Fellowship

 

See Xiong

Born in a Hmong refugee camp in the Phayao Province, Thailand, but grew up in Fresno, California. She saw herself as an American kid and wanted to know more about her heritage and community. She has become very active with Hmong youth and young adults, helping to open spaces for them to tell their stories. See was also involved early in the foundation of Hmong Empowerment Resource and Outreach (HERO), a youth-led organization with the aim of bringing Hmong young professionals together. She joined HERO because she wanted to know how the Hmong community functions on a large scale. She wanted a space where young Hmong could discuss their triumphs and problems in the present instead of just focusing on the past. She believes Hmong youth need a platform to express their own narratives of how they see themselves, as it relates to their cultural heritage and to the society in which they were raised. There is more to Hmong youth and culture, See believes, than what is typically presented in the media.