Redefining Hmong American woman identity in higher education: A scholarly personal narrative

Abstract

Recent educational trends for Hmong American women have been the pursuit of

postsecondary education and the development of new self-identities as first- and second- generation college students. As the researcher and participant, I am exploring how my

lived experience within the broader context of the postsecondary American educational system shaped my identity as a Hmong American woman at a predominantly White institution in the Midwest. Through qualitative research, this scholarly personal narrative study is guided by one main research question and four sub-questions. The guiding question: How has my lived experience within the broader context of the postsecondary American educational system shaped my identity as a Hmong American woman? The sub-questions include: (a) Who am I? (b) Who do I pretend to be? (c) Who do I want to become? and (d) Where do I belong? Using a postmodernist paradigm, the conceptual framework utilized the Hmong story cloth and the culturally engaging campus environment models. Three themes were identified. The researcher recommends more narrative studies about the Hmong American women experience in higher education.