Luther College hosts events to highlight identities and experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Luther College will celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) heritage month in April with lectures and events to showcase the breadth and depth of AAPI experiences. The events are open to the public.

Mai Na M. Lee

“From student-led cultural events to our keynote on Hmong history and immigration, each gathering invites us to learn, reflect and celebrate together,” said the Asian Students and Allies Association (ASAA) executive team at Luther College. “We hope you will join us to honor AAPI stories, challenge ourselves to think more critically about identity and justice, and build a more inclusive community here in Decorah.”

Mai Na M. Lee, an associate professor of history and Asian American studies at the University of Minnesota, is the keynote speaker for AAPI heritage month.

Her lecture, “Subverting the Blood Sacrifice Narrative: How the Hmong Arrived in the Midwest and Became Targets of ICE Arrest and Deportation,” starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29 in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

This lecture provides the background for the U.S. activities in Southeast Asia that displaced the Hmong into the United States, with emphasis on their resettlement in the Midwest. The talk also set the grounds for examining why the Hmong have become targets of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest and deportation efforts in Minnesota during the last year.

Brian Caton, associate professor of history at Luther College, explained how this topic is relevant to Decorah residents.

“Decorah was one of the destinations for Hmong and other Southeast Asian refugees arriving in the 1970s. Many Decorah families hosted refugee families; local churches provided space for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and other forms of logistical support; and some of the land along Pulpit Rock Road was given to refugee families to raise their own crops,” Caton said. “Most of these families relocated away from Decorah after a few years, many to the Twin Cities, where their racial identity makes them a target for ICE arrests, regardless of their citizenship status. Though many Decorah residents have arrived here long after refugee families left, we all know people who invested a great deal of their time and material resources to ensure the survival, adjustment and citizenship of Hmong and Southeast Asian people, which ICE seems to regard as a wasted effort.”

Decorah residents are also invited to the Cultural Community Connection event starting at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 14 at The Landing Market, 211 College Drive. ASAA members will serve a Pacific Islander-themed bowl of grilled chicken, pineapple, and green peppers on rice and dried fruit chips. The cost is $10 per person, or for students (with ID) attending any college or university and for children 17 and younger, the cost is $5. No reservations are needed.

A fashion show starts at 5:30 p.m. The Cultural Community Connection is sponsored by ASAA and the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support.

While May is widely recognized as national AAPI month, Luther celebrates in April before the conclusion of the college’s academic year.

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