“I think that we should start examining the struggles and shortcomings of our culture and community,” says Lidi Chea, of Providence, Rhode Island. “We can’t prosper as a people if we continue to neglect certain stories.”
Her list is formidable. It includes Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the dichotomy of gender roles, intergenerational barriers, and the ostracization of homosexual and transgender community members. She believes Khmerican can generate dialogue and understanding about these issues.
In fact, as a young girl who was a member of the 1.5 generation, born in Cambodia but raised in America, Chea had little connection to the Cambodian American community, and little desire for any. It seemed patriarchal and extremely conservative, and she mostly saw the negative stereotypes, such as domestic violence, gang involvement, and gambling/alcohol addiction.
However, she grew to realize that these behaviors had to be understood as coping mechanisms for both past suffering under the Khmer Rouge regime and ongoing hardships in resettlement as immigrants. “Ultimately, we are just trying to rebuild our community and preserve our traditions and customs in a foreign country with limited assets and capacity,” Chea says.
A photographer, Chea joins the Khmerican team hoping to convey the emotions of those she portrays—even changing the perception of Cambodian Americans. She would also like to learn as much as possible and build up the communication among our communities nationwide and overseas.
