Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, face challenges in the areas of education, civil rights, language barriers, health and economic development.
Specifically, the Hmong people have come to the U.S. and found it beneficial to sustain themselves by practicing the traditional agricultural activities of their home country in their new environment, banding together in many areas of rural America. Michigan State University is helping these communities of Hmong farmers overcome language barriers when entering the marketplace.
As a result, the Asian-American and Pacific Islanders Limited English Proficiency Resource Center was established to provide AAPIs access to USDA resources through education and technical assistance.
MSU houses the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, which provides a platform to network with all of the nation’s land grant universities, and due to MSU’s large population of Hmong people.
There is a strong Hmong-American Student Association at MSU that has helped launch the project. The project navigates the language barriers to gain access to help Hmong people make better use of existing federal programs, particularly in agriculture.
By bridging the language gap, the center provides translated materials for AAPI farmers and fisherman to assist in building successful farm and rural enterprises.
The center is guided by individuals from the Hmong community. Hmong language media resource coordinator at the center Pao Xiong said it is a privilege to be a part of the project.
“Not only am I giving back to the Hmong community on a personal level, but I am giving back to my parents who are farmers and have limited English proficiency,” Xiong said.