Originally published in 18XEEM, April 2008, Issue 04

Dr Ia Kue at her office, Photo by CVPix

Why are we here? What is the process of getting to medical school? What is it like to be a medical student? What does it take to become a doctor? These were some of the questions that Dr. Ia Kue helped answer and facilitate during a Future Doctors Gathering in her humble home for a group of eager students currently pursuing the medical field. “It’s a long, difficult, and sometimes lonely journey that takes a lot of dedication, sacrifice, and determination to get to.”

With this in mind, Dr. Kue, came up with a meeting to bring Hmong students from all over Michigan to discuss and share their experiences, in hopes of helping them get through this rigorous educational procedure. If there is anyone who has the most knowledge on what it is like struggling through medical school to attain a professional career, while juggling other cultural and social activities, only to make it out in the end, as successful and as enlightened as never before, it would be Dr. Kue.

Dr. Kue is the first female Hmong osteopathic medical student in the United States, the first female Hmong Family and Osteopathic Physician in Michigan and the first to open and manage her own clinic: Lifetime Family Care, PLLC. She is a pioneer in Hmong women leadership, not because of these numerous accomplishments, but because of her perseverance and determination in higher education and empowering youth to live their dreams. Some of the things she shared with us while we sat in her office were extremely heartwarming, and it showed through that she is a dedicated,hardworking and genuine person. Her gentle voice revealed that she was a caregiver, not just to her kids, but also to her patients, in always being compassionate and thoughtful about their well-being.

Originally published in 18XEEM, April 2008, Issue 04

What was your inspiration?
Traditional Hmong Costumes and High Fashion.

Do your designs have any functions/unique aspects to it?
Hmong Reinvented is a fashion line that represents and bridges the gap between being Hmong and being American. In my designs I use Hmong embroidery with western silhouettes. I want to make wearing Hmong clothes fashionable. My motto is: Forget about the layers, the heavy money belts and bags. Keep it simple and chic.

How long does it take you to finish one piece?
Depending on how complicated the garment can get and how much time I have to work on it, it could take a few days up to a month.

Yia Mua, a Hmong Legend speaks about his life in and out of the spotlight with 18XEEM.

This interview was published in the July 2007 issue of 18XEEM.

Where were you born?
I was born in Laos on May 18th. Laos fell to Communism on May 15th. Basically, two days after I was born, we left Laos. I came to Thailand and we were over there for 6 months. In 1975, we came to the US. We were the first wave of Hmong immigrants to come over.

What have you been doing?
I’ve been retired for about two years from fighting now. Currently, I’m in financial services. I do real estate mortgage and financial planning.

How did you get into Muay Thai Kickboxing?
It was kind of like a dare. Laughs. I’ve always been in martial art –since I was 9, when I started training. I had a childhood friend who was doing Chinese kick-boxing, eventually he ended up being my trainer. He started competing first though and I would watch him fight, and I liked it. Then when I was 18, I started fighting amateur. At 19, I turned professional.

Why are we here? What is the process of getting to medical school? What is it like to be a medical student? What does it take to become a doctor? These were some of the questions that Dr. Ia Kue helped answer and facilitate during a Future Doctors Gathering in her humble home for a group of eager students currently pursuing the medical field. “It’s a long, difficult, and sometimes lonely journey that takes a lot of dedication, sacrifice, determination to get to.” With this in mind, Dr. Kue, came up with a meeting to bring Hmong students from all over Michigan to discuss and share their experiences, in hopes of helping them get through this rigorous educational procedure. If there is anyone who has the most knowledge on what it is like struggling through medical school to attain a professional career, while juggling other cultural and social activities, only to make it out in the end, as successful and as enlightened as never before, it would be Dr. Kue.

Dr. Kue is the first female Hmong osteopathic medical student in the United States, the first female Hmong Family and Osteopathic Physician in Michigan and the first to open and manage her own clinic: Lifetime Family Care, PLLC. She is a pioneer in Hmong women leadership, not because of these numerous accomplishments, but because of her perseverance and determination in higher education and empowering youth to live their dreams. Some of the things she shared with us while we sat in her office were extremely heartwarming, and it showed through that she is a dedicated, hardworking and genuine person. Her gentle voice revealed that she was a caregiver, not just to her kids, but also to her patients, in always being compassionate and thoughtful about their well-being.

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“When I wear Hmong, I tell myself that, we should remember our belief, cultures, values, so that people know who we are and where we came from.”

Caroline Vang spent the entire Friday night making signs for the next morning. “We need another Senator Mee Moua” she wrote on one of the signs. In the early morning, the signs would be placed around the tent where a group of her friends and colleagues were going to register their fellow Hmong-American citizens to vote in the United States. It was the annual Hmong Sports Festival in Michigan, and it was time that someone step forward to make the community transition into becoming full-fledge US citizens. But while Caroline was busy registering her fellow Hmong to become active voters in the democratic process, she would not be allowed to fill out her very own form.

Twenty-three years ago, Caroline Vang was born to Guy and Genevieve Vang in France. Just 5 years later, Guy would bring his two French daughters and his wife to the United States. For 18 years, his family lived and worked in the United States. For 18 years, Caroline and her younger sister Melanie went to public schools. And within those 18 years, Guy and Genevieve had two more children, Stevan and Christine.

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