A proud member of Cal State Fullerton’s Cambodian Student Association, David Chau is a graduating senior majoring in business marketing. He acknowledges involvement with his student organization as being the catalyst for his cultural immersion and appreciation.

Growing up, Chau felt like the only Cambodian person among his peers, although he did attend weekly Khmer lessons and the annual New Year celebration in Long Beach. “Other than my parents, I didn’t really have role models, but I know with the people I meet in college now, there are so many potential leaders that are going to advance our growing community,” says Chau.

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Chan Kay, a peer mentor for freshmen at the University of California, Merced, has had to fight others’ negative perceptions of Cambodians—as being gang members or dropouts. “I have always worked hard to defy these stereotypes and show others that Cambodians are capable of getting an education just like anyone else,” said Kay. “I know there are many other Cambodian Americans out there who do not follow the stereotypes and have made something of themselves.”

Indeed, in his job, Kay is able to act as a role model and advisor for the younger generation, something that was lacking while he was growing up. But things are changing: “I feel that Khmerican is able to provide representation for the Cambodian Americans that are doing some sort of good for themselves and the community, so that the youth are able to find role models that they can relate to.”

He hopes his affiliation with Khmerican allows him to learn more about his own identity as well as keep informed about what other community members are accomplishing. He believes in the importance of publicizing the many forms of that success, whether in activism, entertainment, or academics. As a student himself, Kay balances extracurricular activities and two jobs along with his schoolwork, striving to stay organized and manage his time well.

“Being a Cambodian American, I have a large amount of pride in who I am and for my community,” said Kay.

A native of Fresno, California, Chan Kay will serve as our third community liaison, putting his interpersonal/communication skills to good use.

“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.”

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