Hmong American professional identities: An overview of generational changes since the 1970s

Author(s):

Lor, Pao

Format:

Book section

Publisher:

Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2012.

Language:

English

Abstract:

Since the 1980s, researchers have addressed many aspects of the Hmong American experience. These encompass a broad range of topics including history; religion and culture; education and youth; health, spirituality, and medicine; the Hmong diaspora; and Hmong identity. Against this background, I am interested in the emergence of Hmong American professional identities, a process that is influenced by generation, education, cultural competency, language proficiency, and other aspects of self-formation and socialization. A professional is defined as a person whose job requires a certified level of knowledge and training.1 Although variations certainly can be found, three broad categories of Hmong professional identity are evident in the more than thirty years since the initial resetlement of Hmong refugees in the United States: • Hmong Immigrant Professionals: born and raised in Laos and educated in Laos or Thailand; fluent in Hmong, Lao, and possibly other languages such as Thai, French, or Vietnamese; possessing a high degree of cultural competency, including a keen awareness of tradition and values shaping family and community life; and holding a strong sense of what it means to be Hmong. • Hmong Professionals of 1.5 Generation: born in Laos or Thailand; arrived in United States as teenagers or at a younger age; received education mainly in the United States; and completed college or technical training. Most are fluent in Hmong and are bicultural in social outlook and adaptability; most also have a strong cultural identity as a Hmong but have adapted well to their new American identity. • First-Generation Hmong American Professionals: born in the United States; not necessarily fluent in Hmong (speaking, writing, and reading), but definitely proficient in English. Their connection to the Hmong American community may be limited and their sense of what it means to be Hmong is likely to be much more open ended, not constrained by a firm understanding of tradition. A snapshot of these Hmong professional generations is captured in the census of 2010. However, that census does not offer a complete picture of how these categories have emerged and become distinctive since the 1970s. Here, my intention is to share key characteristics of each generation of Hmong American professionals. In broad brushstrokes, I will explore each generation's professional credentials and careers; cultural competency and language proficiency; and the duality of being Hmong and a professional, particularly in terms of responsibilities to family, clan, and community2. © 2012 by the Minnesota Historical Society. All rights reserved.

ISBN:

9780873518482 (ISBN)

Identifier:

HmongStudies1920