TRADITION. Dancers from the Khmer Arts Cultural Center perform a “Wishing Dance” before ceremonies at Cambodia Town’s Third Anniversary party. —Gazette photo by Darcy Leigh Richardson
via Khmer NZ
By Darcy Leigh Richardson
Editor
Published: Thursday, July 15, 2010
They came to Long Beach as refugees, many of them penniless, grieving the death of family and friends, and in fear of streets that reminded them of the jungles of Cambodia.
More than 30 years later, the Cambodian community, its friends and supporters, and city and state dignitaries gathered to celebrate the third anniversary of Cambodia Town, Inc. on Friday, July 9.
On July 3, 2007, the City Council voted to officially designate the area of Anaheim Street bounded by Atlantic Boulevard and Junipero Avenue as Cambodia Town.
But for the nonprofit cultural organization’s directors and board members, their story began decades before the recognition. Sithea San, chairperson of Cambodia Town, arrived in Long Beach as a refugee of genocide in August 1981.
Twenty years later, San and her husband, Richer, were instrumental in establishing a vision for the run-down streets in their neighborhood and had a plan to unite the Cambodian community.
“It was very challenging and we had to prove to the City Council why we should have Cambodia Town,” San said. “We had to organize events to share our culture and to show that Cambodia Town could be a tourist attraction in Long Beach, which is known as the International City.”
San admits the journey has not been easy, and challenges still loom. For example, the organization has been attempting to organize a Business Improvement District (BID), which would require all businesses in the district to contribute money to a community fund for events and neighborhood improvements. San said she envisions having enough support from business owners on Anaheim Street to form a BID in 2011.
“We want to see this community more vibrant and for businesses to be open late,” San said. “We don’t want to see businesses closing their doors at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. We want a nice coffee shop, an upscale restaurant and a jewelry mart… Another goal is to try and improve the facades of the buildings so they resemble Cambodian architecture and include Khmer characters to make this area distinct.”
San said 54th District Assemblywoman Bonnie Lowenthal, who attended the celebration and presented the Champion of Cambodia Town Award, has been working with the committee to lobby in Sacramento to erect a Cambodia Town sign visible from the 405 Freeway.
In addition to signs, San said her dream is for Cambodians to socialize with neighbors at a community center in the area. In recent history, as more Cambodian immigrants have had children who were born and raised in Long Beach, a concerted effort has been made to share a culture spanning thousands of years.
Events such as the Cambodian New Year Parade and the Cambodian Art Exhibition have become annual mainstays.
“We came here as refugees and we embrace the future,” San said. “Speaking for myself, I’m not going to forget the past. But I will not sit and have the past haunt me. I must move forward. Obstacles and stress come to me, but it makes me stronger. I tell myself, ‘You could survive then (the genocide under Khmer Rouge), so surviving now, why not?’”
Susan Huoy Lor, a Cambodia Town, Inc. founding board member, said she and her husband, Samuel Huot Lor, arrived in the neighborhood on Aug. 17, 1979.
Huoy Lor recalled escaping from the Khmer Rouge regime by walking through minefields to the Thailand border in 1979.
“I didn’t have milk to feed my son, and he was lost,” Huoy Lor said.
“My husband was an electronics engineer who went to university and we were lucky because intellectuals were (in danger). I remember I came to (America) with two sets of clothes. I walked on the street in rubber shoes. We had no money. We came here empty with two hands and two feet. Anaheim (Street) was ugly and dirty, but it felt like heaven to me.”
Huoy Lor said starting over was very difficult, but she and her husband had two children, a boy and a girl who are both excellent students. Huoy Lor said Cambodia Town has improved substantially and is cleaner and safer than years ago.
“We wanted to come together as a community so Cambodia Town could be here for our children,” Huoy Lor said. “The Cambodian people have always worked hard, and we will continue to work hard to build this community.”
Edward Sana Tan, chairman of the Cambodian-American Chamber of Commerce, said he arrived in Long Beach in 1984. Sana Tan, a general contractor whose business is on Anaheim Street, said he looks forward to the formation of a BID.
“The (Chamber of Commerce’s) function is to facilitate getting people their business license,” Sana Tan said.
“The community has changed. There used to be nothing (on Anaheim Street), but now there are mostly small, family-owned businesses that Cambodians feel comfortable going to through word-of-mouth. For the BID, we have 60% of the businesses (supporting), and that is progress.”
Long Beach Chief of Police Jim McDonnell attended the event and said he also has plans for Cambodia Town — the city’s Police Department is working to create a Cambodian Citizens’ Police Academy, where people of Cambodian descent can be recruited for the LBPD.
“I think people (in Cambodia Town) are communicating more with police officers when there are problems and we’ve built some bridges,” McDonnell said. “We still face some challenges. The community is dealing with a history of police in Cambodia being brutal, corrupt or worse.”
David Doung, the son of Kevin Kang, owner of Grand Paradise Restaurant where the event occurred, said he grew up in Cambodia Town and his parents opened the restaurant more than 20 years ago.
Doung said many people in the neighborhood were segregated 10 years ago and it was rare to see a familiar face on the street.
“The older generation has tried to teach (the younger generation) our culture and how easy it is for us,” Duong said. “The older generation came together to create Cambodia Town for our benefit so we can carry the torch. It’s up to us to make a difference.”
For more information, visit http://www.cambodiatown.org/
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