Death in Cambodia, Life in America

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Vanndearlyn Bermudez Vong, a Cambodian Chinese-American ceramist based in Long Beach, California, whose work is rooted in cultural revival and resistance. A daughter of genocide survivors, Vanndearlyn shares what it was like growing up in Long Beach—home to one of the largest Cambodian diasporic communities—while still feeling...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America, I sit down with Cambodian American culinary creator and MasterChef USA Season 13 contestant, Charles Calvino, to talk about identity, authenticity, and the responsibility of representing Khmer cuisine on a global stage. Born in Long Beach and now based in the Midwest, Charles shares how growing up in a large Khmer family shaped his earliest me...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Alissa Iris, a Los Angeles–based model, actress, and cultural writer whose work explores beauty, media, and modern womanhood through a Southeast Asian lens. Alissa shares what it was like growing up Khmer American in California’s Central Valley, struggling to see herself reflected in the world around her, and slowly learning t...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Sambath Both Bou Chum, better known as Both Bou — award-winning designer, Co-Founder & Creative Director of Anagata Design, and one of Prestige’s 40 Under 40 honorees. Self-taught and relentlessly curious, Both has become one of the leading forces shaping Cambodia’s modern design landscape. From reimagining the identity of...

In the Season 4 premiere of the Death in Cambodia, Life in America Podcast, we're kicking things off with a new focus: amplifying the voices of young, bold Cambodian changemakers. First up is content creator and community builder Priscilla Kim Ong, also known as Sela — a Khmer-Krom American who moved to Cambodia to reconnect with her roots and reclaim her identity. Sela shares how growing up...

In the final episode of this season of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with siblings Christina and Anthony Teav , co-founders of Mama Teav’s Hot Garlic Sauce , for a conversation about food, family, and what it means to build something rooted in legacy. We talk about growing up Cambodian American in Stockton, navigating identity in the shadow of war, and how their family’s story in...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Chef Nite Yun , the visionary behind the beloved Oakland restaurant Nyum Bai, author of the new cookbook My Cambodia, and one of the stars of Netflix’s Chef’s Table: Noodles . Her episode introduced millions to the richness of Khmer cuisine, but behind the camera, Chef Nite’s story is one of identity, intergenerational trauma,...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I speak with Li-Da Kruger, a Cambodian-born British filmmaker and adoptee, whose search for identity has shaped the course of her life. Adopted as a baby just before the Khmer Rouge came to power, Li-Da was raised in the UK with little connection to her roots. For decades, she carried the weight of survival, guilt, and longing for a culture t...

This week on the Death in Cambodia, Life in America Podcast , I sit down with James Taing , founder of the Preah Vihear Foundation, author of Under the Naga Tail , and director of the short documentary Ghost Mountain . James shares the deeply personal story of his father, who survived the Khmer Rouge only to face a second, lesser-known atrocity: being forced back across the Thai-Cambodian border i...

In the latest episode of the Death in Cambodia, Life in America Podcast, I had the honor of sitting down with Chef Ros Rotanak (better known as Chef Nak) Cambodia’s leading culinary ambassador and the author of the award-winning cookbook SAOI . From her earliest memories of cooking out of necessity to her rise as a global advocate for Khmer food, Chef Nak’s journey is one of resilience, purpose, a...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Amara Goel , a Cambodian American performing artist, and policy analyst whose journey spans refugee camps, international stages, and global policy work. Amara shares her experiences growing up as a 1.5 generation immigrant and how her identity has been shaped by a life lived across countries and cultures. We explore her deep c...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Caylee So , a Cambodian-American filmmaker, veteran, and co-founder of the Cambodian Town Film Festival. Born in a refugee camp after her parents fled the Khmer Rouge, Caylee shares her incredible journey from growing up in Virginia to serving in the Army National Guard and ultimately finding her voice through filmmaking. We t...

With the 50th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge upon us, I’m honored to share a conversation that holds so much weight, truth, and heart. In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , I sit down with Loung Ung , Cambodian-American author, activist, and survivor. You probably know Loung from her memoir First They Killed My Father , which tells the story of her survival during the Khmer Rouge...

French-Cambodian artist Jean-Baptiste Phou joins Death in Cambodia, Life in America Podcast for a powerful conversation about identity, creative expression, and the journey of reconnection. Born in Paris and now based in Phnom Penh, Jean-Baptiste reflects on growing up as a Cambodian immigrant in France, grappling with cultural disconnection, and ultimately leaving a career in finance to pursue a...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , we sit down with Patricia McCormick , a two-time National Book Award finalist and the acclaimed author of Never Fall Down , a powerful novel based on the true story of Arne Chorn-Pond , a boy who survived the Khmer Rouge by playing music. With a background in journalism and a passion for storytelling, McCormick has spent her career shedding l...

We’re back with Season 3 of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , and we’re still going strong with incredible interviews! This week, we’re joined by Sin Setsochhata , a rising singer-songwriter from Phnom Penh and the granddaughter of the legendary Sinn Sisamouth—Cambodia’s “Elvis” and a trailblazer of Khmer rock. Setsochhata opens up about growing up in a musical family, the challenges of living...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , we sit down with anthropologist Dr. Judy Ledgerwood , an expert on generational trauma and Southeast Asian studies. Drawing from decades of research in Cambodia and with Cambodian refugees in the United States, Dr. Ledgerwood unpacks the profound aftermath of the Khmer Rouge regime. Together, they explore the regime’s devastating impact on mo...

In this powerful episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , we sit down with renowned anthropologist Dr. Alexander Hinton , an expert on genocide, mass violence, and human rights, to dig into the dark history of the Cambodian genocide and the lessons it holds for the world. Dr. Hinton shares how his journey began with a visit to Cambodia in 1992, where he was profoundly moved by the stories o...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Chantha Nguon, author of Slow Noodles, Fast City and a refugee of the Khmer Rouge. Nguon shares her powerful journey of survival, starting with her childhood in Cambodia, which abruptly changed when the Khmer Rouge took over. She recounts the hardships her family faced while fleeing to Vietnam, losing loved ones along the way, and eventually finding herself...

In this week’s episode, we sit down with Eric Tang, author of Unsettled: Cambodian Refugees in the New York City Hyperghetto . As an associate professor and former community organizer, Tang shares his deeply personal research on Cambodian refugees in the U.S., shedding light on the often overlooked struggles they face. From his time working with Cambodian and Vietnamese communities in the Bronx, T...

In this episode of Death in Cambodia, Life in America , we sit down with award-winning Cambodian-American director and writer, Bunthoeun Real , to dive into his experiences growing up as a Cambodian American and his inspiring journey into filmmaking. Real shares the unique challenges of navigating cultural expectations, the importance of representation in media, and the personal stories behind his...

Elizabeth Becker, a war correspondent and author of When The War Was Over: Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge , discusses her experience in Cambodia during the Khmer Rouge regime. Becker explains how she became interested in Cambodian history and how she ended up as a journalist in Vietnam and Cambodia. Becker highlights the importance of understanding the historical context of Cambodia's involveme...

Dr. Scott A. Allen, an author, physician and professor, shares his experiences working in refugee camps on the Thai-Cambodian border in the 1980s in his book, Across a Bridge of Fire: An American Teen's Odyssey from the Burn Ward to the Edge of the Cambodian Killing Fields . Dr. Allen highlights the resilience and hope he witnessed in the refugees, despite their difficult circumstances. He al...

Monica Sok, author of A Nail the Evening Hangs On, discusses her upbringing in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and her connection to her Cambodian heritage. She shares how her parents' silence about their refugee experiences and her own curiosity led her to explore her history and pursue poetry. Sok talks about her time studying abroad in Vietnam and Cambodia, which inspired her to commit to writing...

Director and producer Chris Parkhurst discusses his documentary film 'Elvis of Cambodia' and his journey of exploring the music and legacy of Cambodian artist Sinn Sisamouth. The film beautifully blends the history of the Khmer Rouge with the healing power of Cambodian music. Chris shares how he fell in love with documentary filmmaking and Cambodia during his first visit in 2004. He talk...