CONTRIBUTORS
Maliya Lor is pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is currently involved in undergraduate research in the Population Health Sciences and Bacteriology departments. Her research mentors are Dr. Kristen Malecki and Dr. Cameron Currie, respectively. Since January 2014, she has participated in the Ronald E. McNair Post baccalaureate Scholars Program (McNair Scholars Program). This is a graduate training program that supports undergraduate research and provides extensive preparation for graduate school. Upon graduation in May 2016, she hopes to continue on to graduate school.
Bao Nhia Moua is a St. Paul, Minnesota native and a graduating senior at the University of Wisconsin—Madison studying Social Welfare with Certificates in Asian American Studies and Gender & Women’s Studies. She has dedicated much of her time in college to student organizing as the Education Chair and Co-Chair of Asian American Student Union. She is also one of the Co-Founders of Niam Laus Niam Hluas: Hmong Sisterhood – a student organization that fosters the leadership capacity of Hmong women on campus through personal, academic, and professional growth. She has spent several of her summers performing Asian Pacific Islander community work through a social justice lens and plans to continue this work after graduation.
My name is Yer Thor and I am Hmong. I am a junior at the University of Wisconsin – Madison with a double major in Psychology and Biology with a Certificate in Specialist in Gerontology. I grew up in Weston, Wisconsin with my family, which consists of my father, my mother, my three older sisters, and my two younger brothers. I am a Gates Millennium Scholar and a Chancellor’s Scholar. During my free time, I enjoy reading and spending time with friends and family. In the future, I plan to work with the Hmong geriatric population to understand their life experiences.
My name is Pang Xiong, and I am a senior studying Psychology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. I also have a certificate in Education and Educational Services and am currently pursuing a certificate in leadership as well. In the future, I want to study Autism Spectrum Disorder in minority populations to see how schools can better cater to students of color who have ASD. Aside from my psychology interests, I also really enjoy reading and writing. In fact when I was in fourth grade, my dream was to become an author and write stories about my Hmong culture. I'm glad to be accomplishing that today with this opportunity to write about Hmong American women.
Plia Xiong is a junior majoring in Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She serves as the co-chair for the Asian American Student Union at UW-Madison and an active member in the Hmong American Student Association. Plia immigrated to the U.S. with her family at the age of one and recently studied abroad in Thailand last semester. In her free time, she enjoys singing and listening to music.