Five years ago, I made the boldest move by enrolling at Michigan Technological University. I knew distancing from the stigma of young-age marriage and under-the-table jobs was necessary. Though I come from a family of six children – me being the oldest - my parents were aware of the importance in higher education and supported me in every way possible. I am a woman who, along with others, is changing the social structure by becoming more outspoken, educated, and active. In turn, my ideas blend and my principles mend as I stretch myself like a bridge between two contrasting cultures: Hmong and American. Every day my tongue toggles between the English and the Hmong language. And every day I remind myself that I am the first of the first Hmong-American generation in my Xiong family tree to aim for a Bachelor’s degree.
In class we are equal and the only thing that ranks us is our class grade. Beyond the classroom walls, everyone is struggling against tides that others may not see or feel. In my first story with Making Our Mark in 2004, I introduced my first two years of college experience. In the past three years, I have grown in various directions and I have taken on different shapes. So, I decided to write about the pivoting points in my college career. I hope that this second story will leave a mark for you.