Reclaiming my Khmer Language
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Hello,
My name is Sevly (Silver-Lee) and I'm 2nd generation Cambodian-American from Long Beach, California. As a queer, nonbinary, Cambodian-American scholar-activist, it is a dream and commitment of mine to advance equity for Cambodians in my hometown, Long Beach, California. My personal experiences as a Cambodian-American who was raised in poverty and in the neglected neighborhoods of Long Beach has deeply impacted my pursuit for social justice. I was exposed to multiple forms of violence: police brutality, gang violence, discrimination, inadequate health care systems, and domestic violence to name a few. In many ways, I have embodied the traumas and recognize how systems continue to perpetuate that violence. For example, I was my mother’s health and patient navigator at the age of eight where I translated for her at multiple doctor appointments. Until this day, there is still a lack of Khmer interpretation for our elders and this is a constant theme I consistently heard in a community health needs assessment focus group I facilitated recently. I have returned back to Long Beach since graduating from Johns Hopkins last year to support my family and with hopes of creating positive change for my community.
Community Health Needs Assessment for Cambodian Elders at the United Cambodian Community (UCC).
I have the privilege to attend the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) on a full-tuition scholarship (~$4500) to learn Khmer and reclaim my ancestral language. My official program dates are June 17th to August 9th! I need your help to cover my living expenses, which is estimated to be $2300 for a frugal student. So I'm requesting $2500 as wiggle room because I'll still have to cover my rent and expenses in Long Beach. I plan to close my fundraiser on June 17th, my first day of school.
I'm currently working back in my community as Research & Policy Analyst with Long Beach Forward, where I have been able to participate in systems & policy change work to serve the Cambodian community. For example, I have been able to advocate for equitable funding for the most vulnerable students in our k-12 education system, deportation defense resources to keep families together, and inclusive city planning so our Cambodian community is not displaced in the face of hyper-development.
Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Community Engagement Forum at Cabrillo High.
As a mixed-methods researcher on the ground, I am already running into challenges because of my language capacity. My Khmer is broken, informal, and have been lost over the years because my parents felt it was necessary for me to learn English to survive in the United States. However, learning the language is a form of cultural resilience for me and I want research to center Khmer communities by recognizing our needs and addressing our problems with cultural humility. Part of being a scholar-activist is my hope to adopt a research justice lens, to ensure that Khmer communities and their knowledge are at the center of research, by allowing their voices to be included in a community-based process.
The Anaheim & Atlantic Plaza Development Plans Community Engagement Forum at MacArthur Park
Long Beach Forward is extremely supportive in allowing me to remote work and is covering my travel expenses. They recognize how critical it is for me to immerse in my language and have the ability to learn technical social justice terms. When I return, one major thing I hope to do is build a stronger network to get Cambodians involved in community defense and deportation defense in Long Beach.
Please help donate or share because I want to focus on my studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Anticipated Expenses Breakdown (2 months):
~$1200 Housing Expenses + Utilities
~$600 Food
~$500 Textbooks & School Materials
~$200 Wiggle Room Money
Please donate by June 17th, 2019! I also accept venmo (@Sevly-Snguon)!
With Love,
Sevly Snguon
My name is Sevly (Silver-Lee) and I'm 2nd generation Cambodian-American from Long Beach, California. As a queer, nonbinary, Cambodian-American scholar-activist, it is a dream and commitment of mine to advance equity for Cambodians in my hometown, Long Beach, California. My personal experiences as a Cambodian-American who was raised in poverty and in the neglected neighborhoods of Long Beach has deeply impacted my pursuit for social justice. I was exposed to multiple forms of violence: police brutality, gang violence, discrimination, inadequate health care systems, and domestic violence to name a few. In many ways, I have embodied the traumas and recognize how systems continue to perpetuate that violence. For example, I was my mother’s health and patient navigator at the age of eight where I translated for her at multiple doctor appointments. Until this day, there is still a lack of Khmer interpretation for our elders and this is a constant theme I consistently heard in a community health needs assessment focus group I facilitated recently. I have returned back to Long Beach since graduating from Johns Hopkins last year to support my family and with hopes of creating positive change for my community.
Community Health Needs Assessment for Cambodian Elders at the United Cambodian Community (UCC).I have the privilege to attend the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) on a full-tuition scholarship (~$4500) to learn Khmer and reclaim my ancestral language. My official program dates are June 17th to August 9th! I need your help to cover my living expenses, which is estimated to be $2300 for a frugal student. So I'm requesting $2500 as wiggle room because I'll still have to cover my rent and expenses in Long Beach. I plan to close my fundraiser on June 17th, my first day of school.
I'm currently working back in my community as Research & Policy Analyst with Long Beach Forward, where I have been able to participate in systems & policy change work to serve the Cambodian community. For example, I have been able to advocate for equitable funding for the most vulnerable students in our k-12 education system, deportation defense resources to keep families together, and inclusive city planning so our Cambodian community is not displaced in the face of hyper-development.
Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Community Engagement Forum at Cabrillo High. As a mixed-methods researcher on the ground, I am already running into challenges because of my language capacity. My Khmer is broken, informal, and have been lost over the years because my parents felt it was necessary for me to learn English to survive in the United States. However, learning the language is a form of cultural resilience for me and I want research to center Khmer communities by recognizing our needs and addressing our problems with cultural humility. Part of being a scholar-activist is my hope to adopt a research justice lens, to ensure that Khmer communities and their knowledge are at the center of research, by allowing their voices to be included in a community-based process.
The Anaheim & Atlantic Plaza Development Plans Community Engagement Forum at MacArthur ParkLong Beach Forward is extremely supportive in allowing me to remote work and is covering my travel expenses. They recognize how critical it is for me to immerse in my language and have the ability to learn technical social justice terms. When I return, one major thing I hope to do is build a stronger network to get Cambodians involved in community defense and deportation defense in Long Beach.
Please help donate or share because I want to focus on my studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Anticipated Expenses Breakdown (2 months):
~$1200 Housing Expenses + Utilities
~$600 Food
~$500 Textbooks & School Materials
~$200 Wiggle Room Money
Please donate by June 17th, 2019! I also accept venmo (@Sevly-Snguon)!
With Love,
Sevly Snguon
Organizer
Sevly Snguon
Organizer
Long Beach, CA