The Hmong population of Washington state is uniquely small! Of the 320,000 Hmong people living in the United States, only 2,400 live in Washington state. Compared to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, where the Hmong population is about 80,000, Washington’s Hmong population is nowhere close!
Lately, we have been looking for new ways to showcase underrepresented folks, and what better way to do so than spread awareness about the Hmong? This series will continue showcasing Hmong people who are leading lives right alongside yours.
We get to look at Tia Moua. Child to Hmong refugees from the Secret War, Moua resides in Spokane, Washington. She is currently a junior at Gonzaga University. Moua was able to take the time to talk to us about her experiences as a Hmong leader and what she plans to do in the future.
If you’re looking to learn more about the Hmong people through their lens, continue reading to discover Tia Moua and her activist journey.
Hmong Representation
Moua has contributed to the recognition of Hmong people in the US, specifically in Washington state. Because Moua was so shy when she was young, she was encouraged by her mother to compete in pageantry in order to gain confidence. Moua went on to be Miss Washington’s Outstanding Teen 2017 and was the first Hmong state titleholder in the Miss America Organization. She was honored to proudly represent the Hmong community on such a large national platform.
What Is It Like Being Hmong in America?
Like many second-generation immigrants, Moua has struggled with not being able to speak her mother tongue fluently. Most Hmong people in America expect others to know how to speak Hmong fluently. Those who are unable to do so are often shamed.
Moua was often questioned about her identity when people in the Hmong community found out she couldn’t speak her native language fluently.
She expressed:
“Despite some judgment from the Hmong community for not being able to speak Hmong fluently, I still was never discouraged from learning more about our Hmong culture, working hard to learn about our Hmong history, aiming to learn our Hmong language, and proudly stating I’m Hmong wherever I go.”
Moua mentioned that she was one of maybe five Hmong people at Gonzaga during our conversation. It was clear to Moua that her institution lacked diversity. Double majoring in Communications and Sociology and minoring in Solidarity in Social Justice; she plans to continue advocating for justice, equity, and anti-racism.
Activism – Not Just for the Hmong, but for Everybody
Moua has been an activist for a very long time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Moua helped work at COVID vaccine clinics for Hmong and other BIPOC communities. She also helped lobby with APIC Spokane for policies that benefit Asian American communities.
From there, Moua leads an Asian American Activist group at Gonzaga, where they push for Asian American education and increase diversity and inclusion.
She is also working with Samoan community members and other allies to remove the racist John R. Monaghan statue from Downtown Spokane, which causes much harm to Samoans and the greater Pacific Islander community.
After graduation next year, she plans on passing the torch to the younger students so the momentum for increased diversity, equity and inclusion can continue at Gonzaga.
Learn More
With her passion for education and advocacy, Moua plans to continue advocating for Asian American rights and rights of all marginalized communities. She aims to fight for mandatory Asian American history education in all K-12 schools
To learn more about Hmong folks, check out Dr. Ia Xiong, a psychologist helping out her local Hmong community. If you want to learn more about issues involving diversity, take a look at more of our insight.
