Marpheen Chann: Born in the U.S. but English wasn’t my first language

Over the past several months, the Cambodian Community has been working on organizing the Cambodian New Year in Portland, Maine, and we'd love to have your support! 

For me, it goes beyond the fact that I am a second-generation Cambodian American. 

Starting in 3rd grade, I was asked by teachers to stop speaking Khmer, my first language, in class. That snowballed into me speaking less and less Khmer at home.

As I entered the foster care system and transitioned between white foster families in rural towns of Maine from 2000-2003, I lost my Khmer language and my connection to my Cambodian roots grew fainter with each passing day. When I moved in with my adoptive family in 2003 and enrolled in a small Christian high school, it only got worse. 

It wasn't until I came out in my first year of college and started to find my strength as an openly gay man that I also started to unpack the insecurities I had about no longer being connected to my Cambodian roots. I flew out to Texas and California to reunite with my biological family and thus started a journey to rebuilding the bonds that had been broken.

For several years I refused to be president of the Cambodian Community Association because of my insecurity about not knowing the language and customs. But over the past few years, my Cambodian community showed me that they didn't care as much about me remembering Khmer and the customs and traditions.

What was most important to them was that I had come home. And on top of that, they could have cared less that I was gay!

This is why I am pouring heart and soul into this community association and working diligently to lay the groundwork to help bring the community together, to give them visibility, and work towards helping us all heal from our collective trauma as a people. 

That's why I am hoping that you will help support the Cambodian Community Association by making a contribution on our website today. Thanks to our fiscal sponsor Resources for Organizing and Social Change, your gift is tax-deductible. 

Your friend,
Marpheen Chann