Kao Kalia Yang

Kao Kalia Yang is a Visiting Faculty member at Pacific University, affiliated with the Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA) program. She is a prominent Hmong-American writer whose work spans memoir, nonfiction, and children's literature, earning national acclaim and numerous literary honors.

Her research and creative interests center on creative writing, nonfiction narrative, memoir, and diverse literary voices, particularly exploring Hmong-American identity and intergenerational trauma. Her writing also extends to children's literature that centers cultural heritage and emotional resilience.

While no scholarly articles are listed, her body of literary work reflects deep engagement with personal and collective memory, storytelling as healing, and the power of narrative across age groups and genres.

• National Endowment for the Arts Fellow
• National Book Critics Circle Award recognition
• Chautauqua Prize
• PEN USA Literary Awards
• Dayton's Literary Peace Prize
• American Library Association Notable Book
• Kirkus Best Books of the Year
• Heartland Bookseller’s Award
• Four Minnesota Book Awards
• McKnight Fellow
• Soros Fellow
• Guggenheim Fellow
• Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Carleton College

Yang mentors emerging writers through her teaching and national speaking engagements. She has received major fellowships including from the Guggenheim, Soros, and McKnight foundations, reflecting sustained support for her literary and educational contributions. Though no formal advising list is provided, her role in the MFA program implies mentorship of graduate writers.

No specific lab or research team is mentioned; however, her collaborative editorial work, such as co-editing What God is Honored Here?, demonstrates leadership in creating spaces for marginalized voices in literature.