SAINT PAUL, Minn. — There are more race and ethnicity groups noted in the U.S. census than ever before, but some Minnesotans feel they don't always get It right.
Yao Yaj is the executive director of the Minnesota Hmong Chamber of Commerce and says Hmong people mostly identify as Southeast Asian because of migration and other parts of their history.
While the U.S. census recognizes data specific to Hmong people, like where they live, in broader data sets, they are classified in the American Community Survey as "East Asian."
"We don't feel that we are represented when we are classified as East Asians," said Yaj. "Many of Hmong communities have lived in Southeast Asia for many generations."
May yer Thao is the president and CEO of Hmong American Partnership, one of the organizations following up with the census.
"It's hurtful," said Thao. "Harmful, in the sense it erases our identity here."
Thao said that is especially true for Hmong veterans and elders.
"We came to the U.S. as Southeast Asian refugees from the Vietnam War era, because we partnered with the U.S. during the Vietnam War," said Thao. "And so by misclassifying us as East Asians, that erasure of our identities here in the U.S., along with a long history of just oppression."
Susan Brower is the Minnesota State Demographer. She's backing a suggested change to the census that is gaining momentum once again.
"It's important to get it right. People want to be represented in the way that makes sense to them and that's the goal," said Brower.
Both Brower and Yaj say this distinction is not only important culturally, but for funding purposes.
"Southeast Asian clearly have a disparity in wealth from East Asians," said Yaj.
Data is also used when making policy decisions.
The Hmong American Partnership met with the bureau as recently as last week to help the agency implement feedback for future projects. The Census acknowledges that while past data does not reflect any changes, they recognize the Hmong community mostly identifies as Southeast Asian.
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