Hmong Class 101

Jasmine Vang—The Rachel Browne Theatre

Jasmine Vang delivers a surprisingly relatable yet personal tutorial on life as a Hmong-American. Her experience echoes that of many second and third generation North Americans who feel caught between competing identities: disconnected from the traditional expectations, language, and culture of their parents and grandparents; feeling out of place in the country where they were born; and conforming to or confronting the ideals and stereotypes that outsiders might assume of one’s ethnic background.

Vang’s polished celebration of her heritage features excellent physical portrayals of her intergenerational Hmong relations, along with an exploration of her insecurities around identity growing up Hmong in the United States. While audiences will certainly learn something about the ethnic and historical nuances of Hmong culture, the show also offers a broader, resonant insight into the push and pull of competing identities, something many descendants of immigrant diaspora will recognize.

Ashley Frantik