Growing up in Khmer Girls in Action's youth leadership program gave me the knowledge and skills to build community power. At age 18, I registered to vote and this year at age 23, I've supported young people of color in getting out to vote through door-knocking, phone-banking, and pre-registering youth as young as 16. Despite being home to the largest Cambodian American community, only about 1500 Southeast Asians turned out to vote in the November 2016 election (Source: California Calls). As young people, we have so much at stake in every election because the decisions that are made today will continue to impact our lives and future generations for years to come.
In the midterm elections, I expressed how I felt about the #MeToo and #WeBelieveSurvivors Movement at the polls. Because of this national platform, I've seen more women across the country share their experiences with sexual violence and receive the public support to heal. I am proud we made history and that together my Long Beach community stood with women in the midterm elections by Yes on Measure WW!
As Yes on Prop 10 was defeated by corporate landlords, I wonder how can the Cambodian refugee community continue our healing process if Long Beach's Cambodia Town is at risk of gentrification and displacement? I have learned that this is not the end, but the beginning of our fight to call this place home for generations to come. I still believe that cities deserve the right to choose, just as families deserve affordable and safe housing. This experience has motivated me even more to fight against gentrification happening in our community and continue to moblize our loved ones and our whole community out to the polls. |
