Luther College Woman's Club Holds First Meeting of Academic Year

Decorah deserves a newsroom of its own. Help us keep it strong. DECORAH — Learn about the experience of one Hmong refugee family at the next meeting of the Luther College Woman's Club, set for Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 1:30 p.m. at Shirley Baker Commons in Baker Village in Decorah. Destiny Crider, Luther museum studies program director, and Luther senior Rebecca Zheng will present "Exploring Identity, Life, and Loss through the Vang Family Journey from Laos to Decorah." The presentation explores the experiences of Hmong refugees through the perspective of the Vang family, who arrived in Decorah in the late 1970s as some of the first Southeast Asian refugees to come to northeast Iowa following the Vietnam War. It examines the complexities of navigating life in the United States and highlights how the family's journey shaped its personal values and identity. The presentation is sourced largely from recorded interviews with Vang family members and synthesizes Zheng's research collaboration with Crider, "Decorah Hmong: A Vang Family Narrative," conducted during the fall 2025 semester. Attendees are asked to contribute $6 toward refreshments. About the presentersDestiny Crider, Ph.D., is manager of the Luther Anthropology Lab and Collections, curator of the Fine Arts Collection, and instructor and director of the museum studies program. She holds a doctorate in anthropology from Arizona State University. Crider established the Decorah Hmong and Refugee Heritage Archive following the donation of a large collection of Hmong pandau, textiles and archival materials. The collection includes documentation of Decorah's Refugee Resettlement Program from 1976 through 1994. Since 2018, Crider has collected oral histories and recorded informational interviews with Decorah Hmong and Tai Dam refugees, their sponsors, educators and employers. Rebecca Zheng is majoring in anthropology and international studies at Luther. Her areas of interest include border and migration studies, environmental science and policy, and global politics. She serves as communications team lead for the Luther Student Senate and secretary of Luther Model United Nations and plays violin for the Luther Symphony Orchestra. About the Luther College Woman's ClubThe Luther College Woman's Club has long baked treats for Luther students, with proceeds funding scholarships for students. To date, the club has raised more than $325,000 in scholarship funds. All individuals from Decorah and surrounding communities are invited to participate. Never wonder what you missed. Get local news delivered to your inbox.