ABSTRACT
TheHmongpeopledidnotwillinglyimmigratefromSoutheastAsia; theywereforcedoutoftheirhomesinthehighlandsofLaos,oneofthe consequencesoftheVietnamwar.ManyHmongareconcernedabout theirculturechangingradicallyorevendisappearingasaresultofthe diaspora.Atapresentationdescribingsomeoftheuniquebeliefsand
practicesintheHmongculture,aHmongmanspokewithobviouspride abouthisculturalheritage.Afterwardsamemberoftheaudienceasked thespeakertodescribewhattheHmongcultureandAmericanculture hadincommon.Thissortofresponseoftenoccurswhenindividuals fromaracialorethnicgrouptalkabouttheuniquefeaturesoftheir group.Althoughitisimportanttorecognizethecommonalitiesweshare ashumanbeings,itisalsoimportanttovalueourdifferences.Inthe UnitedStates,westilltendtoregardanyonewhoisdifferentwith suspicion.
