Hmong Legacy: My Culture, My Story

Overview

Hmong Legacy was a ten-week, in-person writing workshop series held at CSU Chico. I facilitated themed workshops with the support of Hmong faculty and staff. We read and discussed poetry, chapters, and short essays crafted by Hmong-American writers. Students were then invited to write something inspired by the reading and discussion. The last two weeks, students take one of their pieces through an editing process before they self-select to read it at a public event.

Problem

Hmong students reported feeling invisible on campus.

Solution

Develop a workshop series in collaboration with support from the Writing Center, the Cross-cultural Leadership Center, and the Asian & Pacific Islander Council. Workshops would focus on Hmong-American identities and center Hmong-American experience through discussion and writing.

Design

The workshop series was advertised across campus, and students signed up for the whole series. Each week, students and staff/faculty met in person, participated in team building activities, and read and discussed poetry, chapters, and short essays crafted by Hmong-American writers. Participants were guided through a writing exercise that was inspired by the reading and discussion and invited to share informally. The workshop series also included a Hmong-inspired dinner midway through, a public reading, and a closing dinner to reflect and share gratitude.

Project Attributes

• Community building

• Identity

• Writing process