While the recent wave of anti-Asian crimes is frightening, the hate itself is not new. It simply became more acute and visible due to global events. Our guest, Kia Lor, intimately understands intercultural competence and holds a heartfelt remedy for the vitriol. The path forward includes deeper intentional listening and more meaningful communication amongst cultures and generations. We also cover the history of the Hmong people, inclusion issues within study abroad programs, and the sneaky ways that institutions attempt to force assimilation.

 

Bio:

 

Kia Lor (she/her), Associate Director, was a First-Generation Lower-Income (FGLI) college student who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and raised in snowy St. Paul, Minnesota. Kia can tell you all about how to immerse yourself in intercultural courses at UPenn, including the Intercultural Leadership Program, the United Minorities Council, and the Civil Rights History Spring Break. She is also skilled in social media marketing. Kia is passionate about Hmong women narratives and digital storytelling, and she uses her training in intercultural communication to help students develop their voices. Outside of her work at the Albert M. Greenfield Intercultural Center, you may find Kia taking pictures or running along the Schuylkill trail.

 

Highlights:

 

• Background of the Hmong people, including their betrayal from the United States and the "Secret War" from the Vietnam War era. 
• How Kia came to the field of intercultural communication and how she has been applying this knowledge her entire life.
• Why a study abroad trip to India and China accelerated her passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion work.
• How Kia has brought the intersectional lens to study abroad, fellowships, and global initiatives at UPenn. 
• Salient question from Kia - "How do I be Asian in a white space?"
• Why students of different races have highly variable experiences while traveling abroad.
• Is there historical tension between the Asian and Black communities?
• What is emotional labor and why is its importance often dismissed from academic circles?
• How economics, class, and access to education vary across all minority groups, especially within Asian communities.
• What are the recent changes within the Hmong community in the United States?
• How does Kia boost intercultural learning through an equity lens at UPenn?
• What does inclusive teaching mean to Kia?
• "Listen with the intention to understand, and without having to put in my solution or my two cents, but to really hear each other." - Kia Lor
• How the dominant culture forces assimilation and why operating with internal congruence is vital.

Connect with Amer and The Eclectic Inclusion Podcast:

 

Website | amerfahmed.com

 

Instagram | @dramerfahmed

 

Twitter | @dramerfahmed