Tou Herr interview
Item
Title
Tou Herr interview
Creator
Herr, Tou
Banh, Jenny
Relation
Central Valley Southeast Asian Successful Voices
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
2017
Rights
Copyright has been transferred to Fresno State
Identifier
SCMS_casv_00037
extracted text
>> Hello, welcome. I'd like to welcome you, and thank you so much for being consenting to be interviewed
for the successful Southeast Asians in the Central Valley Voices. I was wondering if you could tell me your
name, and if you could spell it, and yes.
>> Sure, good afternoon professor. My name is Tou, That is T O U, and then H E R R.
>> And then can you give me verbal permission to interview and actually deposit this interview -- I mean,
not interview but yes, ask you questions and deposit into our archive as well as cite you if needed for any
academic purposes.
>> Absolutely.
>> Great. I just have one question, and my question, as we discussed earlier, in probably six years, a third
generation of Southeast Asians will be entering college, and they will be needing guidance. Do you have any
advice for the third generation that is coming in, or actually even the second generation that is presently
here. Do you have any advice for academic success?
>> I think it is important for Southeast Asian students to know where they came from. I think being rooted
in their family background is especially important to be successful in college, but most important, I think
these kids just need to understand their resources on campus, on and off campus, that they can go and seek
help. And then they need to have an established study habit, whether that would be -- whether they are
home or at school studying, choose their friends wisely, join clubs. I think one of the things about Southeast
Asians is that we have too much pride, oftentimes we don't ask for help. We need to seek mentors of our
own so that they can provide guidance and some show what we can and can't do. But I think, an affect in
third generation that needs to understand that professors are human beings, human too. They are there to
help. They are there to make sure that you acquire the necessary skills to innovate to the next level, and I
think that is important, and to be able to do and do research, supplemental research on a subject matter so
that what they know, they know that it they need that information in order to pass the class, in order to
graduate. I was [inaudible] and there are certain kids -- and don't procrastinate. Get things done in a timely
manner, and let go of your big ego and say you know what, if I want to be successful in this, and I want to
graduate, I have to be me. I matter more than anybody else. And hopefully that helps you to some degree.
>> Yes, that is excellent advice. Do you have any advice, particularly for South Asian males or females?
>> I think on self efficient, males have to look to a self efficient female. Because in my experience in the
past, I find the turnout has shifted in that self efficient females have taken education seriously, whether they
are fresh out of high school or later in life. They are more driven. What tell myself as males is we need to let
go of our ego. We need to acknowledge that females are equally smart, and then, if not smarter, and the
days of the male mentality is over. We need to seek advice and we need to get resources from our
counterpart. And if you live at home, especially for the males, and know your role. Understand the culture,
and the home culture and the school culture. And if you are working, you got to be able to balance work and
work. But stop being -- my thing for these young Southeast Asian males is that, stop worrying about being
the breadwinner in the family. It is no longer the case. For instance, my wife makes a lot more money than I
do, and I don't have a problem with that. And I think that we are seeing that in, throughout the Southeast
Asian community is that more women are entering the professional world, especially in the decision making
world. So we need to emulate that as males, because that, to me, that is the only way to excel in this, what
I call a dog eat dog world. And embrace the home culture, embrace the school culture, and embrace the
great culture that we have at the school. You know, we have multiple culture and stop worrying about, you
know, being just Hmong or being just Lao or just Vietnamese or just Chinese. [inaudible] in culture and see
what you can to do help to elevate each other up.
>> That is amazing advice, amazing. That is great, I think that that will be very helpful to students to follow.
Is there anything else that you would like to contribute or -- I mean, you have contributed enough, that is a
lot. [laughter]
>> No I did one of the thing, often times you don't find in Southeast Asian kids is that they need to
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
understand that there is tutorial services at the campus and they need to take advantage of that. Back in the
day, they were computer labs they had access to to help, but nowadays, you have to be an outside of the
box thinker. You have to seek help. If you don't seek questions, people are not going to help you. But know
the professors on the campus, especially the ones that you are taking class -- they are there to help you.
They are not there to fail you, but you need to take responsibility, you need to own it in order to be
successful, and I am sure if you talk to the Caucasian kids or the other kids who are successful, I think that
is the route they take, I am sure that is what you and I did in order to become successful. And all I need for
these kids to do is just say, you know, look at the [inaudible] of the world, we can make it too. So I think
that is important.
>> So I get a lot of questions from recent grads and the constant question is you know, how did do you get
to grad school? Do you want to give any advice about just getting into those spaces?
>> I think you and I know -- the undergraduate level, they are determined to try and come in to [inaudible]
and those who went to grad school probably had a start on the right foot as an undergrad. Because you and
I know, in order to get into a competitive grad school, you have to do well academically. But you can be one
around the students. You don't have to be the smartest to get into a grad school. I mentioned I wanted to
go to University of Stanford or University of Harvard or whatnot. But ->> Which is where you went.
>> Know what you want to do, and know what you want to study. Sometimes, the campus is not going to
be -- the story is not necessarily rep. I always tell [inaudible] You want to be a teacher, [inaudible] has a
great teacher program. [inaudible] education program. But don't go to Harvard, don't go to all of these great
Universities and then come back and be -- just choose. You got to know what you want to do.
>> That is great advice. Is that what you did? You always knew?
>> Yeah, I always knew what I wanted to do. But it really helped -- marry someone who is driven too. My
wife, my wife is an attorney so she -- I consider the cream of the crop and she is a very smart student and
she knows what she wants. So I think having a significant other that has the same commonality, same goal
in life, you push each other to become successful.
>> Yeah, thank you, you are one of the rare people that talked about partners, actually. Or maybe the only
one who has talked about partners.
>> I really attribute my success to my wife because we push each other for excellence and we push each
other. We are both risk takers so we -- I think that is important. Especially Asian and Southeast Asian
because we can't marry outside the race, which to me, nothing is wrong with that, but if you can find
someone within your culture that has the same goals, it is also a bit tough as well.
>> That is a great point. Do you attribute any of your success to your family at all?
>> Absolutely. I think being Hmong and being poor. Coming from an oral culture where language wasn't
developed until the 1950's by a French missionary, I really -- really motivate my wife and I to get a good
education, because we felt that -- education is the equalizer for everything that we do in this world. And
equally, education, [inaudible] and once you are educated, and you see the world from a global perspective,
I think that education, schooling and education, the skills that we acquire throughout the years have made
us more humble about what education really means.
>> So specifically, I know that you must have had a lot of trials and tribulations. What kept you going, what
is it about your personality trait that made you so successful? Because you are a unicorn in that you are very
successful and you reached the top -- the highest you can reach. What is it about your personality that made
you so -- I don't want to use the word grit but, why do you attribute -- I mean you talk about your partner,
and you talk about your family but what is it about your personality that made you so successful?
>> I think for me, in order for me to be of assistance, to service to others, I need to equip myself with the
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
tools to make sure that I can help, and that -- I think my personality reflects that. You know what, my
parents were poor, my community is poor, my community is not educated so if I can play a role in shifting
my community, that would be good. Because it doesn't really matter where I went to school or not, but as
long as I come back and be a role model for these kids, my own community at this point -- my home
community, and then also the greater community and Southeast Asian community and be a good role model.
I think that was one of the things that I really took pride in, in terms of why I needed to be successful.
>> And have you always been like this, when you were a fifth grader or a 10th grader? Have you always
been kind of this helpful or this taking leadership roles?
>> You know, I think, I came to the United States and I was in 7th grade when we first came here. Ever
since a kid, I have always been the [inaudible] and to me, leadership means a great deal to me, to be able
to help, to be able to facilitate and give to the community or your family. As far as I can remember, at age
11 and 12, I was the family translator, up until I had cousins that came to the United States and were able
to relieve me if I'm at duty. So I have always been a help growing up, even in Laus, Thailand, and here.
>> Oh, interesting. And what about your siblings, were they also helpers?
>> Yes, they are. Most of my siblings are in leadership as well. They give back to the community. Two are
cops, and a counselor, and one is an engineer. So yeah, we all give back to the community in our ways.
>> That is so impressive, your entire family, because they don't have to, but it is a huge impact in the entire
community.
>> I think we all have our goals in life and we just cater to the best of our ability and if we -- in this world,
[inaudible] and to me it's just giving back to somebody.
>> Do you find that -- it is a huge responsibility, you are a leader in the Central Valley, do you feel like there
is kind of like, a lot of people need a lot of help from you and do you feel overwhelmed sometimes?
>> Not a lot of people but in my immediate family, I think being the oldest I took on a lot of responsibility,
especially in the Asian cloture, in Asian families. It doesn't matter who I am, I am still the oldest and I am
still being consulted by brothers and sisters or parents and cousins. And yeah, sometimes you feel burdened
that way but at the same time, you feel a pride for it in such a way and you what, people consulting me, I
am able to help them.
>> Right. That is wonderful. Is there anything else that you think, about yourself, that -- is there any other
reason why you are so successful? Because -- is it strange to realize that you are really successful? I don't
know how to say it that way.
>> It's like [inaudible]
>> Oh, of course!
>> It's just my human connection. I think in life, I don't care how educated you are or how rich you are, if
you don't have the human connection, you are not successful. To me, the definition of success is just being
happy with what you do on a daily basis. To be able to help people and to be of service to colleagues such
as yourself, and to me, that is successful.
>> Wow, okay. That is wonderful. Interesting. Your children are very successful as well, and your family,
that is the culture.
>> I hope so too. I hope that my children are finding themselves to be competetive and find their way in
this world, and they will wait to find their own niche, to let them fly. You know, to give them wings and let
them fly, and when they attend to educational goals, they realize that hey, you know what, I think I need to
give back to my community. And I say that with even an 18 year old, she is really involved with campus and
student activities.
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
>> Great.
>> Yeah. And she is in choir, she does a lot of volunteering things and my son, I think he is on his way to
realizing his full potential. And then [inaudible] which [inaudible] he is a great basketball player and he
wants to be the next Kyrie Irving, that is fine with me too. As long as he has the heart, he can do whatever
he wants.
>> Great. Do you think there is any other question I should ask you about your success?
>> No, I think we pretty much covered everything, but personally I am grateful that you are there and to be
a mentor for not only the Southeast Asian kids but kids who want to learn more about the Asian culture. I
know that when we were conducting searches for the positions, we were hoping to get somebody like you
who truly understands the needs of the Southeast Asian community. So you and the new colleagues that
were hired, I think it is refreshing to know that you guys are there and you are all going to be the heart and
soul and the voice for our community, and I appreciate that very much.
>> No, thank you. I am just a student right now.
>> I understand, and I am grateful to tell [inaudible] because they definitely saw the right folks for the
position, so I am just thankful for that.
>> Well thank you, I am also thankful for your interview. In 100 years, students will listen to your story and
immediately -- and my class, because they will have to -- listen to your advice and write it down, and I think
that will have a great positive impact on the community and also directly to these students taking my class
right now.
>> I also too, and if I can be of any assistance to you, just let me know.
>> Okay great, and let me turn off my recorder.
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
for the successful Southeast Asians in the Central Valley Voices. I was wondering if you could tell me your
name, and if you could spell it, and yes.
>> Sure, good afternoon professor. My name is Tou, That is T O U, and then H E R R.
>> And then can you give me verbal permission to interview and actually deposit this interview -- I mean,
not interview but yes, ask you questions and deposit into our archive as well as cite you if needed for any
academic purposes.
>> Absolutely.
>> Great. I just have one question, and my question, as we discussed earlier, in probably six years, a third
generation of Southeast Asians will be entering college, and they will be needing guidance. Do you have any
advice for the third generation that is coming in, or actually even the second generation that is presently
here. Do you have any advice for academic success?
>> I think it is important for Southeast Asian students to know where they came from. I think being rooted
in their family background is especially important to be successful in college, but most important, I think
these kids just need to understand their resources on campus, on and off campus, that they can go and seek
help. And then they need to have an established study habit, whether that would be -- whether they are
home or at school studying, choose their friends wisely, join clubs. I think one of the things about Southeast
Asians is that we have too much pride, oftentimes we don't ask for help. We need to seek mentors of our
own so that they can provide guidance and some show what we can and can't do. But I think, an affect in
third generation that needs to understand that professors are human beings, human too. They are there to
help. They are there to make sure that you acquire the necessary skills to innovate to the next level, and I
think that is important, and to be able to do and do research, supplemental research on a subject matter so
that what they know, they know that it they need that information in order to pass the class, in order to
graduate. I was [inaudible] and there are certain kids -- and don't procrastinate. Get things done in a timely
manner, and let go of your big ego and say you know what, if I want to be successful in this, and I want to
graduate, I have to be me. I matter more than anybody else. And hopefully that helps you to some degree.
>> Yes, that is excellent advice. Do you have any advice, particularly for South Asian males or females?
>> I think on self efficient, males have to look to a self efficient female. Because in my experience in the
past, I find the turnout has shifted in that self efficient females have taken education seriously, whether they
are fresh out of high school or later in life. They are more driven. What tell myself as males is we need to let
go of our ego. We need to acknowledge that females are equally smart, and then, if not smarter, and the
days of the male mentality is over. We need to seek advice and we need to get resources from our
counterpart. And if you live at home, especially for the males, and know your role. Understand the culture,
and the home culture and the school culture. And if you are working, you got to be able to balance work and
work. But stop being -- my thing for these young Southeast Asian males is that, stop worrying about being
the breadwinner in the family. It is no longer the case. For instance, my wife makes a lot more money than I
do, and I don't have a problem with that. And I think that we are seeing that in, throughout the Southeast
Asian community is that more women are entering the professional world, especially in the decision making
world. So we need to emulate that as males, because that, to me, that is the only way to excel in this, what
I call a dog eat dog world. And embrace the home culture, embrace the school culture, and embrace the
great culture that we have at the school. You know, we have multiple culture and stop worrying about, you
know, being just Hmong or being just Lao or just Vietnamese or just Chinese. [inaudible] in culture and see
what you can to do help to elevate each other up.
>> That is amazing advice, amazing. That is great, I think that that will be very helpful to students to follow.
Is there anything else that you would like to contribute or -- I mean, you have contributed enough, that is a
lot. [laughter]
>> No I did one of the thing, often times you don't find in Southeast Asian kids is that they need to
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
understand that there is tutorial services at the campus and they need to take advantage of that. Back in the
day, they were computer labs they had access to to help, but nowadays, you have to be an outside of the
box thinker. You have to seek help. If you don't seek questions, people are not going to help you. But know
the professors on the campus, especially the ones that you are taking class -- they are there to help you.
They are not there to fail you, but you need to take responsibility, you need to own it in order to be
successful, and I am sure if you talk to the Caucasian kids or the other kids who are successful, I think that
is the route they take, I am sure that is what you and I did in order to become successful. And all I need for
these kids to do is just say, you know, look at the [inaudible] of the world, we can make it too. So I think
that is important.
>> So I get a lot of questions from recent grads and the constant question is you know, how did do you get
to grad school? Do you want to give any advice about just getting into those spaces?
>> I think you and I know -- the undergraduate level, they are determined to try and come in to [inaudible]
and those who went to grad school probably had a start on the right foot as an undergrad. Because you and
I know, in order to get into a competitive grad school, you have to do well academically. But you can be one
around the students. You don't have to be the smartest to get into a grad school. I mentioned I wanted to
go to University of Stanford or University of Harvard or whatnot. But ->> Which is where you went.
>> Know what you want to do, and know what you want to study. Sometimes, the campus is not going to
be -- the story is not necessarily rep. I always tell [inaudible] You want to be a teacher, [inaudible] has a
great teacher program. [inaudible] education program. But don't go to Harvard, don't go to all of these great
Universities and then come back and be -- just choose. You got to know what you want to do.
>> That is great advice. Is that what you did? You always knew?
>> Yeah, I always knew what I wanted to do. But it really helped -- marry someone who is driven too. My
wife, my wife is an attorney so she -- I consider the cream of the crop and she is a very smart student and
she knows what she wants. So I think having a significant other that has the same commonality, same goal
in life, you push each other to become successful.
>> Yeah, thank you, you are one of the rare people that talked about partners, actually. Or maybe the only
one who has talked about partners.
>> I really attribute my success to my wife because we push each other for excellence and we push each
other. We are both risk takers so we -- I think that is important. Especially Asian and Southeast Asian
because we can't marry outside the race, which to me, nothing is wrong with that, but if you can find
someone within your culture that has the same goals, it is also a bit tough as well.
>> That is a great point. Do you attribute any of your success to your family at all?
>> Absolutely. I think being Hmong and being poor. Coming from an oral culture where language wasn't
developed until the 1950's by a French missionary, I really -- really motivate my wife and I to get a good
education, because we felt that -- education is the equalizer for everything that we do in this world. And
equally, education, [inaudible] and once you are educated, and you see the world from a global perspective,
I think that education, schooling and education, the skills that we acquire throughout the years have made
us more humble about what education really means.
>> So specifically, I know that you must have had a lot of trials and tribulations. What kept you going, what
is it about your personality trait that made you so successful? Because you are a unicorn in that you are very
successful and you reached the top -- the highest you can reach. What is it about your personality that made
you so -- I don't want to use the word grit but, why do you attribute -- I mean you talk about your partner,
and you talk about your family but what is it about your personality that made you so successful?
>> I think for me, in order for me to be of assistance, to service to others, I need to equip myself with the
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
tools to make sure that I can help, and that -- I think my personality reflects that. You know what, my
parents were poor, my community is poor, my community is not educated so if I can play a role in shifting
my community, that would be good. Because it doesn't really matter where I went to school or not, but as
long as I come back and be a role model for these kids, my own community at this point -- my home
community, and then also the greater community and Southeast Asian community and be a good role model.
I think that was one of the things that I really took pride in, in terms of why I needed to be successful.
>> And have you always been like this, when you were a fifth grader or a 10th grader? Have you always
been kind of this helpful or this taking leadership roles?
>> You know, I think, I came to the United States and I was in 7th grade when we first came here. Ever
since a kid, I have always been the [inaudible] and to me, leadership means a great deal to me, to be able
to help, to be able to facilitate and give to the community or your family. As far as I can remember, at age
11 and 12, I was the family translator, up until I had cousins that came to the United States and were able
to relieve me if I'm at duty. So I have always been a help growing up, even in Laus, Thailand, and here.
>> Oh, interesting. And what about your siblings, were they also helpers?
>> Yes, they are. Most of my siblings are in leadership as well. They give back to the community. Two are
cops, and a counselor, and one is an engineer. So yeah, we all give back to the community in our ways.
>> That is so impressive, your entire family, because they don't have to, but it is a huge impact in the entire
community.
>> I think we all have our goals in life and we just cater to the best of our ability and if we -- in this world,
[inaudible] and to me it's just giving back to somebody.
>> Do you find that -- it is a huge responsibility, you are a leader in the Central Valley, do you feel like there
is kind of like, a lot of people need a lot of help from you and do you feel overwhelmed sometimes?
>> Not a lot of people but in my immediate family, I think being the oldest I took on a lot of responsibility,
especially in the Asian cloture, in Asian families. It doesn't matter who I am, I am still the oldest and I am
still being consulted by brothers and sisters or parents and cousins. And yeah, sometimes you feel burdened
that way but at the same time, you feel a pride for it in such a way and you what, people consulting me, I
am able to help them.
>> Right. That is wonderful. Is there anything else that you think, about yourself, that -- is there any other
reason why you are so successful? Because -- is it strange to realize that you are really successful? I don't
know how to say it that way.
>> It's like [inaudible]
>> Oh, of course!
>> It's just my human connection. I think in life, I don't care how educated you are or how rich you are, if
you don't have the human connection, you are not successful. To me, the definition of success is just being
happy with what you do on a daily basis. To be able to help people and to be of service to colleagues such
as yourself, and to me, that is successful.
>> Wow, okay. That is wonderful. Interesting. Your children are very successful as well, and your family,
that is the culture.
>> I hope so too. I hope that my children are finding themselves to be competetive and find their way in
this world, and they will wait to find their own niche, to let them fly. You know, to give them wings and let
them fly, and when they attend to educational goals, they realize that hey, you know what, I think I need to
give back to my community. And I say that with even an 18 year old, she is really involved with campus and
student activities.
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]
>> Great.
>> Yeah. And she is in choir, she does a lot of volunteering things and my son, I think he is on his way to
realizing his full potential. And then [inaudible] which [inaudible] he is a great basketball player and he
wants to be the next Kyrie Irving, that is fine with me too. As long as he has the heart, he can do whatever
he wants.
>> Great. Do you think there is any other question I should ask you about your success?
>> No, I think we pretty much covered everything, but personally I am grateful that you are there and to be
a mentor for not only the Southeast Asian kids but kids who want to learn more about the Asian culture. I
know that when we were conducting searches for the positions, we were hoping to get somebody like you
who truly understands the needs of the Southeast Asian community. So you and the new colleagues that
were hired, I think it is refreshing to know that you guys are there and you are all going to be the heart and
soul and the voice for our community, and I appreciate that very much.
>> No, thank you. I am just a student right now.
>> I understand, and I am grateful to tell [inaudible] because they definitely saw the right folks for the
position, so I am just thankful for that.
>> Well thank you, I am also thankful for your interview. In 100 years, students will listen to your story and
immediately -- and my class, because they will have to -- listen to your advice and write it down, and I think
that will have a great positive impact on the community and also directly to these students taking my class
right now.
>> I also too, and if I can be of any assistance to you, just let me know.
>> Okay great, and let me turn off my recorder.
file:///C/...y%20Southeast%20Asian%20Successful%20Voices/Files%20for%20upload/38_DrTouHERR_StanfordPhD_Gatekeeper.clean.txt[3/10/2022 9:08:36 AM]