Originally published at http://khmr.cn/darlene-ly-bio
“One of the things I hope to achieve for myself while at Khmerican is to be more informed and active in the current happenings of the Cambodian American community,” says Darlene Ly, a grad student at Cal State Long Beach and seasoned participant in several local organizations. “Simultaneously, I hope that the Cambodian American community will utilize Khmerican as a great resource to stay connected and work collaboratively towards a common cause, such as developing better learning communities for the youth.”
Ly’s concern for youth stems from her realization of the power of mentorship. In her personal experiences, she has seen how beneficial the interaction between a student and a mentor can be. “I realize that education may be the only key to success for many low income students, such as Cambodian Americans, and I want to help them see that they are capable of achieving in school and in life.”
Ly grew up in the city that would eventually be officially recognized as Cambodia Town, and her formative experiences reflect that. She always enjoyed attending the Cambodian New Year festivities at a sprawling local park, with her family and friends surrounding her during the day-long event with food, games, and performances every year. Ly also credits her father and older sister as being positive influences in regard to her culturally-aware upbringing.
While noting the bicultural status of Khmer Americans, Ly believes that the generational gap is significant, with many of the youth today respecting their heritage but perhaps most comfortable with an American outlook. After all, as she points out, it has been more than three decades since the first wave of immigration.
As a community liaison, Ly would like Khmerican to serve “people who are interested in better understanding Khmer Americans” and relevant happenings. Ly brings some photography skills along with her networking abilities; she will reach out and facilitate our contact with various networks, including the broader Southeast Asian community in Southern California.
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