April Lor April Lor graduated with bachelors in World Arts and Culture and Asian American Studies. April's concentration was on community-based arts in minority communities, specifically within the Hmong women community. April was a dedicated and passionate member of the Association of Hmong community. She was elected External Vice President in her second year and Treasurer in her third year. She was also the co-chair of the second H.M.O.N.G. and the director of AHS's culture show, "Boiled Chicken for the Hmong Soul," in 2015.
April returned to her hometown, Sacramento, and currently works at Asian Resources, Incorporated. As a Employment Service Specialist, April provides a variety of services in the Greater Sacramento area. She works closely with youth to develop personal and professionals skills and with students to learn the English language. April enjoys poetry, art, fashion, Game of Thrones, Korean dramas, and Pokemon hunting. In the future, April hopes to start her own business. |
Brenda Yang Brenda Yang entered UCLA in the fall of 2010 and graduated in the Spring of 2015 with a bachelors in Psychobiology and a minor in Evolutionary Medicine. She aspired to be a bilingual psychiatrist to bridge the gap between for her community and mental health in a way that is culturally sensitive. Brenda joined AHS her freshman year and took part in the culture show, "kNOw History, kNOw Self". She loved her time with AHS so much that she ran for Treasurer her second year and went on to be one of the original co-chairs for Higher Education Movement: Our Next Generation (H.M.O.N.G.).
During her third year, Brenda joined the MCDB Zebrafish Lab where she practiced research methodology with live specimen. She studied Physics at Sussex University the summer after her third year. Brenda returned to AHS as President her fourth year. The following summer, she participated in the Future Public Health Leaders Program with the Center for Disease Control and the University of Michigan. Brenda interned at the Genessee County Health Department in Flint, Michigan where she developed cultural humility materials to train staff members working with the Asian Pacific Islander communities. During her fifth year, she co-chaired Southeast Asian Admit Weekend and wrote a Psych 199 paper on how to improve projects and programs using research methodology. After graduating, Brenda returned home to Rancho Cordova to be a Health Career Connections intern with Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento. She also joined Hmong Innovating Politics, a Sacramento-based non-profit organization. Currently, Brenda is working as a Quality Specialist for Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento in the Department of Strategic Initiatives. In addition, she is pursuing her Masters in Business Administration with an emphasis in Healthcare Management through Western Governor's University. On her free time, she enjoy spending time with my loved ones, eating food with good company, and traveling. |
Chou Khang Chou Khang entered UCLA in Fall of 2008 and graduated in Spring of 2012. Chou came in as a MIMG major intending to pursue the pharmaceutical fields; however south campus courses and people was just not for him. He didn’t know anyone who came to UCLA, so he was pretty much a loner. Seeking a family and a home, Chou got involved with AHS and became a SEA CLEAR intern. These two organizations would later lead him to meet his life-long friends and be a part of AHS Board, SEA CLEAR staff, APC board, SEA Admit Co-chair, and many other VSU-related events. Through his student involvements and difficulties to survive in MIMG, Chou realized that the pharmaceutical route was not for him. In Spring of 2011, Chou changed his major to Southeast Asian Studies in hopes to pursue a legal career. He was able to make to change his major and graduate in time thanks to many of the Asian Am courses and three years of the Thai language that he had been taking.
Currently, Chou resides in Sacramento where he works full-time during the day and is an evening law student at Lincoln Law School. He is in his third year and intends on graduating May of 2018. He barely has any time due to work and school, but when he does, he likes to spend it catching up on his American or Asian shows, singing, having reunion dinners with AHS, or Vegas trips with SEA CLEAR/VSU. |
Cindy Vang Cindy Vang graduated from UCLA in 2008 with a B.A. in history and a minor in Southeast Asian Studies. She was an active sister of the Asian-interest sorority Theta Kappa Phi and a signatory for the Association of Hmong Students during the 2007-2008 academic year. Additionally, she spent a semester studying abroad in Thailand at Thammasat University in 2006. In her last years, she actively organized with the Asian Pacific Coalition during the Count Me In! campaign to disaggregate data on incoming students of Asian descent. Cindy returned home to Sacramento, California where she completed her Masters in Social Work from CSU Sacramento in 2013. She has worked as a community health navigator for Hmong Women's Heritage Association and a medical social worker at Yolo Adult Day Health Center. In these capacities, she provided services to older adults with multiple chronic health conditions.
Furthermore, she has done work in community organizing and advocacy with Sacramento Area Congregations Together and Hmong Innovating Politics, specifically on issues affecting the Hmong community. Currently, she is a PhD student in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University. Her research interest is primarily focused on aging in place and mental health disparities, particularly among Hmong and Southeast Asian older adults. She continues to conduct and assist with research on health disparities among racial minorities while teaching and supervising future social work practitioners. Her dissertation will be focused on community-based Hmong older adults and loneliness. After completion of her PhD, Cindy plans to obtain a tenure track faculty position and continue her research agenda to address mental health disparities with Hmong and Southeast Asian older adults. |
Eric Yang Eric Yang graduated with Cum Laude honors from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2007 with a double major in Sociology and Southeast Asian Studies. From 2003-2007, Eric was a member and signatory to the Association of Hmong Students (AHS). He helped organize the annual Giving Voice to Hmong American Experiences Conference series in which AHS members advocated for national and international research on Hmong related issues and the integration of Hmong studies into mainstream classes. Moreover, the conference series promoted a partnership with the Hmong community to develop a dialogue in which students, scholars, and community members could unite to address various issues. In Spring 2007, Eric taught “Emergence from the Secret War: The Hmong American Experience” at UCLA. He developed and composed the seminar with the help of Professor Sharon A. Bays. That same year, his article “Recreating Hmong History: An Examination of www.youtube.com Videos” was accepted for publication in Amerasia Journal.
In 2010, Eric attended the University of California Hastings, College of the Law. He was President of the Hmong American Legal Scholars Society. During his last semester at UC Hastings, Eric traveled to Bangkok, Thailand to help Hmong refugees apply for asylum with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). After Eric passed the bar exam, he worked in private practice. He is currently a litigator with the California Department of Social Services where he handles various matters throughout the state of California, with a concentration on Southern California. Eric has always been and will continue to be an advocate for the Hmong community, the disadvantaged, and all of humanity. |
Ger Xiong Ger Xiong graduated from UCLA with a Master of Arts in Asian American Studies. Her M.A. thesis explores how women's reproductive choices and capacities are regulated through state apparatuses and medical processes in the optimization of life. Her experience at UCLA was enriched by the excellent faculty members who guided her in her research and peers who kept her grounded in its rigors. At UCLA, she enjoyed being a part of AHS and AASGSA, contributing to workshops, symposiums and resources designed for student learning and community building. Her experiences as a Teaching Assistant at UCLA sparked her interest in teaching, leading her to teach as an Associate Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison upon graduating in 2013.
After gaining valuable experiences from UW-Madison she moved back to California and now works at the University of California, Merced. She advises students who are 1st generation, from low-income families and/or have a disability. She implements academic co-curricular activities, professional development, and career exploration programs for her student scholars. She also teaches a seminar at UC Merced designed for first year and transfer students to learn the fundamentals of becoming a successful university student. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and family outings. |
Jennifer Xiong Jennifer Xiong, preferrably known as "Pho" by friends and peers, entered UCLA in Fall 2010 and graduated in Summer 2015 with degrees in Gender Studies and Asian American Studies. She is a proud feminist and foodie and especially loves Sriracha as well as all things insanely spicy. She also likes to pride herself on being able to speak Spanish--to a proficient minimum--teehee. Pho has been a part of AHS since her freshmyn year and served as Secretary of AHS her second year at UCLA. While in college, she was involved with SEACLEAR, SEA Admit, the Asian American Studies Center, and the Central Valley Project @ UCLA.
After graduation, Pho landed her first job as a Client Service Advocate with the Central Valley's largest domestic violence non-profit agency also located in Fresno, The Marjaree Mason Center. She began working there in January 2016 and took her leave at the end of October due to having found a new opportunity for change and growth. Pho is excited to begin her new career with the Fresno County as an Eligibility Worker. Pho has a deep passion to help and create visibility for underserved communities, which also include the Hmong community. She maintains a desire to spread domestic violence (DV) education and awareness while connecting with other like-minded advocates and individuals. Pho is actively involved in California Hmong Advocates Network (CHAN), which is a network of DV advocates across California who meet and discuss methods to strengthen communities and families in order to reduce DV. She is also involved with Building Our Futures (BOF), a global community campaign driven to end gender-based violence in the Hmong community. Pho hopes to continue her education in the near future; she intends to enter a public policy graduate program with a focus--for now--on global and social policy. |
Jennifer Xiong Jennifer Xiong graduated from UCLA with a Master of Public Health in Community Health Sciences with a specialization in Health Education/Promotion in 2014 and holds a B.A. in Psychology and minor in Sociology from UC Davis. Early on Jennifer became interested in public health through her various volunteer and extracurricular activities in community health and wellness. Her passion is empowering underserved and vulnerable communities through awareness, education, research, and advocacy.
Currently, she is taking a break from her profession as a Project Manager in healthcare and spending time reflecting and sparking curiosity. She is working on starting a small online business involving Hmong arts and craft. She is excited about the new opportunity and plans to use this as a platform to support Hmong women across the world. Her vision for the world is an environment full of compassion, peace, love, nonviolence, mindfulness, and a place where women have the means to reach their highest potential. |
Johnnie Yaj Johnnie Yaj graduated from UCLA with a BA in World Arts and Cultures and a minor in Visual and Performing Arts Education. During his time at UCLA, he was involved in the Undergraduate Students Association Council as the Budget Review Director and in the Community Programs Office as an Intern and Assistant Office Manager. Johnnie was also one of the campaign team members for the Social Justice Referendum 2016 which successfully passed and raised student fees by $24.99 to support social justice efforts on campus.
Outside of his college courses, Johnnie taught for the Hmong Language and Cultural Enrichment Program in Madison, WI and was a teaching assistant for the Los Angeles Unified School District. These experiences prepared Johnnie to excel as a researcher in the field of higher education. Currently, he resides in New York City pursuing his Ed.M. in Higher and Postsecondary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Johnnie is a firm believer in mentorship and paying it forward, so if you would like any personal advice or have any questions about life, do not hesitate to contact him via email: [email protected]. |
Kham Vue Kham Vue attended UCLA in the fall of 2009 and graduated in 2013. During his time at UCLA, he spent a great deal working with the Undergraduate Student Association Council (USAC) providing resources to all students and serving as student support director. After graduating from UCLA, he worked briefly for Apple before transitioning into education where he helped integrated technology into classrooms as a computer support specialist.
Currently, he is a 3rd grade teacher at Natomas Charter School - Star Academy. He wants to continue teaching and hopes to instruct young minds abroad one day. |
Linda Moua Linda Moua graduated UCLA with a Bachelors of Science in Biology in the summer of 2018. She is the first of eight siblings to pursue a higher education away from home. During her undergraduate years, she took part in organizations such as the SEA CLEAR and AHS. Linda was an active first year of AHS and eventually took on board positions such as AHS Treasurer, External Vice President, and President consecutively. Linda was also the Co-chair of AHS’s 2016-2017 H.M.O.N.G. high school conference. AHS helped strengthen Linda’s Hmong identity and pushed her to learn more about the Hmong culture and traditions.
To learn more about her Hmong heritage, Linda took part in the SEASSI program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison during the summer of 2016. Through the program Linda was able to learn how to read and write in Hmong as well as explore the different aspects of Hmong art and culture. In addition, Linda also had the opportunity to study abroad in Thailand during the summer of 2018. She found this experience eye opening and motivating. In the future, Linda hopes to travel to different parts of the world and experience the diverse cultures it has to offer. Linda’s career goal is to become a pediatrician because she enjoys working with children. Right now Linda is taking a gap year to study for the MCAT. In the meantime, she is also working as a per diem Patient Service Coordinator at the San Joaquin Valley Rehabilitation Hospital. Linda is slowly working towards her goal, so stay tune to see where this road leads her. Feel free to ask her any question or give her any advice! |
Lovee Yang Lovee Yang is from a small town in northern California called Marysville. He entered UCLA as a freshman in 2012 and graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Aspiring to be a pediatrician, Lovee returned to his beloved hometown after graduating and is now currently studying for the MCAT.
During his four years at UCLA, Lovee was widely known for his easy-to-identify outfit, which consisted of a long-sleeve plaid shirt and khaki pants and a black messenger bag slung down from his left shoulder. Furthermore, Lovee was often seen proudly roaming the streets of Westwood and UCLA campus in his Hmong Nike’s. Lovee was the External Vice President during his second year and the Treasurer of AHS his third year. Lovee focused on doing everything he could to help raise awareness and better the Hmong community within and beyond the UCLA campus. Upon returning to his hometown, Lovee has resumed his learning of the Hmong culture and traditions to further his knowledge and understanding. |
Maihnia Lee Maihnialor Lee (aka Maihnia), born in St. Paul, MN but a Fresno, CA native, attended UCLA from 2010 - 2014 and earned a degree in Anthropology with an emphasis in Biological Anthropology. During her time at UCLA, she was involved in Association of Hmong Students (AHS) where she served as Internal Social Chair from 2011-12.
Additionally, she interned for SEA CLEAR and participated in SEA Admit Weekend. Currently, Maihnia lives in Sacramento, CA where is involved in non-profit work and has served 2 full years of AmeriCorps VISTA. Her interests and aspirations lie in community work and women's health. |
Mai See Yang Mai See Yang was admitted into UCLA in Fall 2008 and graduated in Summer 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in Asian American Studies. She was active in AHS and was vice president during her 3rd year (2010-2011) and directed the culture show "kNow History, kNOw self: Nco Ntsoov Peb Haiv Hmoob” in hopes of spreading cultural awareness with written anthologies through the lens of 2nd generation Hmong individuals. During her undergraduate career at UCLA, she mainly focused on being a part of AHS and expanding her research skills by participating in research labs such as assisting the UCLA Self-Reflection and Health Lab and UCLA Couple Therapy Research Lab. During her fourth year in 2012, Mai See and her lab partners were selected to present findings from the UCLA Self-Reflection and Health Lab (“Cultural Differences Underlying the Role of Life Satisfaction in Negative Self-Reflection”) at PURC Science Conference at UCLA, SUPC Conference at Stanford University, and Orange County Graduate Women in Sciences’ 23rd Annual Spring Conference. During her internship with F.A.C.T. Generating All Possibilities at the end of her fourth year where she worked with young adults who were diagnosed with autism, she became interested in the field of mental health.
After graduation, Mai See moved back to central California to be closer to her family and continued to work with children diagnosed with autism as a behavioral interventionist. She also has experience working with adolescents who are emotionally disturbed in an acute inpatient psychiatric health facility as a rehabilitation aide. Currently, she is working as a case manager providing rehab services to families in CPS. Her passion for counseling lead her to pursue her master’s degree in Marriage Couples and Child Counseling at Fresno State while being a full-time working professional, wife, and mother. On her spare time, Mai See loves to travel and explore, complete arts and crafts (DIY projects), and spend time with her family, especially her daughter. |
Maxine Chang Maxine Chang, the oldest daughter of five children, is a proud member of UCLA’s Class of 2016 earning a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychobiology. She served two years on AHS Board as Social Relations Chair her second year and AHS President her fourth year. She was also one of three Co-Chairs for H.M.O.N.G 2014 her third year and an AHS intern her first year. Outside of her time spent with AHS, Maxine volunteered at Ronald Reagan Medical Center as a patient escort as well as became a research assistant in the Hyperbaric Medicine Department.
After graduating, Maxine opted to take a gap year to spend time with family and gain experience as a Health Career Connections Intern before applying to medical school. Currently, she is a medical student at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and eagerly looks forward to becoming a future physician. |
Nancy Vang Nancy Vang attended UCLA in 2008 and graduated in 2012 with a B.A. in Psychology and Minor in Human Complex Systems. During her time at UCLA, Nancy simultaneously partook in other cultural clubs and AHS, but started to focus more on AHS only towards the latter part of her undergraduate studies. She participated in SEA CLEAR and was a SEA CLEAR intern for a quarter during her Sophomore year. The following year, Nancy served as Internal Social Chair during the 2010-2011 academic school year and participated in the cultural show "kNow History, kNOw self: Nco Ntsoov Peb Haiv Hmoob” that same year.
Upon graduating from UCLA, Nancy worked in Finance for a year with the intent to pursue her studies in Organizational Psychology. However, she has always enjoyed building meaningful relationships with others while making a difference in their lives. Nancy naturally found herself steering away from the finance world and involved herself in social work and non-profit organizations. She has worked with at-risk foster youth as a Support Counselor and children on the spectrum as a Behavioral Interventionist. She is currently a Case Manager providing case management services to families and children with a developmental disability. Currently, Nancy will be pursuing her Doctorate’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts starting Fall 2017. She is excited to continue providing a meaningful service to others in her community as a future Occupational Therapist, especially to those with a developmental disability. During her spare time, Nancy enjoys spending time with her family, watching murder mystery TV shows, traveling, exercising, and eating new foods. “Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” -Albert Einstein |
Noukoushua Yang Noukoushua Yang is a UCLA alumnus who graduated with the class of 2015. He focused his studies on Psychology and public health and holds a B.A. in General Psychology. During his time at UCLA he was involved in many student organizations and sat on the board of Pan-Asian Queers 2011 – 2012, Asian Pacific Coalition 2011 – 2012, Queer Alliance 2011 – 2012, SEARAC 2012 – 2013, as well as being President of the Association of Hmong Students from 2012 – 2013.
Noukoushua then spent the majority of his last two years at UCLA studying, interning, and living abroad in Italy, Spain, Argentina, China, and Thailand. During his time abroad, he interned at two organizations that provided aid to refugees: Asociación para la Integración Lingüística del Inmigrante en Madrid (ASILIM) in Madrid, Spain and Boat People SOS in Bangkok, Thailand. In Madrid he worked with refugees and migrants from North Africa, East Europe, Latin America and Asia. In Bangkok, he worked as a translator and interpreter for Hmong Vietnamese refugees and asylum seekers fleeing religious persecution in Vietnam. He cities these two orgs as influential experiences in shaping his career goals. Noukoushua is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health in Public Administration and Health Policy at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in international health management with the possibility of returning to school to pursue a doctorate in Public Health. |
Pakou Vue Pakou Vue entered UCLA in Fall 2009 and graduated in Spring 2013 with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Cultural Anthropology. During her time at UCLA, she was employed with Powell Library for over two years before resigning her last year to focus on psychological research. For most of her undergraduate, she was a part of the Psychology of Social Justice research laboratory where she was involved in all stages of research – data entry to data analysis to participant research and experimentation. During her time at UCLA, she was involved in various student groups – SEA Admit, SEA CLEAR, and Asian Pacific Coalition. Additionally, she became heavily involved with AHS during her second year as an active member before becoming External Vice President the following year. AHS was (and still is) an incredible organization where she not only found life-long friends but also found guidance and comfort in this second family.
Upon graduation, she returned home to Fresno where she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA member to the Fresno Unified School District Mentor Office. During her year of service with the district office, she was instrumental in creating and sustaining the various programs through capacity building efforts. She effectively created a database to track all participants’ progress, attendance, etc. during her time. After her year of service, she was a part of Fresno State’s Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship where she served as Logistics Manager for one of its many program. This was where she renewed her passion for business, supply chain management, and above all, educating and empowering the youth. Pakou will be continuing her education in both psychology and business while encouraging youth to pursue higher education. |
Rosalee Mouanoutoua Rosalee Mouanoutoua graduated from UCLA in 2016 with a B.A. in History. She is currently attending Fresno State for graduate school to pursue her M.A. in History. Rosalee express that her time spent at UCLA was definitely one of the best experiences in her life. While attending UCLA, Rose personally learned how to appreciate the Hmong culture and community a lot more. Being in an environment where only a few people know about her ethnicity has inspired her to advocate more for the Hmong community.
In addition, UCLA has motivated Rose to do better academically and has opened her eyes to the perspectives of historians. Besides all of the student organizations, academics, and community projects at UCLA, Rose enjoyed attending football games. Overall her experience at UCLA was wonderful and she would not trade it for the world. When Rose started graduate school in the fall after graduating UCLA, she felt prepared for the challenge. The people Rose met and the memories created have shaped her into the person she is today. |
Souania Moua Souania Moua graduated from UCLA in 2012 with a major in Political Science and a minor in Asian American Studies. She joined AHS right off the back in 2008 and in 2009 Souania became the President of the AHS. She wrote and directed AHS's culture show, "My Secret War: Lub Neeg Ntxhov Siab" which depicted a young Hmong American girl's internal struggles with her traditional parents, marriage and the pursuit of higher education. Souania continued her presidency into the 2010-2011 and helped create the idea for AHS culture show, "kNow History, kNOw self: Nco Ntsoov Peb Haiv Hmoob." Souania guided AHS members on telling not only their own personal stories of being Hmong and American, but also sharing the courageous stories of their families. The show was one of her best proudest moments of AHS at UCLA.
In 2011-2012, Souania became the first Hmong Retention Coordinator for the Vietnamese Student Union's retention program, SEA CLEAR. Souania was also very involved with the Asian American Studies Center, SEA CLEAR, VSU, and the Community Programs Office (CPO). Souania ended her senior year at the Asian Pacific Islander Graduation in 2012 as the chosen keynote speaker. Souania is forever grateful to UCLA. She has created and kept so many friendships from her years there and only hopes that everyone in AHS continues to fight, speak out and be the champion and exemplar for our community. Souania has worked at two different law firms in Los Angeles as a legal assistant since her graduation. Souania currently works at Loyola Law School as a Faculty Legal Assistant in the heart of downtown LA. She enjoys cooking and eating Hmong food, singing, dancing, watching the news, late night shows, musicals and spending time with her family. |
Yee Vang Yee Vang graduated with the Class of 2015 with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Sociology and a minor in Education. Yee is currently a Behavorial Interventionist Therapist with the Central Valley Autism Project in Stockton, California. During her undergraduate career, the Association of Hmong Students played a vital role in keeping her grounded and pushing her to become her best self possible.
Yee has undertaken several roles within AHS throughout her four years, including but not limited to President, Internal Vice President, and Co-Chair of H.M.O.N.G. Her fondest memories of UCLA are those spent with AHS. Whether it is studying in the library well into the night or catching dinner together on the Hill, AHS was there for her every step of the way. AHS continues to and will always hold a dear part of her heart. |