Malissa Tem has a natural instinct for storytelling, to the point that she feels her current path as a journalism student and freelance reporter found her rather than her choosing it. She takes a meticulous approach to her work, making such extensive notes that she can feel overwhelmed by the story she’s trying to cover. However, she believes the Khmerican is a fitting venue for her talents, one that “offers a different perspective that is often neglected by other media outlets.” In fact, Tem sees the Khmerican as being able to “build a large network of leaders in the different Cambodian communities buy sharing stories that can inspire the next wave.”
Indeed, one thing she hopes to achieve by becoming part of the news organization is to empower Khmer American youth, especially women, to develop leadership qualities that will make the community more successful. Along those lines, Tem makes another observation: “I find a lot of parents, older siblings, and relatives creating an environment that reinforces good role models because Cambodian Americans cannot latch on to a role model who directly identifies as Cambodian in mainstream media.”
In other words, it is a population that most commonly looks to familial ties for its identify formation. This was certainly true for Tem herself while growing up; she lived 40 miles northeast of Long Beach, yet her family made regular trips there to replenish their cooking ingredients. She also has fond recollections of family outings that emphasized the link back to their heritage.
“I remember attending a Cambodian New Year Festival at a large regional park as a child and being overwhelmed with this sense of belonging—for the first time I met strangers who were also Cambodian. These sorts of events inspired me to get involved with researching and interviewing subjects about the Cambodian diaspora in the United States while attending UC Irvine,” says Tem.
These days, however, that sense of connection can be fostered through technology and social media. Although Tem sees significant differences in their culture and economics, Cambodians in America and those abroad are able to exchange ideas and represent themselves better.
Malissa Tem plans to continue exploring these issues through stories and images. She joins the Khmerican as a reporter and photographer in the greater Los Angeles area.
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