Week 3 Thomas Tran A01

In "Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Misseducation of Hmong Americans" by Kaozong N. Mouavangsou, shows how both cultural ideas and educational experience for not only Hmong students, but Asian American students are similar. Being a Asian American I can understand the whole cultural flaws we endure. For instance, she touched on how in Hmong culture women are not seen as equals to men. As a Vietnamese male I didn't realize that I was valued more than my older sister. She excelled in school growing up and currently in Berkeley, as Kaozong did, and after reading this it seems as if my sister is trying to prove the same thing. I honestly hate this type of cultural idea that men are better than women because both should be seen as equals and should not be constantly discriminated against.

In my household I was immediately taught that I must go to a University, a top one that is, then graduate, and get a job. That was the "American Dream" my parents instilled into my sister and I. Throughout my life and currently, I feel the constant pressure to do well in academia to achieve the goal of making my family proud.

Question: Why are Asian American parents so critical of their children attending school? Why do they believe it is the right path to become successful?

1. Mouavangsou, K. N. (2016). Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans (Unpublished master's thesis). University of California, Davis

2. Sin, K. P. (n.d.). Not All Chinese Parents Are Like That [Digital image]. Retrieved October 6, 2017, from http://asianamtwo.blogspot.com/2013/05/not-all-chinese-parents-are-like-that.html

1