Oshkosh is one of the refugee resettlement cities in the Fox Valley Region, and many immigrants and newcomers come through our door. Still, many misconceptions and myths about immigrants and the complex US immigration system remain.
To offer guidance and foster community conversations on this topic, WALC will be hosting monthly learning circles focused on all things immigration-related starting February 2025. The activities we will engage in these learning circles will range from teach-ins by invited speakers to facilitated group discussions moderated by our Executive Director Dr. Chu May Paing.
Targeted audience: WALC staff, teachers, and volunteers, Community members with interest in learning more about immigration and immigrants, Community advocates who want to expand their knowledge about different immigrant cultures and to better develop cultural sensitivity when interacting with people from diverse backgrounds
In June, the Immigration Learning Circle with by presented by Dr. Choua Xiong and Dr. Chong Moua on Refugee Living: Oral Literacy in HMoob Pedagogy. Utilizing HMoob oral traditions, this workshop explores the concept of “living pedagogy” as a framework for understanding refugee communities. experiences. Participants will learn about HMoob oral traditions and participate in an interactive activity where the workshop facilitators will demonstrate how we all incorporate “living” into our every day practices and relationality.
Dr. Choua Xiong is an Assistant Professor of Hmong Studies at UW Oshkosh who teaches courses in Hmong Studies, Anthropology, and Education Studies. Her research is informed by her activism as an educator in Southeast Asian community-based educational spaces, schools, and higher education. Dr. Choua led various collaborative and community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) projects that highlight the roles communities of color play in educating youth about schooling, political participation, and belonging.
Dr. Chong Moua is an Assistant Professor of Hmong Studies and History at UW Oshkosh who teaches introduction to Hmong Studies and Asian American History courses. Her research, teaching, and curatorial interests are to tell HMong stories centering HMong voices and HMong experiences. Dr. Moua has partnered with several institutions to curate exhibitions and promote public scholarship including the Paine Art Center and Gardens, University of Wisconsin-Madison Archive, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Wisconsin Historical Society, and the Orange County Education Department.
What is settler colonialism—and how does it shape the land we share today? Join us for a community conversation on Indigenous sovereignty, decolonization, and how we can build more just and interconnected futures together.
More information on future Immigration Learning Circles coming soon!
Past Immigration Learning Circles –
