The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors gathered several representatives of Long Beach’s Cambodian community on Tuesday, March 25, to commemorate the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Cambodian Genocide.
Long Beach became a second home for Cambodians in the early 1980s — when hundreds of thousands of refugees flocked to the United States seeking safety from the brutality of the communist Khmer Rouge.
The resulting Cambodian genocide killed nearly 2 million people. Long Beach is now home to the largest population of Cambodians outside of the country itself. About 4% of Long Beach’s 480,000 total population are Cambodian Americans.
April 17 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide.
“While many Cambodian Americans continue to cope with the atrocities they witnessed and experienced, the thriving Cambodian community in Long Beach is a testament to the perseverance and unbreakable spirit of the Cambodian people,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said Tuesday, “who have re-established their communities and enhanced the cultural diversity of our county, of our state, of our nation.”
The Board of Supervisors last week also adopted two motions, one recognizing April as Cambodian Heritage Month and one recognizing the 50th anniversary of the genocide.
The board, alongside leaders from more than 20 Cambodian community groups, gathered during the Tuesday meeting to officially commemorate the anniversary of the Cambodian genocide.
“We will never forget the atrocity committed by the Khmer Rouge regime,” said Chanwantha Sam Limon, interim chair of Long Beach’s Cambodian American Cultural Center. “As I often say, every Cambodian carries the weight of our history, and it is part of who we are.”
Limon has also been a board member of the Los Angeles County Cambodian Employee Association for three decades. She’s co-chair of Asian World Film Festival Cambodia Day, and also serves on the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Board of Directors.
“I lost my sister and my brother to the horrors of the genocide. My story is no different than any of the people that stand here today,” Limon said. “But through the pain, we’ve learned the importance of resilience and hope. We have a responsibility to keep their memories alive and honor their legacy through celebration of our culture and our tradition.”
To that end, April is a significant month for the community. Besides the annual honoring of the genocide, April also celebrates Sankranta — Southeast Asia’s New Year — and Cambodian New Year.
The Cambodian American Cultural Center and Sixth District Councilmember Suely Saro will host their third annual Sankranta celebration at Long Beach City College on Saturday, April 5.
That event, at LBCC’s Pacific Coast Campus, will also celebrate the traditions of other Southeast Asian countries, including Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
The following day, Long Beach’s Cambodia Town will host the 17th annual Cambodia Town Parade and Cultural Festival.
The parade and festival, which began as a celebration of Cambodian New Year in 2005, has since evolved into a broader celebration of Cambodian heritage, culture and tradition.
This year’s parade and festival will take place on Sunday, April 6. The parade will make its way from MacArthur Park, 1321 E. Anaheim St., to Long Beach City College, where the festival will take place, featuring live music and dance performances, Cambodian cuisine and artisans, and more.
“April’s calendar reflects Cambodian cultural and religious heritage,” Limon said. “These celebrations are a time for families to come together to honor our traditions and express our devotion.”
For more information about the Cambodian Town Parade and Culture Festival, visit cambodiatown.org.