Hmonglish

Please note: When this episode was recorded, Gia was not able to contractually say where she was going. Well, that has changed. She is moving to California to be an anchor for the NBC Bay Area station in San Francisco.

We will miss her dearly, but we're also super excited for her.

Don't worry, this isn't the end of Hmonglish, it's just the beginning of a new chapter.

We wanted to understand public policy initiatives for Hmong people and other Asian Americans, so we decided to bring in an expert!

Introducing ThaoMee Xiong: Executive Director for the Coalition of Asian-American Leaders (CAAL).

This woman has dedicated her life to creating change for Asian Americans and other minority groups. Her history of policy work runs the gamut of different organizations throughout the state, including the City of Saint Paul and the Minnesota Department of Health. Her talents have been seen on an international stage as well: working for the International Organization of Migration and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

Long story short, she's a badass. We're so thrilled to bring you this episode with such a brilliant and strong Hmong woman.

If you'd like to learn more about CAAL, visit their website here.

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To keep up-to-date on the podcast, follow us on social media!

Hmonglish Instagram

Hmonglish Facebook

And be sure to follow our amazing co-hosts!

Yia Vang

Gia Vang

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Produced by Gleam Tower Media

All music courtesy of Artlist

Welcome to episode 3 of Hmonglish!

Chef Yia Vang and news anchor Gia Vang are prominent members of the Hmong community in the United States and, today, they’re going to discuss mental health and trauma.

These are tough subjects, but thankfully, we have a licensed professional!

Enter Dr. Ia Xiong: a professional psychologist with the Thriving Center of Psychology. She's here to help us work through Hmong trauma, identity issues, and a variety of different stigmas in our culture.

In this episode, you'll hear us laugh, cry, and – most importantly – celebrate what it means to be Hmong.

If you'd like to follow the efforts of Dr. Xiong, you can check out the Facebook page she runs at Hmong Mental Health and Wellness.

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To keep up-to-date on the podcast, follow us on social media!

Hmonglish Instagram

Hmonglish Facebook

And be sure to follow our amazing co-hosts!

Yia Vang

Gia Vang

—

Produced by Gleam Tower Media

All music courtesy of Artlist

Welcome to episode 2 of Hmonglish!

Chef Yia Vang and news anchor Gia Vang are prominent members of the Hmong community in the United States and, today, they’re going to share what it was like to grow up Hmong.

It isn't easy to navigate childhood and adolescence in the United States as a first or second-generation immigrant of color. How do you find ways to fit in? Do you feel alienated at times? Do you feel alienated all the time? Were you jealous of your white, American peers? Even the small things – like fearing you may get bullied over the lunch Mom made you – can put a strain on your ability to acclimate.

So what was it like to grow up Hmong? We'll discuss it all: the good, the bad, and the beautiful.

To keep up-to-date on the podcast, follow us on social media!

Hmonglish Instagram

Hmonglish Facebook

And be sure to follow our amazing co-hosts!

Yia Vang

Gia Vang

—

Produced by Gleam Tower Media

All music courtesy of Artlist

Welcome to episode 1 of Hmonglish!

Chef Yia Vang and news anchor Gia Vang are prominent members of the Hmong community in the United States and, today, they’re ready to dig deep into their cultural heritage.

We decided to start at the beginning by exploring Hmong history: Who are the Hmong people? Where did they come from? And how did they get to the United States? These are complicated questions. Luckily, we found the perfect person to answer them.

Introducing our guest, Lee Pao Xiong: founding Director of the Center for Hmong Studies at Concordia University, St. Paul and professor of American Government/Political Science and Hmong Studies.

Lee Pao has a fascinating background, and we were so grateful to debut the show with this brilliant individual. To learn more about his Center for Hmong Studies, click here.

To keep up-to-date on the podcast, follow us on social media!

Hmonglish Instagram

Hmonglish Facebook

And be sure to follow our amazing co-hosts!

Yia Vang

Gia Vang

—

Produced by Gleam Tower Media

All music courtesy of Artlist

Hmonglish is a podcast that explores the intersection of Hmong and American culture. Co-hosts Chef Yia Vang and news anchor Gia Vang have lived their entire lives processing their Hmong-American identities, and this program provides a space for them to explore this dual heritage while also educating the populace on Hmong culture with the help of guests and other members of their community.

Produced by Gleam Tower Media

Music

Get Hit by Monako

Jell-O (Instrumental Version) by Egozi

All music courtesy of Artlist – license 106461