgive it to her. I don't know how a childmanages to grow like that, but she did.She too grew to be a great beauty. I amthe ugliest one in my family, my facebroad and my nose small. My brotherswere handsome men. But they all diedexcept one. And then he died in Laos. Iam the only one left in my family, youknow.

After my great-grandfather died,my grandma and her brother and sisterwere transferred into the house of anuncle, an uncle who did not love herenough. But, as she would say, "What isenough? He loved me as well as an unclecould have loved his deceased brother'sthree dirty children. He loved me as wellas anybody."In her uncle's house my grandmothergrew to be a woman. She never becamethe beauty that she saw in her sisters. Herbeauty became such that one had to knowher, to love her, to hear her, to hold her tosee; it was a deeper sort of attachment,

the kind that took years of looking andthinking to feel through. She had a wide,broad face, soft pink lips, fierce eye-brows, angled and thick. She had a smallball nose-that my father inherited-that Isee in traces on the face of my brotherand sisters, of myself. My grandmotherhad two dimples, one on each side of herface. Like me. She was short and slowin person. She was a woman with girth, awoman of substance. She never dependedon her looks for a thing in her life. Noteven in my grandfather's attraction to her.

Your grandfather wanted tomarry me because his brothers thoughtthat I could give him strong sons. He wasa widower, old and already addicted toopium by that time. He was old andgrieving. His brothers thought that if hemarried me and I gave him strong sons,he might again feel the impulses of lifebeat in his veins. I was the orphaned girlin the town, I worked hard and I was notlazy-they knew this. So they came withmoney, with horses and pigs. My youngerbrother and sister were still young, onlychildren, so I did not want to marry. Yourgrandfather was old. I cried so hardwhen my uncle agreed. There was noth-ing I could do. I had to marry him.Later, years later…your grandfather'sbrother told me how sad they were for me.He spoke of how he kept on thinking thatif I had had parents or older brothers,how if they would have heard me cry…Icried so hard that the whole village cameto watch my pain. Oh…how do I describeto you the cries? I looked to the sky andit was gray and blue and I looked at myyounger brother and sister and knew howhard their lives would be without me, andI looked at your grandfather and I couldonly think…if my father and mother werealive…but they weren't so all I saw wasthe gulf in the sky.

My grandfather was not a badman as my grandmother grew to knowand to love. He was only a man who hadhad a difficult life, too. His first wifewho he had loved well and who he hadmade a life with was not able to give himchildren. When she died, he lived allalone in his silent house; he let the fieldsgrow wild. But there were still pigs andhorses in the pens. My grandmotherrecalls:

“I am theugliest one inmy family, myface broadand my nosesmall.”

When I came to live with your grandfather, he still had livestock. He was a wealthy man. There were horses, chickens, pigs, andbuffalos. After my pain, I noticed this. Because your grandfather was a silent man who had already built a life, he was not inclinedto help me work out a different one. So I had everything to myself. I went to the garden and he would go with me. I fed the animalsand the dogs. It was all just me. I did not mind. He was still a shaman then and he could go and perform ceremonies and thencome home. He was well respected. Everybody thought your grandfather had a good heart. He loved children. All of the orphansin the village came to his house when they were hungry. We never had enough chicken eggs because he would give them out. Whenyour grandfather's uncle died, his son, Uncle Shong, came to live with us. I raised him practically. And then he helped me raise allyour uncles. He is a smart man, much as his father had been. Your grandfather…he was not so smart, only kind.

My grandmother was an intelligent woman. A shrewd business oriented woman. Awoman who looked at the pieces of her life carefully, got up slowly, and tried to meld thejagged edges together-no matter how crudely, so that it was never completely empty. She wasproud of this fact:

After your grandfather died, we were poor, my nine children and I. I had ten you know,but she died, my first baby girl. The story of her death is a strange one. She was maybe amonth old then, beautiful with clear skin and dark hair. She was so young, but I had to gotend the garden. Your grandfather was away; he had been called to another village to heal asick girl's spirit. So I had your three older uncles, Nhia, Chue, Sai, and the baby with meonly. We went to the garden because it was growing wild. I remember the heat from the sunthat day. Such a thing to remember-on the day your first daughter dies. It was hot. I left thesleeping baby, she was such a good baby, always sleeping quietly and never fidgeting like allmy other ones, underneath a tall tree by the side of the garden. I told the boys to look afterher. I went downhill to tend the weeds. All morning long I was down there. The sun washigh when I heard the boys calling me. I ran back as fast as I could. And there underneaththe tree was a pig, blue and purple, pretending to be my baby. You see-the goblins had takenmy beautiful daughter away when she was sleeping; in her place, they had set an ugly thing.She was breathing though. Even though I knew my baby was gone, I picked up the thing thatlooked like her and we ran as fast as we could home. I carried her to my chest and I pressedher head against me. We were halfway there when there was no breath. Your aunt died likethat. My most beautiful daughter died. We buried her, your grandfather and I, along the pathto the garden. Many days after she died, we would walk past and I would cry to her. But Istopped because one day I was crying out, 'My daughter are you hungry? Mommy missesyou.' I heard it. A shrill angry cry from the side of the road. She did not want me to cry outfor her. I never did after that.

Your father, my baby, was only two years old when his father died. All he can remem-bers of his dad is a man sitting by the doorway, turning twine into rope. Long after yourgrandfather died, he asked me about the man who used to sit in the doorway. It is so sad howhe does not remember his own father. Your father wondered if the old man was making ropefor him to tie around the chickens. He has always loved chickens, your father-he still does.You know. My children were poor, how could they not be with only a mother to care for them?But each New Year, when other families got to eat pig, we would get to eat chicken. If theygot to eat buffalo, we would get to eat pig. I never allowed my children to grow hungry. Ialways got them something to eat.

My grandmother always did get something for her children to eat. All her sons grew tobe handsome, heavy men. All except one, my Uncle Hue, who is naturally thin. The familybelieves that he takes after my grandfather. My grandmother was a woman of weight andbones-much as my father and uncles are. She always fed her children, all nine of them, all tenof them-except for the one who died, the little girl who was so beautiful and white, the onewho the bad spirits took away one day at the vegetable garden.

You walked down hills and valleys, past creeks and rivers. You walked in landscapes that I do not see. I live in your sto-ries only because of you. Together we dream in stretches of time, away from, within space-we wander, you and I-along the pathsthat your grandmother once tread. Undocumented your story and your courage and your dignity and your immense love for meleads me here, to this point in time, where on pages of white paper, I carve out your trail from your stories, from your memories,from our shared life together. With you and your grandmother, I walked from China into Laos.

“Togetherwe dreamin stretchesof time,away from,withinspace-wewander,you and I-along thepaths thatyourgrand-motheroncetread.”.

Biography ____________________________________________________________________

Kao Yang graduated from Carleton College (MN) with a BA in American studies, and minored in cross-cultural and women's and gender studies in2003. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Nonfiction Writing at Columbia University in New York.

12 Hmong Movement FALL 2003

mong University Students Association (HUSA) is anonprofit, student based organization affiliated withCalifornia State University, Sacramento (CSUS) that is

committed to serving the Hmong community. In our 14 years ofexistence, HUSA has been working to promote higher educationand cultural awareness to the Hmong community as well as to theother ethnic groups in Sacramento by hosting events and programssuch as cultural shows, educational conferences, seminars, carni-vals and tutoring/mentoring programs.

When people think of HUSA, they think HUSA is asocial organization that focuses on parties. The truth--HUSA isnot about parties. HUSA is very committed to promoting highereducation and cultural awareness. The parties are fundraisingevents to fund our events and programs.

Over the years, HUSA has established various programs such as the Mentoring and Tutoring and the Big Sib and Little Sib.The Mentoring and Tutoring Program at John F. Kennedy High School promotes higher education, cultural awareness, and outreachservices to high school students. This program allows HUSA members to work with the high school students and be their role mod-els. The Big Sib and Little Sib program focuses on retention. The program focuses among our peers to keep them in college.

During the summer HUSA helped the local underserved community of Meadowview by participating in the CommunityPride Parade Day. We also participated in the "Hmong Family Fun Day," it wasa day of fun and game for the Hmong community in Sacramento. There weheld a voter registration drive, educated the Hmong community about theRacial Privacy Initiative; Prop. 54, and setup many carnival games for the kids.

In addition to HUSA's events and programs, this year we awarded four$250 scholarships to four distinguished incoming freshmen. We have also formstudy groups in which all the members studied together in a specific area on-campus. We also have a fitness group to promote better health.

Our plans for this year are to have our Hmong Cultural/HistoricalEvent in November to inform the public about the Hmong culture and theSacramento Hmong New Year. We will also be having our annual WinterFormal at CSU, Sacramento's Ballroom. For the spring semester, we will behosting an educational conference and a Spring Carnival at a local elementaryschool.

You can find more information about our association on our website:http://www.csus.edu/org/Hmong

SpotlightsOrganization Profile: Hmong University Students Association By Johnny Her

H

13 Hmong Movement FALL 2003

HUSA 2003-2004 officers

JFK MentoringTutoring Program

OpinionLetters to the Editor

Hmong Movement Winter 2004 Issue 8The State of Hmong Culture: Vanishing Culture or Culture of Resistance

14 Hmong Movement FALL 2003

The Editorial Staff of HM looks forward to receiving your comments and feedback. Please help us continueto improve the publication. Letters should be sent directly to the HM mailing address or via email toHM@hsiconline.org

I would like to thank you for mailing back issues of Hmong Movement to our Hmong Resource Center in SaintPaul, MN. We have put these in our collection. Many visitors to our Hmong Resource Center have enjoyed look-ing at the magazine. I commend the work of yourself and your team on this interesting publication. Thanks again.

-Mark Pfeifer, Director Hmong Resource Center, St Paul, MN

I really like your explanation to what does "Hmong Movement" meant (Issue 5). By the way, after my advisorread my paper prior to resubmitting it to your publication, he suggested that I submit my paper for the AmericanMulticultural Leadership Conference in Wisconsin. I was told it would be a very neat idea so after I have itrevised several times, I decided to submit it. If it was not for the Hmong Movement issue I would not had theopportunity to submit my paper. Thank your very much.

-Pang Dao Thao, University of Wisconsin, Whitewater

I just wanted commend you for being able to put out a great publication. Your article, "HSIC YEAR ONE, InReview" (issue 6) I would like to comment that I am little disturbed you refer the Hmong traditional attire as"costumes." I feel that words carry a lot of meaning and when they are not used correctly. I think we need toknow that Hmong traditional attires are not costumes. In the dictionary it states costumes as "a style of dresscharacteristic of a particular country, period, or people often WORN IN A PLAY OR AT A MASQUERADE. I justwanted you to notice that. Thank you.

-Bao Thao, Augsburg College, MN

The theme for this issue is "The State of Hmong Culture: Vanishing Culture or Cultureof Resistance." What we mean by this is how during the resettlement and transition of Hmongrefugees to the U.S. in the early 1980s and 1990s, the dominant scholarly discourse and themedia have protrayed the Hmong as a group who has a vanishing culture.

The goal of this issue is to offer a "counternarrative" to challenge this discourse, that weare not a vanishing culture, we are using Hmong cultural strategies as a form of resistanceagainst forces of assimilation. We reject imperialist assimilation ideolgoies.

Culture has been defined by some social scientists as static and traditional, as something tobe catergorized, however 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 identitynot the death of Hmong culture.

The emergence of Hmong Americans is the disgarding of the "refugee" label, of takingcontrol of our own destiny, of taking the best of Hmong culture and traditions and combiningthe best of American ideals to create a new cultural experience and identity.

DEADLINE for Winter Issue is Monday, January 19, 2004See http://hm.hsiconline.org for Submission Guidelines.Submissions should be emailed to HM@hsiconline.org

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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 EmailHM@hsiconline.org

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

Hmong Movement FALL 2003