Hmong Americans in Michigan

Acknowledgments

ix Acknowledgments I would like to thank the many Michigan residents of Hmong descent who willingly and graciously told their invaluable first-person stories. They are the very first Hmong Americans in Michigan to share their courageous stories for others to read about their challenging journeys. They include: Maykao Lytongpao, teacher in Detroit schools and past president, Great Lakes Hmong Association; the late Tom Cheng Vue, founding board member , Hmong Family Association, Lansing; his wife Nanci (Yang) Vue, nurse and past president of the Hmong Family Association; Lian Xiong, Whitney Auto Air employee, Lansing; Kao Xiong, Whitney Auto Air employee, Lansing ; Christine Xiong, daughter of Kao and Lian Xiong, granddaughter of Tong Vue, graduate of Michigan State University, past president of Hmong American Student Association (HASA), Michigan State University, and Material Handling Engineer, General Motors–Lansing Delta at Ryder; Tong Vue, mother of Lian Xiong; Dr. T. Christopher Thao, Pastor, Warren Hmong Alliance Church; Chue Kue, insurance salesman and president, Hmong Community of Metro Detroit; Tru Hang, retired central intelligence officer (CIA) and retired General Motors employee and his wife, Li Hang, Fenton; Fu Hang, son of Tru and Li Hang, and health industry businessman, Fenton; Ying and Chou Xiong, former owners of Thai Kitchen, East Lansing; Goe Sheng Xiong, Michigan State University graduate and past vice president x Martha Aladjem B loomfield x HASA, Michigan State University who now works for Blue Care Network of Michigan; and Kou Yang, former student at Michigan State University and past president of the HASA, and currently student at the University of Wisconsin , Milwaukee. I would also like to thank the following people who helped in other invaluable ways by sharing very useful information through their firsthand experience working with Hmong Americans or conducting research about them. They include: Jonathan Webb, director, Frankenmuth Historical Association; Patricia Hepp, former director, Catholic Social Services, Lansing; Judi Harris, director, St. Vincent Catholic Charities Lansing; Nghia Tran, health coordinator , St. Vincent Catholic Charities; Chris Dancisak, cochair, sponsorship committee for St. Michael Church in Grand Ledge, and retired director of community relations, Michigan Historical Museum; Anne Raucher, former director of the Garden Project, the Greater Area Lansing Food Bank; Martha Ratliff, professor of linguistics, Wayne State University; Andrea Louie, associate professor, Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University; Anna Pegler-Gordon, professor, James Madison College, Michigan State University, and director of Asian Pacific American Studies Program; Marsha MacDowell, professor and curator of folk arts, Michigan State University Museum, and professor, Department of Art and Art History; Pearl Yee Wong, collections coordinator, folk arts, Michigan State University Museum; Lynne Swanson, collections manager for cultural collection and assistant curator of folk art, Michigan State University Museum; Mark E. Pfeifer, editor, Hmong studies internet resource editor and lecturer, anthropology, State University of New York, Institute of Technology, Utica, New York; Steve Gold, professor , Department of Sociology, Michigan State University; Joe Cousins, senior academic specialist emeritus, and advisor to HASA at Michigan State University; Sheng-mei Ma, professor, Department of English, Michigan State University; Burke Speaker, deputy director of communications, Migration Policy Institute, Washington, D.C.; Vincent Delgado, academic specialist for civic engagement, Michigan State University Residential College in the Arts and Humanities, and cofounder of the Refugee Development Center; Dawn Arwood, office manager, State of Michigan, Office of Refugee Services; and Russell M. Magnaghi, professor of history, Northern Michigan University, and series editor. Once again, I would like to thank the wonderful, supportive , patient editors and staff at Michigan State University Press for their HMONG AMERICANS IN MI CHI GAN xi continued support of my endeavors. They are always a pleasure to work with: Julie Loehr, assistant director and editor-in-chief, Kristine Blakeslee, Annette Tanner, Julie Reaume, Travis Kimbel, and Dawn Martin. Thank you also to Charlie Sharp, Sharp Des!gns, for his beautiful book design. As always I would like to thank my many friends who support and believe in my endeavors and my family: my sons, Avi Climo and Simi Climo, my husband, Alan Bloomfield, and my dear mother-in-law Betty Bloomfield Soffin, who all cheer me on. ...