Although Iowa is commonly associated with cornfields and White farmers, Southeast Asian refugees have a remarkable history in this region that is largely unacknowledged. The recognition of this history, through inclusion in the school curriculum and the popular imagination, could be a powerful way to disrupt normative Whiteness and xenophobia in the region. This manuscript centers on the stories of five second-generation Southeast Asian Americans (SEAAs) from Central Iowa. Interviewees described a lack of understanding of their cultures and languages by their teachers and non-Asian communities. The insights and activism of these particular individuals suggest possibilities for educators to take transformational approaches toward more inclusive pedagogy and curriculum for future generations in Iowa and beyond.