It is bittersweet to announce that we are officially ending our podcast. We are grateful for the opportunity to spread our voices and messages on this platform and create a community on our podcast and Instagram where we could connect with other amazing Khmer/Khmer American individuals and teach non-Khmer people about our stories, cultures, families, and struggles. We want to thank anyone who has ever listened to our podcast, shared an episode, interacted with us on social media, guest...

The burning question we have been wanting to ask ourselves is: what will be our legacy? It’s quite sad to think about but also enlightening due to the fact that we get to dig deep about the meaning of our lives. Reflecting and discussing this important topic helps us uncover our true north - our purpose - and how we each want to be remembered one day! Thank you for following our life journeys so far; we hope this helps you think about the marks that you want to leave in the world. --- Send...

More teachers of color are needed in America. In this episode, we recount our experiences as students growing up through the school system where we did not have many or any teachers who looked like us and came from similar backgrounds. With schools becoming more diverse and teaching staff remaining predominantly white women, we discuss the benefits of schools having more teachers of color and how to best retain them in this crucial profession. We also discuss the challenges of becoming an...

Ba takes us back to the late 1960s-1970s to share what it was like growing up in the rice fields to hiding in his classroom from bombs and missile attacks during the Vietnam War at only 5 years old, and witnessing the horrific events that took place when the Khmer Rouge Communist Party took over Cambodia. He had lost many family members, including his own father (who was a General for the former Government) in the killing fields. It was also not an easy process for him to talk about his...

Putsata Reang, seasoned journalist and author, is releasing an honest and beautifully written memoir “Ma & Me” on May 17th, 2022 that explores her family’s journey of escaping Cambodia by boat from the Khmer Rouge Genocide in the 1970's to adjusting to their new lives in the U.S. Putsata grapples with her identities and relationships growing up as Khmer American, gay, a woman and a child of refugees. In our conversation, Putsata touches upon topics such as what she uncovered about herself...

What’s the emotional toll of frequent moves during childhood & teenhood? For us, moving to a different school meant that we needed to embrace the unknown and adapt to our new situation fairly quickly. In leaving our established lives behind, we sometimes lost connections with our old friends whom we had seen regularly before. In order to survive as a new kid in town, we had to figure out how to fit in, make new friends, and integrate into the new school culture and system. It wasn’t easy...

Who rescued who? This episode is dedicated to Amumu, Mellissa's 6-year old rescue dog from the Seattle Humane Society. We talk about the importance of rescuing animals who need their furever homes rather than supporting breeders. Rescues have gone through trauma so they just require a little more love, time, and patience. In the end, it's ALL worth it. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/support

As Millennials, we grew up during the explosion of the internet aka the DotCom Bubble and, in a way, we were able to experience the best of both worlds. We recalled our childhood memories of playing outside and coming up with creative games to experimenting with xanga and myspace during our teen years. Our lives have changed drastically as technology continues to advance.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/message Support this podcast:...

Life is unpredictable and fleeting. Losing someone you love and care about is a difficult and major life transition. At some point in our lives, loss is something we will all have to face. In this episode, we will talk about our experiences dealing with loss, how it has influenced our perspectives on life, and how we have been able to move forward with peace and acceptance. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/message Support this podcast:...

As 2nd generation Khmer-Americans, we deal with intense pressures and expectations to do well academically and professionally to honor our family's sacrifices and make them proud. We were taught to put others before ourselves, follow the status quo, work hard to survive, and internalize our behaviors and emotions. Tough love, tiger parenting, whatever you may call it… has impacted us in a number of different ways. In this episode, we share more about our learnings and how we would approach...

Traveling internationally has a multitude of benefits like improving your mental health, communication and social skills and deepening your knowledge and understanding about the world around you. We will share our personal experiences on what it was like to study abroad during our college years at the University of Washington of Seattle. For Jasmine, she'll share about studying Communications in Italy for 3 months, while Mellissa will share about her social work experience in Cambodia for 1...

Going through a breakup is one of the most difficult transitions to navigate in life. Today, we will share lessons from our past relationships, signs we believe that are associated with unhealthy relationships, values that we want or desire in a long-term partner, and tips and advice on how to move forward from a breakup to begin healing your heart. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/support

How have our views on life changed over time? How do we now define success and happiness? Join us on this discussion as we ring in 2022 with a new outlook on life! Happy New Year to our Global Listenership. And yes, we are officially back from our podcast hiatus. Get ready for an exciting season :) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/2khmericansisters/support

Season 2 is a wrap! Before saying our goodbyes this year, we wanted to reflect on our podcast / community project and how it has impacted us personally and professionally, as well as our sisterly bond. Jasmine is currently preparing for another COVID-19 impacted school year and Mellissa is on a spiritual journey to finding herself again. Thanks to all of our listeners and special guest speakers for being on this 1+ year journey with us! A brand new season will kick off in January of...

Behind every delicious food recipe is a talented home cook & recipe developer! Get to know Charles Calvino, a 2nd Generation Cambodian / Khmer American, who became interested in the artsy field when he was 19. Charles loves having fun while being creative and making people feel good about themselves through his quality content. His love is around food & food is life! Learn more about Charles by reading his full feature story:...

Rose Khun has experienced the unimaginable. When she was 7 years old, she experienced the death of her father, John Chan Khun, who was robbed and killed at his video store. This heartbreaking circumstance had forced Rose to grieve alone & to grow up very quickly. For a majority of her life, Rose had been unaware of the trauma that she's carried. Since uncovering this deep trauma, Rose has forgiven her father's murderer and begin her healing journey. She now embraces her inner child and...

In a heart-to-heart discussion with PichMony "Mony" Thay, we discuss the value of prioritizing Self-Love & Self-Care. When Mony was in high school, he got severely bullied and did not have anyone to talk to regarding his sexuality. This led him to depression and having suicidal thoughts. Today, he is deeply motivated to help those who are struggling with their own sexuality and mental health. Mony is now proudly out of the closet, has a supportive family who understands him and his...

As we approach mid-2021, we'd like to take a moment to check in and share what's been going on with all of our listeners. It's been a wild 6 months. For Mellissa, she's unexpectedly dealing with major life changes. For Jasmine, she's faced the toughest school year as a teacher. Now that we are vaccinated, we are hopeful things will start returning to our new normal soon which means we will finally get to spend time with our loved ones without having to wear our mask and be afraid any...

Reaching adulthood status is a huge milestone! As a young adult, it can feel both exciting and daunting as you transition into the real world and start discovering a newfound freedom & a world of endless possibilities while navigating a unique set of obstacles and experiences. Coming from an immigrant background, you may find yourself lost and alone on this journey with little to no support from your parents, relatives, and friends. As your 2 Khmerican Sisters, we’ve got your back! We...

Maryann is a trauma writer, mental health advocate, podcast host of Mental Breakthrough, and Founder of Sincerely Miss Mary. We invite you to listen in and learn about Maryann’s upbringing of being born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago as a 2nd generation Cambodian-American, her pivotal career transition from the high fashion industry to writing, and her tips on how to live life more unapologetically. Maryann speaks to the value of therapy and sharing our stories, and the process of...

Get to know 2 international students from Cambodia, Chandoung & Hao, who are currently studying or have studied in the U.S. In this episode, they share their experiences of making new friends, adjusting to a new climate, and dealing with racism. We also talked about the appreciation we have for our families, feeling grateful for being raised with the values of respect, empathy and compassion, and our thoughts on how Khmers and the Khmer Diaspora can reach out and connect with one another....

We hosted a LIVE podcast mini-interview series with 12 diverse community leaders from various ages and backgrounds, including university students, working professionals, and activists during White Center Seattle’s May Sunday Swap Meet at ForeverForeigner. We had our guests answer a range of fun and deep questions from what brings them joy to what the mark that they want to leave in the world. Take a listen to our Khmer American community coming together to connect through conversation and...

Melissa Khoeum Barnett is a Cambodian-American Product Manager by day & blogger by night. Melissa is passionate about self-care, beauty, and lifestyle. This episode serves as an inspiration for those who need to incorporate some creativity and fun into their day-to-day routine. We love and admire Melissa’s ways of finding the calm and joy through these rough times, such as creating a vision board to allow her to reflect and find purpose. Life is too short to not show up as our full...

Happy Khmer New Year / បុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី! As we have gotten older, we have become more interested in our family’s culture. You will hear about times when our mom’s side of the family celebrated Khmer New Year at the Khao I Dang refugee camp. There are many laughs and memories as our Yey and Ma reflect together, even learning things that they hadn’t discussed before. Yey and Ma also share their favorite dishes and traditions to partake in while living in the States. They share their well...