So this summer I'm working as a reporter for Three Sixty Journalism
I started last summer as an intermediate camp member and then continued to sharpen my journalism skills by continuing to write for them over the year.
This summer I'm working on a piece about paying for college and college tuition and scholarships and if college degree's are really worth it.
I'd like to hear anybody's opinions on the matter since I'm working on this for the next seven weeks (During which, I hope to also get more diligent about blogging real blog entires instead of random poetry I happen to have up.)
XOXO
Riah
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, January 11, 2010
Hmong Culture Article
ThreeSixty: Hmong, old and young, worry that culture is dying out
A box of red, white and blue cupcakes is set on the table. In broken English and heavy accents, the group of Hmong elders at the Hmong American Partnership sing "Happy 73rd Birthday" to Kia Vang.
Since arriving in the United States in the 1970s, the Hmong have attempted to adapt to Western culture. They have encouraged the younger generation to learn English, go to college and even run for political office.
But at the same time, some fear that their traditions are fading away with each generation.
Seated with her friends, Kia Vang said she is happy about opportunities for education in America -- especially for women. But she worries that young people are forgetting their language and traditions.
"We wish that America accommodated to our traditions, but we like the American way of doing things ... it's simpler," the women said through an interpreter.
Hmong came to the United States as refugees from Thailand, Laos and China after the Vietnam War. Roughly 180,000 Hmong live mostly in California, Wisconsin and Minnesota. About 27,000 Hmong live in Minnesota, with the vast majority in the Twin Cities.
In Laos, people had very low education levels, and girls were not permitted to go to school, Men were the leaders; women stayed home, were more submissive and had almost no authority. Bao Vang, executive director of the Hmong American Partnership, said that she was not allowed to go to school as a child in her homeland, but that her brothers could.
But now, America has blurred the lines of possibilities for Hmong men and women, said Ka Vang, diversity programs director for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Hmong women are going to school, getting jobs and heading toward careers. Some men stay home to take care of the children and don't have the leadership roles that they had in their homeland. Hmong parents are now pushing education on all of their children so they can have a better life here.
Since arriving in the United States in the 1970s, the Hmong have attempted to adapt to Western culture. They have encouraged the younger generation to learn English, go to college and even run for political office.
But at the same time, some fear that their traditions are fading away with each generation.
Seated with her friends, Kia Vang said she is happy about opportunities for education in America -- especially for women. But she worries that young people are forgetting their language and traditions.
"We wish that America accommodated to our traditions, but we like the American way of doing things ... it's simpler," the women said through an interpreter.
Hmong came to the United States as refugees from Thailand, Laos and China after the Vietnam War. Roughly 180,000 Hmong live mostly in California, Wisconsin and Minnesota. About 27,000 Hmong live in Minnesota, with the vast majority in the Twin Cities.
In Laos, people had very low education levels, and girls were not permitted to go to school, Men were the leaders; women stayed home, were more submissive and had almost no authority. Bao Vang, executive director of the Hmong American Partnership, said that she was not allowed to go to school as a child in her homeland, but that her brothers could.
But now, America has blurred the lines of possibilities for Hmong men and women, said Ka Vang, diversity programs director for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.
Hmong women are going to school, getting jobs and heading toward careers. Some men stay home to take care of the children and don't have the leadership roles that they had in their homeland. Hmong parents are now pushing education on all of their children so they can have a better life here.
Sen. Mee Moua, DFL-St. Paul, came to United States from Laos when she was 9. Trained in public policy and law, Moua is the nation's first Hmong-American legislator.
Moua described her parents as "traditional but very liberal."
"[They] made sure children knew the food and language [of their culture]," Moua said. "[They] had a preference to keep culture in the family but [have been] growing more into the American lifestyle."
Her parents pushed her to pursue high education as a child, but did not expect for her to become a senator.
However, the elders and youth of the Hmong community feel that the more Americanized the people become, the more their culture is dying.
"The longer you live here, a piece of your culture will die," Bao Vang said.
Hmong traditions include eating rice, vegetables and meat at every meal. Weddings are elaborate three-day celebrations with dowries and ethnic gifts. Funerals are three-day ceremonies with animal sacrifices and prayers to ancestors.
Some of the elders at the Hmong American Partnership said it's not as easy to maintain these rituals and traditions now that the Hmong live in America. For example, some families must get traditional Hmong clothing from Thailand or Laos for various celebrations or rituals.
Aprill Moua, 17 and a senior at Arlington High School in St. Paul, is very adamant about making sure that she keeps Hmong culture and traditions.
"I'm so scared that my culture is dying," Moua said. "If I don't keep up with my culture it's all going to die."
Moua, an honors student, said she loves being a Hmong woman, but at the same time, she doesn't let that get in the way of new opportunities America has to offer, including college.
She said she feels pressure to keep up with Hmong traditions. She is active in the community, attends weddings and funerals, and knows how to cook traditional foods. She speaks English and Hmong, but chooses to speak Hmong at every opportunity whether it's at home, school or with other Hmong friends.
Moua described her parents as "traditional but very liberal."
"[They] made sure children knew the food and language [of their culture]," Moua said. "[They] had a preference to keep culture in the family but [have been] growing more into the American lifestyle."
Her parents pushed her to pursue high education as a child, but did not expect for her to become a senator.
However, the elders and youth of the Hmong community feel that the more Americanized the people become, the more their culture is dying.
"The longer you live here, a piece of your culture will die," Bao Vang said.
Hmong traditions include eating rice, vegetables and meat at every meal. Weddings are elaborate three-day celebrations with dowries and ethnic gifts. Funerals are three-day ceremonies with animal sacrifices and prayers to ancestors.
Some of the elders at the Hmong American Partnership said it's not as easy to maintain these rituals and traditions now that the Hmong live in America. For example, some families must get traditional Hmong clothing from Thailand or Laos for various celebrations or rituals.
Aprill Moua, 17 and a senior at Arlington High School in St. Paul, is very adamant about making sure that she keeps Hmong culture and traditions.
"I'm so scared that my culture is dying," Moua said. "If I don't keep up with my culture it's all going to die."
Moua, an honors student, said she loves being a Hmong woman, but at the same time, she doesn't let that get in the way of new opportunities America has to offer, including college.
She said she feels pressure to keep up with Hmong traditions. She is active in the community, attends weddings and funerals, and knows how to cook traditional foods. She speaks English and Hmong, but chooses to speak Hmong at every opportunity whether it's at home, school or with other Hmong friends.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Both ends of the World
Alright so Thursday for CIS ((College In Schools)) Writing and Literature
We went to the University of Minnesota to meet up with all the other students in the state taking this class.
Everyone had read the book "The Late Homecomer" written by Kao Kalia Yang. It's the story of a Hmong woman's life as her family adjusted to our American culture here in Minnesota and how she has found out who she is as a Hmong American woman
If you've never heard her speak before you have missed out for sure. Kao Kalia is one of the most inspirational writers and speakers I'd ever heard. Her words are amazingly poetic.
At one point during this event, we were separated into groups of about 10 students, all from different schools.
My group was all filled with white kids, I was the only person of color in my group.
If you haven't caught it yet, I'm not white. I'm also not Hispanic. Actually, I'm black.
Okay well, I'm white, but I'm mixed. My dad's black and my mother is white and I grew up most of my life in white suburban neighborhoods and schools up until I started High school and moved to a more urban city and transferred into an inner-city school.
Problem is, I know that when people look at me, they don't see the black. When my friends look at me, they see everything I'm not. I mean, admit it, how many of you when you saw my senior photos thought I was black? I'm sure none of you huh?
When I was in that group of people, I knew that none of them even suspected that I was black. They looked right at me and thought either white or Hispanic, and I wished so badly that I was a better representation of my race and culture.
I was so envious of Kao Kalia and how she was able to speak to the world about her culture of Hmong ((Highly underrepresented Asian ethnicity)) but I don't have anything to represent fully. I'm shortcoming at least one of my races no matter what I do.
I got an article assignment about these types of topics for the 2010 Census because this is going to be the first time that people will be able to check more than one box when they say what race they are and with mixed races becoming more and more common so quickly, in 40 years will race even matter anymore with this melting pot in our society?
I'll make sure to post my information about the articles I write throughout the next month or two.
Post again soon
XOXO
~*Riah
We went to the University of Minnesota to meet up with all the other students in the state taking this class.
Everyone had read the book "The Late Homecomer" written by Kao Kalia Yang. It's the story of a Hmong woman's life as her family adjusted to our American culture here in Minnesota and how she has found out who she is as a Hmong American woman
If you've never heard her speak before you have missed out for sure. Kao Kalia is one of the most inspirational writers and speakers I'd ever heard. Her words are amazingly poetic.
At one point during this event, we were separated into groups of about 10 students, all from different schools.
My group was all filled with white kids, I was the only person of color in my group.
If you haven't caught it yet, I'm not white. I'm also not Hispanic. Actually, I'm black.
Okay well, I'm white, but I'm mixed. My dad's black and my mother is white and I grew up most of my life in white suburban neighborhoods and schools up until I started High school and moved to a more urban city and transferred into an inner-city school.
Problem is, I know that when people look at me, they don't see the black. When my friends look at me, they see everything I'm not. I mean, admit it, how many of you when you saw my senior photos thought I was black? I'm sure none of you huh?
When I was in that group of people, I knew that none of them even suspected that I was black. They looked right at me and thought either white or Hispanic, and I wished so badly that I was a better representation of my race and culture.
I was so envious of Kao Kalia and how she was able to speak to the world about her culture of Hmong ((Highly underrepresented Asian ethnicity)) but I don't have anything to represent fully. I'm shortcoming at least one of my races no matter what I do.
I got an article assignment about these types of topics for the 2010 Census because this is going to be the first time that people will be able to check more than one box when they say what race they are and with mixed races becoming more and more common so quickly, in 40 years will race even matter anymore with this melting pot in our society?
I'll make sure to post my information about the articles I write throughout the next month or two.
Post again soon
XOXO
~*Riah
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