Preparing for my Research

04/05/2023

FINDING MY MENTOR

With my research topic focusing Hmong, I wanted to seek out a mentor who has experiences working and researching with Asian communities. I also wanted a mentor who studies oppression, women of color and the relationships between marginalized individuals and institutions of power. I believe that a mentor with these experiences will have methods and ideas to ensure that I do not silence my participant's voice. I want to ensure that I am using methods that can identify my participant's exposure to patriarchy. In doing my research on campus faculty, I found Dr. Kong Pheng Pha. Dr. Pha has vast experiences with researching Hmong women, Hmong queer people, and more. While in a conversation with Dr. Pha, I realized that he met the criteria that I wanted in a mentor. Dr. Pha was very interested in my research and was giving me advice on how to approach my research during our first meeting. After that conversation, I felt very empowered and motivated. One of Mentors’ many duties is to motivate and empower their scholars. I know that Dr. Pha can support me in my McNair research.

UNCERTAINTY WITH MY RESEARCH

Learning about how Hmong history has been silenced by the dominant culture, I wanted to understand and know my own history. I started to investigate the Hmong community further and attended the Winter Fresno immersion trip this year. This helped me realize that Hmong men are oppressed too. Hmong men are taught to be very reserved, and they should not rely on women. Another thing that has been engraved in Hmong men is that they are expected to bare everything. This made me want to advocate for Hmong men as well.

I have two questions that I want answers for: Hmong Patriarchy with Hmong women’s education and the oppression of Hmong men. The uncertainty for me was very scary because I do not want to lose my focus on a topic midway through my research project. After spending time with my family and friends, I realized that my current research can partly answer my question about Hmong men. My research on Hmong women will help me explore Hmong social and gender norms. The answers that I gain from my research about Hmong women may not do justice to Hmong men, but it will guide me when I explore the oppression of Hmong men in the future.

Me and My siblings