In the fourth episode of Culture, Power, and the Pen, host Andy Liu speaks with Hmong American playwright and performer Katie Ka Vang about the role of theater in shaping identity, memory, and community. From childhood afternoons spent absorbing her parents’ stories to navigating questions of belonging in Colorado classrooms, Vang recalls how storytelling became both a source of wonder and resilience. She reflects on the influence of Hmong oral traditions and tonal inflections in her writing, the journey from survival to political consciousness, and the strength she found while creating Final Round during her recovery from cancer. Together, they discuss the gaps in Hmong representation on stage, the joy of family traditions like preparing New Year’s outfits and pickled vegetables, and the power of art to preserve culture, spark connection, and inspire new generations to claim their own stories.