States of America — Season 1, Episode 15: Wisconsin
Documentary • 5 min • 1 season, 29 episodes
Episode synopsis
Born in a refugee camp in Thailand, Xong Xiong moved to Wisconsin after her family couldn't return to Laos following the Vietnam War. She grew up as part of an influx of twice dislocated Hmong refugees who were not always welcomed in La Crosse. Despite racism, poor integration, and detachment from her own culture, Xong is determined to help the younger generation born in America stay connected.
About States of America
In the United States, you may have been born in one state or even in a different country. You may go to school or work in another community, and then move somewhere else by choice or circumstance. What is it that ties us to these places and makes us call them home? And how does our state affect who we are and how we identify ourselves? In a time where identity, unity and belonging are under scrutiny, STATES OF AMERICA asks these questions in lyrical short documentaries. Featuring everyday people as distinct as the physical and cultural landscapes they call home, these films begin to portray a mosaic of America's famously emerging identity.