Kevin Tien Nguyen
Section A02
Week 2
Kaozong Mouavangsou’s Hmong
Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans makes notes about
how the representation and misrepresentation of one’s culture can cause
negative impacts within the community. Many curricula within the U.S often
focuses on the U.S involvement on foreign matters from a U.S perspective, while
glossing over much of the detail regarding the other parties involved. This leaves
many communities of color often misinformed about their own cultures compared
to what their ancestors have gone through.
There is a saying that goes around in some of the social organizations
that I am apart of, “No history, no self. Know history, know self.” This phrase
really spoke to me when I was in high school. Much of Southeast Asian history
is often unspoken of, especially in many history courses taught in high school.
I consider myself lucky given that my parents were very open to telling me and
my sibling of what they’ve been through and their personal experiences coming
to the U.S. When I was younger I always thought that it was just a sort of tall
tale they would tell us in order for us to do our work. Now I see the power and
the resiliency that comes from these stories.
Q. What would be the first steps to get rid of this miseducation and misrepresentation of communities of color?
Sources
Mouavangsou, K. N. (2016). The Mis-Education of the Hmong in America (Doctoral dissertation, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS).
No comments:
Post a Comment