An Almost Forgotten People: The Hmong American Experience
The presentation. In the context of his lived experience, Dr. Pao Lor shares insights about how the Hmong went from an intricate, sophisticated, and vulnerable culture in isolated regions of Laos in the 1960s and ‘70s to becoming a part of the American and global landscape. He addresses five pillars of the Hmong American experience: An Ancient Culture, American Allies, Refugees, American Neighbors and Citizens, and Transformation of an Ancient Culture. Ask questions and dialogue with Lor throughout in the context of larger societal challenges: immigration, forced migration, diversity, globalization, refugees, displaced peoples, and other related topics.
The speaker. Lor is author of the memoir Modern Jungles: A Hmong Refugee’s Childhood Story of Survival (2021). He is Associate Dean of the School of Education at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and calls Kimberly, Wisconsin home. His first home, however, was in central Laos five decades ago. In the aftermath of the Vietnam War when the Hmong faced persecution for their role in supporting U.S. forces, his family fled to seek refuge in Thailand. The journey was perilous, and Lor’s father, mother and sister would not survive it. Once in Thailand, “home” was a series of refugee camps. Moving to the U.S., he found himself navigating a frightening and unfamiliar world. The young boy arrived in Green Bay in 1980. He went on to earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Oshkosh, and a PhD in educational administration at UW-Madison.
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