# Dia Cha

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**Dia Cha** is a [Hmong](/source/Hmong_people)[2] [Laotian American](/source/Laotian_Americans) author and academic who has written books for both children and adults.

## Early life

She was born in the early 1960s in Southeast Asia.[3] After the [Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War), her family immigrated to the United States of America.[3]

In 1975, Dia and the surviving members of her family, were forced to flee the advancing communist movement, [Pathet Lao](/source/Pathet_Lao) in their takeover of her home country of [Laos](/source/Laos). She soon found herself a refugee in [Thailand](/source/Thailand).[4]

She eventually settled in the United States in 1979,[5] where she was able to begin formal studies in the ninth grade. In 1983, she graduated from [Abraham Lincoln High School](/source/Abraham_Lincoln_High_School_(Denver)), in [Denver](/source/Denver), [Colorado](/source/Colorado), ranking thirtieth in a class of 251 students.[6] In 1987, she joined the [Institute of Foreign Studies](/source/Institute_of_Foreign_Studies) and spent a semester studying at the [University of London](/source/University_of_London).[7]

## Career

In December 1989, Dia received the degree of Bachelor of Arts in [anthropology](/source/Anthropology) from [Metropolitan State College](/source/Metropolitan_State_College), Denver, Colorado.[8] In December, 1992, she was awarded a [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts) in applied anthropology from [Northern Arizona University](/source/Northern_Arizona_University) in [Flagstaff, Arizona](/source/Flagstaff,_Arizona).[citation needed] After additional studies, she received the degree of [Doctor of Philosophy](/source/Doctor_of_Philosophy) from the [University of Colorado](/source/University_of_Colorado_Boulder) at [Boulder, Colorado](/source/Boulder,_Colorado).[7][9] Dia Cha is considered to be the first Hmong women to receive her PHD.[4][10]

In the 1990s, Dia wrote *Dia's Story Cloth* which is now considered to be one of the utmost popular books on [Hmong story clothes](/source/Hmong_story_cloth)*.[6]*[11] Along with Norma Livo, she co-wrote *Folk Stories of the Hmong* and *Teaching with Folk Stories of the Hmong: An Activity Book*. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in "Bamboo Among the Oaks" as well as the "Paj Ntaub Voice" Hmong literary journal.[citation needed]

Additionally, she was an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies at [St. Cloud State University](/source/St._Cloud_State_University), in [St. Cloud, Minnesota](/source/St._Cloud,_Minnesota).[9][12] There, she taught courses in [cultural anthropology](/source/Cultural_anthropology), [ethnic studies](/source/Ethnic_studies), Southeast Asian communities, Asian American studies, and [Hmong](/source/Hmong_people) studies.[12][13]

As of 2013, she was CEO of Your Consulting Services, Inc.[13]

## Bibliography

- Cha, Dia (April 1, 1996). [*Dia's story cloth*](https://archive.org/details/diasstorycloth0000chad/page/1). 1st ed. Lee & Low Books. pp. [1–24](https://archive.org/details/diasstorycloth0000chad/page/1). ISBN 978-1880000632.
- Cha, Dia (March 1, 2004). *Hmong American concepts of health, healing, and conventional medicine*. 1st ed. Routledge. ISBN 0415944953.
- Cha, Dia & Livo, Norma J. (May 15, 2000). *Teaching with Folk Stories of the Hmong: An Activity Book (Learning Through Folklore Series)*. Kindle ed. Libraries Unlimited. pp. 1–109. ASIN B00ET8OVJK.
- Cha, Dia (January 1, 2005). ["Hmong and Lao refugee women: reflections of a Hmong-American woman anthropologist"](https://web.archive.org/web/20051219083404/http://hmongstudies.org/ChaHSJ6.pdf) (Essay). *Hmong Studies Journal*. **6**. Hmong Studies Internet Resource Center. [GALE|A207351169](http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A207351169/GPS?u=20300&sid=GPS&xid=65e6a186). Archived from [the original](http://hmongstudies.org/ChaHSJ6.pdf) on December 19, 2005.
- Cha, Dia; Vang, Chia Youyee; Her, Leena; Lee, Pao; Jalao, Ly Chong Thong; Schein, Louisa; Vang, Ma; Xiong, Yang S. (March 13, 2008 [2005]). ["Perspectives: Knowledge, Authority and Hmong Invisibility"](https://diverseeducation.com/article/10828/). *Diverse*. DiverseEducation.com. Retrieved 31 July 2019.

## References

1. Pha, Susan Kaying (2015). ["Hmong names of the famous and influential"](https://archive.org/details/hmongnamesrefere0000phas/). *Hmong Names: Reference Book* (in hnj, mww, en). Revised 1st ed. section "Professors and educators": Pha Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-4951-4491-2. [OCLC 931690480](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/931690480) Dia Cha 'Diav Tsab'. [Hmong Njua (White Hmong)](/source/Hmong_language) [RPA](/source/Romanized_Popular_Alphabet).

1. ["Dia Cha, Former Associate Professor of Anthropology and Ethnic Studies, St. Cloud State University, Minnesota"](https://www.crossingeast.org/crossingeastarchive/2017/06/02/dia-cha-fullinterview/). *Crossing East Archive*. Crossing East Public Radio Documentary. June 2, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2025.

1. Zia, Helen (1995). ["Dia Cha"](https://books.google.com/books?id=hI_iWTpKNg8C). *Notable Asian Americans*. illustrated ed. Zia, Helen; Gall, Susan B.; Takei, George (eds.). Gale. ISBN 0810396238. GALE|K1620000016. Retrieved 31 July 2019. – via Gale In Context: Biography.

1. Chiu, Jeannie (June 22, 2004). [""I salute the spirit of my communities" (1): autoethnographic innovations in Hmong American literature"](http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A119900697/GPS?u=20300&sid=GPS&xid=2dfedca9) (Critical essay). *College Literature*. **31** (3): 43–69. Johns Hopkins University Press. [doi:10.1353/lit.2004.0030](https://doi.org/10.1353/lit.2004.0030). [S2CID 145750899](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:145750899). GALE|A119900697. – via Gale In Context: High School.

1. ["Dia's Story Cloth"](https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-880000-34-2). *publishersweekly.com*. PWxyz, LLC. March 4, 1996. Retrieved 31 July 2019.

1. ["Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey of Freedom"](https://www.leeandlow.com/books/43/hc/dia_s_story_cloth_the_hmong_people_s_journey_of_freedom). *www.leeandlow.com*. Lee & Low Books. Retrieved 2018-04-28.

1. Vang, Chia Youyee (2009-06-25). [*Hmong in Minnesota*](https://books.google.com/books?id=gV9dT8pCyrAC&q=dia+cha+at+st+cloud&pg=PT62). Minnesota Historical Society. ISBN 9780873517379.

1. Moua, Mai Neng (2014-12-06). [*Bamboo Among the Oaks: Contemporary Writing by Hmong Americans*](https://books.google.com/books?id=OUKJcX1SOw4C&q=dia+cha+at+st+cloud&pg=PT191). Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 9780873516556.

1. Cha, Dia (January 1, 2005). ["Hmong and Lao refugee women: reflections of a Hmong-American woman anthropologist"](http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A207351169/GPS?u=20300&sid=GPS&xid=65e6a186) (Essay). *Hmong Studies Journal*. **6**. Hmong Studies Internet Resource Center. GALE|A207351169. Retrieved 31 July 2019. – via Gale Academic OneFile.

1. Vang, Nengher N. (June 22, 2017). ["Claiming Place: On the Agency of Hmong Women"](http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A503309920/GPS?u=20300&sid=GPS&xid=b0305f72). *Journal of American Ethnic History*. **36** (4): 98–100. Vang, Chia Youyee (ed.). University of Illinois Press. [doi:10.5406/jamerethnhist.36.4.0098](https://doi.org/10.5406/jamerethnhist.36.4.0098). [ISSN 0278-5927](https://www.worldcat.org/issn/0278-5927). GALE|A503309920. Retrieved 31 July 2019. – via Gale In Context: U.S. History.

1. Hickner-Johnson, Corey (July 1, 2016). ["Taking care in the digital realm: Hmong story cloths and the poverty of interpretation on Hmongemboridery.org"](http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A472266220/GPS?u=20300&sid=GPS&xid=f4c8d490). *Journal of International Women's Studies*. **17** (4): 31+. Bridgewater State College. GALE|A472266220. – via Gale OneFile: Business.

1. Cha, Dia (March 2004). [*Hmong American Concepts of Health*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Lv2TAgAAQBAJ&q=dia+cha+at+st+cloud&pg=PR8). Routledge. ISBN 9781135944391.

1. ["Professors visit the Hmong of Vietnam | Asian American Press"](https://web.archive.org/web/20220520205623/https://aapress.com/ethnicity/vietnamese/professors-visit-the-hmong-of-vietnam/). *[Asian American Press](/source/Asian_American_Press)*. Archived from [the original](http://aapress.com/ethnicity/vietnamese/professors-visit-the-hmong-of-vietnam/) on May 20, 2022. Retrieved 2018-04-28.

## External links

- [Dia Cha page at St. Cloud State University](http://www.stcloudstate.edu/profiles/faculty/cha-dia.asp) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20100606091904/https://www.stcloudstate.edu/profiles/faculty/cha-dia.asp) 2010-06-06 at the Wayback Machine
- [Dia's Story Cloth](http://www.leeandlow.com/books/43/hc/dia_s_story_cloth_the_hmong_people_s_journey_of_freedom)
- [2005 Hmong Oral History Project Interview](http://www.csp.edu/people/faculty/paul-hillmer/hmong-oral-history-project-interviews/dr-dia-cha/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20141129052351/http://www.csp.edu/people/faculty/paul-hillmer/hmong-oral-history-project-interviews/dr-dia-cha/) 2014-11-29 at the Wayback Machine
- [http://www.hmongstudies.com/ChaHSJ6.pdf](http://www.hmongstudies.com/ChaHSJ6.pdf)
- [Cha, Dia citations](https://hmongstudies.library.wisc.edu/?search_field=all_fields&q=cha%2C+dia) in Hmong Studies Citations database by [University of Wisconsin–Madison](/source/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Madison)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Dia Cha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_Cha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dia_Cha?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.