Central Wisconsin middle school students will commemorate Veterans Day this year by marking 50 years since the arrival of Hmong and other Southeast Asian refugees to the United States. This event, part of the “A Walk in Their Shoes Mission,” provides students with accounts of contemporary history.
The program will feature Dr. Chia Youyee Vang, a Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, who will discuss the U.S. Secret War in Laos. Vang’s presentation will focus on this aspect of America’s involvement in Southeast Asia.
Vang will be joined by Pao Yang, a former Hmong T-28 pilot whose experience is documented in the co-authored book, Prisoner of Wars: A Hmong Pilot’s Story of Escaping Death and Confronting Life (Temple University Press, 2020). Yang will share his account of being shot down and subsequently imprisoned.
For 19 years, educator Colin Hanson has organized history events for central Wisconsin, bringing stories to local students. “A Walk in Their Shoes Mission” is a collaboration among North Central Wisconsin educators dedicated to presenting facts about world events.
The mission’s objective is to provide middle school students with lessons that impact their lives, helping them gain a perspective on global issues and see the difference one person can make.
The event honors the military service and sacrifices made during the Secret War and the subsequent refugee process.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here