Friday August 5th, 2011 I will be presenting at the American Psychological Association on the topic of inter-generational trauma for Cambodian American Women.
It is a topic that Dr. Kayoko Yokoyama (of JFK Univ. Pleasant Hill) submitted to APA because of how deeply moved we were by the resiliencies of our Cambodian American women clients.
We had both taken it upon ourselves to read and learn more about the history of Cambodia, and about the immigration and refugee journeys of survivors so we could better comprehend the larger history of our clients' families.
Yet it's impossible to comprehend a genocide that murdered 2 million innocent people, and plunged survivors into starvation and terror. All we can hope for, is to learn from past horrors and mistakes. As mental health providers, we hope to learn how to support those who have been through the unthinkable, and who live and love others who have survived.
Our hope is for them to not only survive, but learn to thrive again. I wanted to share the Bochan video for several reasons:
- Bochan has a beautiful voice and graceful presence
- She's a young local artist - Yay, Oakland!
- She completely embodies the message of Khmer American pride
- The video is beautiful and portrays both the pain and the resiliency of her community
- and disclaimer- I know Bochan personally, I had the privilege of being her supervisor when she was working to help Oakland youth empower themselves. She is truly a kind hearted person who inspires positivity in the Cambodian American community.
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