Week 2: Gabriel Cenizal (A01)

Gabriel Cenizal

Section: A01

In Kaozong’s article, Hmong Does Not Mean Free: Miseducation of the Hmong Americans, she writes about the educational boundaries Hmong face in America. She mentions gender binary perceptions within the culture of the Hmong, issues the Hmong (which can also be extended toward people of color) face within the American educational system, but also incorporates her personal narrative to function as a bridge toward understanding and competency of the issue of Hmong being overlooked as part of America. A lot of impactful topics are covered within the article, but I see the significance toward her publishing being the fact that there is a lack of educational equity for the Hmong in multiple facets which forces them to conform to American educational values. The way Hmong look at education is the same as we all do; education is significant toward achieving financial stability. Knowing that, there also comes the question of: Is our education taking away our Asian identity or developing it?

Kaozong sets up a lot of good points that can be extended toward other communities of color. Our cultures clash with American values of academic success and what success looks like for specific people. I find that reflecting upon that is a lot to absorb given that we work to achieve a better version of ourselves through education, but it really has me thinking, is it for our benefit or our digression? Although education can lead to many opportunities, it is how we use the knowledge we are given to change the world. If we are only taught how to be American, that begins to overshadow our identities as people of color and makes us lose the part of our identity that we should preserve.

The article connects to this week’s theme because the different facets of our Asian American identities are overlooked and unemphasized in the educational system leading toward the marginalization and miseducation of our people. Being that we are left out of the educational values of the country, it can only lead to the conclusion we are unimportant to the educational system as a whole, but there is a lot we do change that. The article exemplifies how Ethnic Studies becomes the bridge toward educational equity preserving our identity and cultures in America. I find that to be empowering knowing that there is a method toward mobilization and progress in our experiences as people of color pursuing higher education.

Image: This week I included an on-campus resource for anyone interested in learning more. The Student Recruitment and Retention Center (SRRC) strives for educational equity. The SRRC is student-run and offers student-initiated programs to foster holistic academic and personal development while raising political and cultural awareness, in order to empower students to act as dynamic leaders for their communities.

UC Davis [Student Recruitment and Retention Center]. (2017). Retrieved April 9, 2017 from https://shcs.ucdavis.edu/wellness/occupational

Question (For Kaozong): Are you continuously conducting research specifically on the Hmong community, or what is your current research project if any?