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Information Services for the Hmong
Foskey, Hindes, & Reed
November 14, 2008
Information Services for the Hmong Population:
A Study of the Needs
November 14, 2008
Andy Foskey
Tim Hindes
Lynne Bolick Reed
Introduction
This study brings together information from several sources and provides a foundation for suggesting information services for the Hmong population of the United States. It flows from an earlier project in which the authors studied the information settings, problems, barriers, solutions, and social networks of this population in the context of Taylor’s “information use environments” (Taylor, 1991). From this study, we will propose services that fit the needs of the Hmong who currently live and work in the United States. These proposed services are possible solutions to the needs of a population that is composed partially of refugees and partially of immigrants, based on the definitions of the United Nations and posts from the Hmong Studies Research Group blog.
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (1954) defines refugees as persons:
“…owing to well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his former habitual residence as a result of such events, is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to return to it.”
Many Hmong meet this definition because they came to the United States in fear for their lives in the mid 1970’s and early 1980’s after the fall of Saigon at the close of the Vietnam War (Lai & Arguelles, 2003). Several waves of refugees have continued to come to the United States due to continued persecution and some as recently as 2004-2006. However, a second generation of Hmong were born here and while they are of Hmong ethnicity, they are United States citizens. And finally, some Hmong immigrated from China, Laos, and Thailand to marry and are considered to be immigrants (Pfeifer, 2008).
This study addresses the largest number of Hmongs in America, those who are considered to be refugees. This group has suffered the emotional and physical trauma of people who must move quickly from a dangerous environment to a new country where they are strangers to the prevailing language and culture.
A Review of the Demographics
In our previous paper (Foskey, Hindes, & Reed, 2008), we learned that the 2000 census counted 186,310 Hmong in America, but that representatives of this group claim a serious undercount occurred. Their estimates double the actual count. Hmong Americans located in the South live mainly in North Carolina with this state ranked fourth in the top ten states according to the 2000 census with a total count of 7,093. Again, Hmong leaders estimate an undercount and state that the actual count is closer to about twenty thousand throughout the state. (Hmong National Development, Inc. [HND], 2004).
Aside from the population counts, it is important to understand that the Hmong are a very young population as they are the only ethnically based population to show a median population age less than twenty years. According to the 2000 census data, the median age of the Hmong across the United States is 16.1, as compared to the general population at 35.3 with 56% of the population under eighteen years of age as compared to 25% in the general population.Families are large with 6.51 people as opposed to 3.14 across the general population and many of these families are linguistically isolated due to the number of family members who speak little or no English. The educational attainment rate is low with only 27% holding high school diplomas during the 2000 census. This number is expected to grow as the young Hmong graduate high school and pursue college educations (HND, 2004)
Information Seeking and Problems
As stated in our earlier paper, the central social unit among the Hmong is the family and the Hmong society holds a very broad, yet complex view of what family means. All Hmong with the same last name are part of the same xeem, or patrilineal clan (Keown-Bomar, 2004). Members of this population tend not to seek information outside of their clan and Vang (2004) says that they rarely seek information from the library. Vang (2004) also shares that illiteracy in their primary language is a large problem for many older Hmong, so libraries that collect Hmong language materials in print may find that they are underutilized.
Research Questions
As a result of our earlier paper, the following questions emerged to form the basis of this research project.
- What could be done to help the Hmong assimilate into American culture?
- Why do Hmong currently use the library and what do they wish that the library had for them?
- How can the library help to preserve the Hmong culture?
The proposed information services that will be introduced later in this paper were developed based on the data gathered in response to these questions.
Methodology
Data was gathered for this study using three methods: a needs assessment conducted by the United Hmong Association of North Carolina in 2005, a survey of library users and non-users conducted by one of the authors in September of 2007 through a public library system, a Hmong-American market, and the United Hmong Association of North Carolina, and interviews with Hmong Americans conducted by all of the authors in September of 2007 and October of 2008. Each of these methods helped us to gather comprehensive data that defines the needs and desires of the Hmong community in North Carolina and more locally in the cities of Charlotte, Greensboro, and Hickory, North Carolina.
Findings
Results of the Needs Assessment
In 2005, the United Hmong Association of North Carolina [UMANC] gathered data to complete a needs assessment report for their community and supporters. This was the first time that such a report had been attempted and the group desired to provide accurate information to help service providers understand the needs of Hmong Americans in North Carolina. The resulting report produced specific information for service providers who want to develop services in a “culturally appropriate manner” (UHANC, 2005, 6). The executive summary presents the following information to help outsiders understand the needs of Hmong Americans in North Carolina.
Education
Parents want to help their children be successful in school, but many of them do not have much formal education themselves and do not know how to help. Schools need to help these parents through “language access, cultural sensitivity and accommodating schedules” (UMANC, 2005, 6). Parents also need help in learning how to fund college for their children.
Service Agencies
Hmong Americans need assistance in “workforce development, civic participation, family and youth services, cultural preservation, and language accessibility” (UHANC, 2005, 6). Law enforcement and government need to work harder in communicating effectively with this group.
Culture and Traditions
Hmong Americans are working hard to preserve their language and culture. They understand the need to assimilate Western culture, but fear that this means a total loss of their Southeast Asian culture. Above all, the group wishes to preserve peace in their local communities.
Religion and Health
While many Hmong are now Christian, eighty percent still embrace traditional Shamanism, a type of spiritual healing. Eighty-four percent do believe in Western healthcare, but desire to maintain a blend of both of these styles.
Generational Diversity
Many of their young people are becoming very Americanized and do not respect their elders and the traditions that are the foundation of the culture. Also, the elders do not respect the ideas of the younger Hmong and this is creating a generational gap. The community needs to work within itself to ease the transitions that are occurring.
Discrimination and Prejudice
Over fifty percent of the Hmong believe that they are treated unfairly by community agencies, especially by public safety officials and the justice system. There is widespread belief that racial profiling is causing many of their members to be stopped and questioned for no reason.
Jobs and Employment
Families are finding it hard to live on the wages that they are paid and over seventy percent would like to start their own business, but need help in learning how to do this. Most who are employed have health insurance, but those who do not find it very difficult to obtain and afford health care. They wish that Shamanism could be recognized as part of their healing practices and want more healthcare agencies to have language interpreters.
Results of the Surveys
The print survey was conducted in September of 2007 through the Catawba County Library System, a Hmong-American market in CatawbaCounty, and clients of the United Hmong Association of North Carolina which is headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina. The survey is biased toward age and literacy rates as only younger Hmong are literate in the English language. The brief survey was designed to understand who uses the public library, what their linguistic abilities are, and how the library might better provide services for the group.
Of the 68 responses received, 31 were gathered through the United Hmong Association, 26 from the library system, and 11 from the market. Males comprised 45% of the respondents and females were 55%. The age breakdown included 25% under 18 years, 52% from 18-24 years, 15% from 25-34 years, 5% from 35-50 years, 3% from 51-64 years and no responses over the age of 65.
- Do you or anyone in your family use a public library in CatawbaCounty?
Yes94%
No6% - If your answer is yes, please tell us who uses the library?
Child67%
Teen73%
Parent46%
Grandparent8% - Why do you or your family member come to the library? Check all that apply.
Research82%
Homework75%
Find good books78%
Read newspaper or magazine22%
Get movies72%
Get an audiobook21%
Story programs4%
Library programs7%
Comfortable place to relax32%
Meet someone16%
Use the Internet4% - Does anyone in your family read the Hmong language?
Yes93%
No7% - If your answer is yes, who reads the Hmong language? Check all that apply.
Child10%
Teen30%
Parent77%
Grandparent32% - What do you wish that the library had for you or your family to use? Some of the more popular answers included:
Hmong books, music, videos, music; manga books and anime movies; more books on the Hmong; more about Hmong culture because “I don’t want the Hmong community to die out.” - If you do not use a public library, what services or materials could we provide that would bring you to the library?
Computers, Internet, movies, audiobooks, “artistic designs;” encourage Hmong voters to vote; speakers and visiting writers and poets; comic books; animation DVDs; songs to listen to; information about the Hmong community or culture; transportation. - Please tell us anything else that would help us to make the libraries a great place for you and your family to visit.
More research books; a food place; more books about Hmong history; more children’s books on the Hmong culture and stories.
From these results, it is clear that the Hmong community strongly desires to maintain their culture and language. Non-users asked for many things that the library already has, so libraries must do a better job of publicizing services in the Hmong community. It was surprising how many of the respondents report that they read the Hmong language and libraries should attempt to collect some materials in the Hmong language.
Results of the Interviews
Tim Hindes conducted two telephone interviews in October of 2008 and found his respondents by searching the Internetfor Charlotte based Hmong associations of various types. The first interview was withTou Ger Vang, an office manager at UNC-Greensboro.The second interview was with Tou Her, a clergymanat the FirstHmongUnitedMethodistChurch inCharlotte, North Carolina. There were eight individual questions asked of each of the participants.
- How relevant is the use of the story cloth today vs. ten years ago?
- What is the feasibility of a large scale literacy program targeting the middle and senior age Hmong population?
- What are the prospects for free general education seminars sponsored by library for the adult Hmong so that they in turn are able to help their own children with homework and become more connected to them?
- Should there be more cultural sensitivity seminars for elected officials, law enforcement and public service agencies specifically regarding the Hmong?
- How should the Hmong be educated in regards to applying for Small Business Administration loans in order to start up businesses and have them succeed?
- Are there any suggestions to relieve intergenerational conflict among the Hmong and are the conflicts uniquely Hmong or the same as in the American culture? (For example: a student thinking their parents are outdated on many things?)
- Is there a happy median between the mature Hmong desiring the interconnectivity of their own ethnic group and the youth desiring a spirit of independence and individualism?
- What library use barriers are most prevalent for the Hmong and what ideas do you have to help remedy this situation?
Hindes found that the story cloth today is considered something of an artifact or ornamental piece. In earlier times, this cloth told the story of the Hmong people who had no written language prior to the 1950's. It is still held in high regard by the elderly Hmong.
The idea of a large scaleliteracy programfor the middle-aged or elderly Hmong to learn Englishwould be fruitless. They have no desire to learnin generaland are complacent with the nominal or non-existent literacy skillsthey possess. They believe it would be too difficult, because the mind is incapable of learning whileinthis age group.
Generaleducation seminars given to Hmong adults, in order for them to assist their children in school work would be fruitless as well. The parents' primary concern is that of economic survival.
While there are things that the Hmong need to work on regarding the assimilation process, such as telling a child they are loved, there are certain things that are admirable and will always be strictly Hmong.They will never be subject to compromise,such as not puttingelderly or infirmedfamily membersor relatives in nursing homes as the Americans do. There is a strong sense of family and they desire to take care ofthesefamilymembersat home, until their last days.
There is a true dilemma with the youth in regards to the intergenerational conflict. On the one hand they are proud to be American and independent, but at the same timethey tend to feela senseof guilt over losing their language.
Cultural sensitivity seminars should be more prevalent. The Hmong need public service workers whom if they are not Hmong, then they should at leastbe fluent in the Hmong language. This would benefit the elderly Hmong the most. While the Hmong do not look for a "special privileged status," they do want to be treated with the sameequality that is afforded everyone else in society.
The Hmong believe that a little government help is good. Consequently, grants and small business loansshould be more readily and easilyaccessible. However, before one can run a business they must be able to run a household budget.Therefore,budgeting and credit counseling must be available first. The Hmong are of an entrepreneurialspirit and desire self- sufficiency and independence as much as possible. In order to succeed, however,high profile members of the Hmong community must support it.
The intergenerational conflict within the Hmong community is no different from any other group. Hmong parents are protective of their children and especially their daughters.The young Hmong fail to understand why their parents believe in sacrificing one's self interest for the good of the group.To the older Hmong, the group is always more important.
Lastly, public libraries need to entice more Hmong patronage by showing more inclusive visual art as well as employee diversity. It is important to note that people prefer to be waited on by people who look like them and they like to see visual art displays of people who look like them.
Lynne Bolick Reed interviewed Tony Yang on September 26, 2007, who was at that time the Executive Director of the United Hmong Association of North Carolina. Yang has an MBA and was instrumental in the success of the organization’s needs assessment in 2005. Yang expressed that most of the Hmong in the 25 to 55 year age group read the Hmong language but that the younger youth have not been taught this skill. He also stated that the fear of the loss of culture and language is prevalent in this population. Since most Hmong cannot afford to buy books and films, he recommended that the library have these materials available for the community. He especially recommends that libraries have materials that help to tell the history of the Hmong and said that HmongABC.com is an excellent resource to purchase these materials.