Thao, director of meetings and events at ACA International, affirms the importance of acknowledging the history and struggles of learning a new culture for those who have emigrated and came before her during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.05/26/2022 1:00 P.M.
3 minute read
ACA International’s membership and the accounts receivable management (ARM) industry are becoming increasingly diverse. In recognition of that growth and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), ACA is highlighting those voices in the ARM industry.
The U.S. has recognized Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders nationally in May since June 1978; however, the full month as we know it today was not recognized until May 1, 2009, when former President Barack Obama signed a proclamation declaring May as Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, according to whitehouse.gov.
For Mary Thao, director of meetings and events at ACA International, AAPI Heritage Month is a time to recognize and honor the history of Asian Americans including her parents who became refugees as a result of the Vietnam War.
“No problem is too big for me today when I think about what they went through,” Thao says.
Thao shares more about her heritage and career here:
Q. How do you identify within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community?
A. I am a first-generation Hmong American. I was born and raised in Wisconsin. The Hmong people are originally from Southeast Asia and China.
Q. How has your heritage shaped the person you are today?
A. The history of how the Hmong people arrived in the U.S. and the struggles my parents went through to provide a better life for our family played a significant role in who I wanted to be.
Q. What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?
A. There is a beautiful New Year ritual done in each family. At the end of each year, our spirits are called back home in case they have wandered or were frightened away during the year. The ritual also thanks our ancestors for protecting us through the past year and protects our body from harmful events in the new year. This ritual is called “hu plig peb caug,” with a slight variance in the name from family to family. “Hu plig” means calling of the spirit. “Peb caug” is the number 30. “Noj peb caug” means “eat 30,” which is a term used to say that we are celebrating the new year with 30 different items on the menu.
Q. What does AAPI Heritage Month mean to you?
A. AAPI Heritage Month celebrates not just the heritage and culture of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders but also recognizes their history and current struggles they face in the U.S.
My parents became refugees as a result of the Vietnam War. Their families fled Laos and made their way across the Mekong River to safety in refugee camps in Thailand. They married in the refugee camp and came to the U.S. in 1979 with my oldest brother.
For me, AAPI Heritage Month is also the acknowledgement of their struggles of coming to a new country, learning a new language and understanding a new culture so they could best provide for their children and help their children find a balance between two cultures. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to blend what I learn on a daily basis with what my parents and elders teach me about our Hmong culture.
Do you know a member you would like to see featured in ACA Daily’s Member Spotlight or Collector magazine’s Origin Story? Would you like to share your story? We are also looking to highlight our international members and new members of ACA. Reach out to our communications team at [email protected] with your ideas. We’d love to hear from you!
If you have executive leadership updates or other member news to share with ACA, contact our communications department at [email protected]. View our publications page for more information and our news submission guidelines here.
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