Hello! My name is (Gaozer) Nancy Xiong and I am a junior majoring in Family Social Science. I was born in Winona, MN but was raised in the Twin Cities metro area in the city of White Bear Lake. I am a  daughter of Hmong immigrants and the last of eight siblings. I enjoy playing tennis, hiking, eating and trying new foods, and spending time with my family and friends.

One goal that I have for myself is to reconnect with my Hmong identity being that my parents and grandparents grew up in Thailand. The thought of visiting Hmong tribes in Northern Thailand and Hmong women & children organizations excites me but also makes me anxious because of the unexpected feelings that I may experience when coming face-to-face with these families and individuals. In addition, I hope to learn more about the Thai language and culture because it is another large part of my family’s history. My dad was a former Thai teacher in Laos and Thailand, therefore, I hope to come back home with some knowledge of the language in order to briefly converse with him in a language other than Hmong and English. Overall, I aim to better understand the ways of my culture as well as the Thai culture in order to continue on with my journey as a first-generation student and future professional.