Channy Salazar is a strong, resilient, and tenacious lady from Texas, USA. She was born in Cambodia in 1973 and remembers bits and pieces of her time before arriving and settling in the US. Her recollections (at the 4 minute mark and lasting about 1 minute) are traumatic. 

Life wasn't easy growing up, but she had the love and support of her parents and grandparents. They instilled in her the importance of getting an education and how that will get her out of poverty. But school didn't teach her what she eventually became after 13 years in corporate: a successful entrepreneur. 

Channy is the founder of Resilient Edge Investments and Constructions, and alongside her husband, Adrian Salazar, the co-founder of North Texas Tint Institute, a trade school dedicated to teaching the skills of window tinting and paint protection film.

Channy also recently launched the Resilient Education Initiative Scholarship, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to those seeking education at North Texas Tint Institute and supports various educational projects in Cambodia. 

North Texas Tint Institute https://ntxtintinstitute.com/
Reslient Education Initiative https://rei-nonprofit.org/

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

Sokha Mov shares her journey from being born in a refugee camp in Thailand to growing up in France where she was the only Asian in her class, navigating cultural identity, and pursuing a career in law and public service. She discusses her transition to Cambodia, the challenges of adapting to life there even though she’s koun Khmer and she speaks the language with good fluency.

She’s currently working at an NGO that provides a well rounded education to girls from kindergarten to post-secondary and is also an Advisor for Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. Prior to these roles, she owned and operated two businesses, worked for the French government in different Ministries, and practiced law in France.

Sokha’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sokha-mov-932714bb

Sokha’s mom’s restaurant, Maï https://maps.app.goo.gl/TVH2cWzfRcxsoWPn8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

Dimary (aka Mary) Leak didn't know how to speak English when she started kindergarten. A non-satisfactory test score in grade 1 ignited her desire to perform well academically, which she did all through primary and secondary school. When it came time to decide on a career however, she didn't have a clear direction or vision, and life went on.

In this episode, we talk about Mary's pivot from stay-at-home mom to working in IT, the challenges she faced (some noted above) and how she overcame them. We connected over our parents' over-protectiveness and how we navigated that. We also touched on the importance of mentorship and how that propelled her career. 

If you'd like to connect with Dimary, find her on LinkedIn https://ca.linkedin.com/in/dimaryleak

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

Growing up, even though Soeun knew what she wanted to do, she let the words of others cloud her judgment at times. We discuss this and her journey in rediscovering herself and her heritage in her 40s. She’s gotten to a point in her career where she’s content and doesn’t know what her next move is, and we talk about navigating this. 

Soeun has over two decades of experience in administrative college and university positions, and currently holds the position of Director, National Recruitment and Market Development at Centennial College in Toronto, Canada. She has also served as Chair in committees relating to recruitment and diversity. 

Soeun holds certifications in Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Interior Design Foundations, a bachelor of Journalism (BJourn) from Toronto Metropolitan (TMU) University, and a joint master's degree from TMU and York University in Communications and Culture. 

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

In this episode, Marpheen Chann shares his personal story of growing up in rural Maine, US which includes foster care and being adopted by a religious white working class family, the trauma his family experienced as a result of the Khmer Rouge, and his journey of self-discovery and cultural reconnection.

Marpheen Chann works in the nonprofit and advocacy sector as Executive Director and Founder of Khmer Maine and does consulting work for nonprofits and political campaigns. He's also an award-winning author and speaker on intersectionality, inclusion, and belonging. 

Marpheen's instagram --  www.instagram.com/marpheenchann
Marpheen's coming of age book https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Full-Modern-Day-Coming-Age-ebook/dp/B0BGYJY3GW?ref_=ast_author_dp
Podcast - SoftSpoken
Website - www.marpheenchann.com

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

Thea Em shares her journey from being a refugee in Canada to becoming a nurse. While she was studying, she was involved in a serious car accident that left her in a coma and affected her memory. She faced other hurdles on top of these, and she shares how she got through them in this episode. 

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/

Khmer Voices shines a spotlight on the achievements of the Khmer diaspora around the world. We chat with inspiring guests who are achieving success in their fields. From entrepreneurs and artists to community leaders and techies, we’ll explore their paths to success and the unique challenges they’ve overcome. 

Representation matters! And through these conversations, I aim to amplify the voices of the Cambodian community, inspire the next generation, and showcase the diverse talents and contributions of Khmer people worldwide.

------------

Let's connect on Instagram @KhmerVoices

Do you have an inspiring story you'd like to share on Khmer Voices? DM me on social.

Intro and outro music by https://pixabay.com/users/chhuchchhuch-26181660/