Khmer Voices

Episodet

• Heart x Culture x Legacy -- But at What Cost? With Pioneer of Cambodian Hip Hop Sok Visal 15.07.2026 1h 42min

  Sok Visal shares his journey from growing up in France to pioneering hip hop in Cambodia. He discusses his cultural influences, the challenges he overcame, his vision for the future of Cambodia's creative industry, and what we need to do to keep the country moving forward. Bio: Sok Visal is a Cambodian-French filmmaker, music producer, and creative entrepreneur who has spent more than two decades contributing to Cambodia’s modern cultural landscape. Born in Phnom Penh and raised between...
• Was it Luck? With Khmer Linguist Nielson Sophann Hul, PhD 01.07.2026 1h 31min

  Dr. Nielson Sophann Hul is a Khmer linguist specializing in phonetics, heritage language acquisition, and Southeast Asian linguistics. In this episode, he shares his journey from his birth when his parents fled Cambodia to becoming a linguistics university professor. His research focuses on the phonetic and phonological systems of Khmer, with particular attention to implosive consonants, voice quality, and sociophonetic variation in diasporic communities. Before academia, Nielson was a Combat...
• Khmer Voices Will Be Changing! (just a little) 17.06.2026 22min

  What's happening with Khmer Voices? What are some takeaways from conversations with Khmer Voices guests over the last 3 months? What surprised me during this podcasting journey? What's next for Khmer Voices? I cover all this in this solo episode. ------------ Hosting an event in Canada? Use Bloom Tickets to sell your tickets, like me! Here's my referral link. Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social. Intro and ...
• Growing up in Cambodia at the Start of Rebuilding with ReanKhmer Founder Chankrisna Chea 03.06.2026 1h 7min

  Chankrisna (Krisna) Chea is the Founder and CEO of Chea Labs, where he built ReanKhmer—the first AI-powered Khmer learning platform helping the Cambodian diaspora reconnect with their heritage. With a BS in Computer Science and MS in Wireless Communication, Krisna has over 20 years of technical leadership in wireless technologies, software development and validation, and artificial intelligence and machine learning. Beyond technology, Chankrisna serves the Cambodian community as Vice Ch...
• Born & Raised in Cambodia in a French Bubble with Khmer Era Founder Marie 20.05.2026 1h 2min

  Marie is Khmer-French, currently based in Berlin. Her dad's family immigrated to France in the 80s. Fifteen years later, he returned home on his own, met her mom, and decided his children would grow up between two cultures. Marie and her sister were born and raised in Cambodia but mostly within a French bubble and she described existing in that in-between space, confusing. As a bridge between Cambodia and her life abroad, Marie created KHMER ERA, a rave-inspired fashion brand using tra...
• Challenging Stereotypes, Giving Back, and Business Talk with Rapper, Community Builder, and Mechanical Engineer Borey Chau 06.05.2026 1h 19min

  Borey Chau is a second generation Khmer American who uses art to share his perspective of Cambodian diaspora life in Califorinia. Many know him as G Funk Supreme, Long Beach, California rap artist, entrepreneur, and creative. His personal persona though includes his day job as a Mechanical Engineer. Discover how he overcame stereotypes, pursued his passions, and built initiatives to uplift his community in this episode. Borey's book: If My Eyes Could Talk They Things They Would Sa...
• Summary of Dr. Kara Uy Has' Khmer Diaspora Keynote & Conference Takeaways 22.04.2026 15min

  Thank you to Dr. Kara Uy Has, PysD for sharing her keynote presentation slides with me: Memory, Healing, and the Work of Becoming for the Khmer Diaspora Conference held March 27-29 in Lowell, MA, United States. I was wiping tears throughout her keynote and couldn't focus on writing notes. This episode offers a summary of her powerful message that set the tone for the conference, The Next 50 years: Evolving from Surviving to Thriving in the Khmer Diaspora. I also share 4 of my takeaways ...
• Khmer Diaspora Conference Interviews 08.04.2026 47min

  The first ever Khmer diaspora conference was held in Lowell, MA, USA from March 27 to 29, 2026, organized by Dr. Christine Su. I managed to get some time with 7 people throughout this meaningful, jam-packed weekend to ask these powerful questions, courtesy of Cathy Chen on Threads @triggeredbutcurious: Question 1: What did you once reject that you now understand differently? Question 2: Are you rediscovering parts of your heritage you once pushed away? Question 3: Are you finding new meaning ...
• Fashion x Photography + Storytelling with The Khmer Collective Founder Denys Meak 25.03.2026 1h 21min

  Denys Meak is a second generation Khmer American born in Atlanta, Georgia to Cambodian refugees. She describes her family as self-taught artists and makers. Her passion for fashion saw her pursue and attain a degree in Fashion Merchandising. Today, she works as a Visual Merchandising Manager for a retail brand, but most in the Cambodian community know her professionally as a photographer, with the Instagram @thekhmercollective. Founded in 2021, The Khmer Collective is a traveling projec...
• Farewell, Letting Go of Good to Make Room for Great 11.03.2026 15min

  I share a big pivot in my life and what I plan to do with Khmer Voices and other projects. One of them is a newsletter coming out April 2026. It'll be letters I write to my younger self and to my daughter and will be related to the podcast Khmer Voices. If you're interested in receiving my letters in your inbox, DM me your email on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/khmervoices I'll make sure you receive the link to read and to subscribe. Thank you so much for your support! -----...
• It's Going to Suck Initially with Khmer Renaissance Founder Sotheara Lim 23.02.2026 1h 3min

  Sotheara Lim is a second generation Khmer American who grew up in Long Beach, California, home to the largest Cambodian diaspora population in the United States. You may also know him as the man behind Khmer Renaissance on Instagram, a platform dedicated to celebrating Khmer culture and identity, with careful attention to nuances. Sotheara holds a BA in English from California State University, Long Beach. A seasoned Project Management professional, his day job is in marketing as an Associate...
• From Single Mom of 4 to Tech Startup Founder with Lin Sok 11.02.2026 1h 14min

  Born in a Thai refugee camp, Lin Sok arrived in Canada with her family when she was only 6 months old. They had modest means, and she recalls her early childhood years with fondness. She and her two brothers did well in school, but when she was 18, she got pregnant and decided to move out and live with her then boyfriend. In this conversation, Lin Sok shares her insights on resilience and perspective shaped by her Cambodian Canadian upbringing in Montréal, and experiences as a sin...
• More than a Podcast with The Bánh Mì Chronicles Founder Randy Kim 28.01.2026 1h 18min

  Randy Kim is a queer Vietnamese-Khmer American storyteller and podcast host of The Bánh Mì Chronicles as well as content writer for his Substack, “Bánh Mì Bites”. His work centres intergenerational healing, identity, and uplifting voices from Asian, queer and BIPOC communities. Randy is an experienced nonprofit development professional. With a background in public storytelling and relationship-building, Randy creates spaces that honour history, build trust, and provoke reflection. Through sto...
• Just Existing is a Political Statement with Silong Chhun 13.01.2026 1h 36min

  Silong Chhun, a 1.5 generation Cambodian American from Tacoma, Washington, is an accomplished communications strategist with extensive experience driving multimedia campaigns across government, non-profit, and private sectors. He is also co-founder of the Khmer Anti-Deportation Advocacy Group and co-founder of the award winning SEA Comedy Collective comedy production company. In this episode, Silong shares his journey into government, the lessons learned from his political campaign, and...
• Navigating Career Pivots with Sophaline Mao 09.12.2025 50min

  As a 1.5 generation Cambodian American growing up in Stockton, California, Sophaline Mao was shaped by the vibrancy of her heritage and the challenges of navigating a bicultural identity. These early experiences forged her deep empathy, strong work ethic, and lifelong devotion to empowering others. Fueled by a commitment to education and self-betterment, Sophaline worked tirelessly to excel academically, ultimately earning dual graduate degrees from the University of San Francisco: a Master o...
• Embracing Fear and Taking Risks with Dorothy Chow 25.11.2025 1h 4min

  Dorothy Chow is a second generation Cambodian American who grew up in donut shops. She described her father as the northern California version of The Donut King. Her father's detailed account of his time surviving the Khmer Rouge regime and his subsequent life in the US on their podcast Death in Cambodia, Life in America earned them international coverage in media such as the CBS Morning Show and South China Morning News. In this episode, Dorothy describes how growing up, her pare...
• Khmer Voices Turns 1 Part 2 11.11.2025 18min

  Part 2 of 2 of Khmer Voices Turns 1 features 6 takeaways to round out my 12 takeaways of the year. I wanted to highlight more, but saving them for another episode. Enjoy, and let me know if you've got any favourite takeaways from Khmer Voices. ------------ Hosting an event in Canada? Use Bloom Tickets to sell your tickets, like me! Here's my referral link. Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social. Intro and out...
• Saran Uthayakumar Interviews Vanny Whitchelo for Dissertation 28.10.2025 1h 8min

  This is a first! This interview with me was part of a study that Saran Uthayakumar is conducting for his PhD dissertation that examines the diasporic experiences of Cambodians and Tamils. The dissertation asks: How do memories of violence and transgenerational trauma make 1.5/2nd generation refugee diaspora members more compelled or repelled from embracing identities and participating in communal healing and revival? Saran wrote, "I was influenced by my best friend, who's French Khmer, ...
• Khmer Voices Turns 1! 14.10.2025 18min

  Khmer Voices is 26 episodes in and I've been podcasting consistently for one year! To celebrate, I'm highlighting 12 takeaways from guests. This is part 1 of 2. Please share Khmer Voices podcast with someone you think might enjoy our stories. ------------ Hosting an event in Canada? Use Bloom Tickets to sell your tickets, like me! Here's my referral link. Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social. In...
• What's Hindering Cambodia's Progress with Community Leader, Scholar, and Former Monk Sophoan Seng 30.09.2025 1h 22min

  Sophoan Seng is a first generation Khmer Canadian, a husband, a father and he was a Buddhist monk for 14 years! In this episode, Sophoan shares his memories of growing up during the Vietnamese invasion in Cambodia. We cover his journey from his time in the monastery, his academic endeavours, and finally his work as a professional interpreter and community leader in Canada. Sophoan holds a BA in Philosophy from Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University in Bangkok. From the University of...