Abstract
In the United States, Hmong Americans rank low in academic performance and are among the poorest ethnic groups (Lor, 2017; Ngo & Lee, 2007; S. Xiong & Lam, 2013; C. Y. Vang, 2012). The lack of success in education has contributed to their underrepresentation in graduate school (Budiman, 2021; Ngo & Lee, 2007; S. Xiong & Lam, 2013). As a result, the Hmong community has had difficulty obtaining leadership roles, limiting their political power to change their community for the better. In this narrative inquiry study, five Hmong American K-12 school administrators in California shared their experiences. The theoretical framework used in this study is the community cultural wealth model, academic resilience theory, and transformative leadership theory. Using semi-structured interviews, the researcher explored the participants' experiences in graduate school as well as their values and perceptions related to a graduate degree. Based on the findings of the study, themes emerged that captured the motivations for participants enrolling in a graduate program, challenges they faced, and their appreciation of the value of a graduate degree. As a result of the study, although Hmong American participants faced a number of challenges and barriers, including coming from a low socioeconomic background, being forced to translate, and maintaining the Hmong traditions such as marrying and having children at an early age, they were able to achieve their academic and professional goals as they understood their capital, which enhanced their academic resilience, which led to them becoming transformative leaders.