If you didn’t know already, The Khmer Rouge took control of the Cambodian government in the 1970’s. This resulted in a mass genocide of the Cambodian population. The brutal acts of violence targeted doctors, teachers, journalists, educators, and many others. However those killings did not stop there, they executed the rich and the poor as well. They practically killed anyone who was not with the communist movement.

The stories are endless. They become vivid more and more every time I hear them. My mother was just five years old when the war started. Ever since then, her childhood has never been the same. She didn’t grow up playing in her front yard; she didn’t grow up going to school every day. In fact she grew up hungry, restless and having to escape the Khmer Rouge in order to stay alive. Luckily, she ended up in refugee camps so that she could later start a life in America.

My father’s story on the other hand was a bit different; he didn’t get as lucky as my mom did. At the age of 13 he was separated from his family. Only being 13, he had to learn most things on his own. Later he found out that he was unable to reconnect with his parents because at the time, they banned him from the village because it was far too dangerous for him to return. This is because there was a potentiality that he could get himself killed since he was considered an enemy. Eventually my dad was able to rekindle with his brother and ever since then, they started the “American Dream”.

On behalf of my Cambodian brothers and sisters and being the second generation from the Khmer Rouge survivors, we stand with them. Those survivors included moms, dads, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. As a kid I took for granted what I had. Not realizing how hardworking my family truly was.

The struggle was definitely real.

Assimilating to American culture can be tough. Our families had to learn the English language to fit in, some started working low-wage income jobs, and most of our parents either did not attend school, or they just went straight into high school without any prior knowledge.

How did they do it? I can only imagine determination was key.

All I have to say is:

• We thank you for the better opportunity you were seeking
• We thank you for believing in us
• We thank you for wanting better for us
• We thank you for being so hardworking
• Most importantly, we thank you for loving us unconditionally.

The various obstacles that our parents went through to get to where they are today will not go unseen. They have paved a way for opportunity and growth for our own future. We want to make you proud. We know that you came here to America seeking a better life. We know that you’re hard on us sometimes because you want us to take advantage of our education and our life here. You want to see us do better.

I know when the going gets tough; I can rely on the history of my parents and relatives to remind me that anything is definitely possible.