Writing from the Gap: A Conversation with Kao Kalia Yang

In this debut episode of Culture, Power, and the Pen, host Andy Liu sits down with award-winning Hmong-American author Kao Kalia Yang to explore the role of storytelling in reclaiming identity, preserving culture, and healing from generational trauma. From her childhood in a Thai refugee camp to her life as a celebrated writer in Minnesota, Yang shares how memory, language, and literature have shaped her identity. They talk about everything from Hmong New Year traditions and mochi-making to journaling through tough times and the joy of finding your voice on the page.