Citizenship Clinics – A Year in Review
On behalf of The Cambodian Family and the Orange County Naturalization Initiative Collaborative, we would like to thank you all for all of your time and hard work in supporting us at our clinics throughout the year.
We were able to help many of Orange County’s residents realize their dreams of obtaining their American citizenship. We would like to share some statistics from all of the clinics we held this year:
Number of clinics: 7
Number of appointments made: 154
Number of possible applicants assisted: 112
Number of residents that completed their naturalization applications: 110
Number of residents that completed fee waivers: 98
Number of unduplicated attorneys: 7
Number of unduplicated non-attorney volunteers: 38
Many of the clients that submitted their applications eventually became citizens! In addition to our findings, we would also like to share a story about one of our clients that we helped:
Mr. Sokha Hak (name changed to protect identity) came to the United States in his late 20’s after struggling for many years through the war and genocide in Cambodia. He was able to make America his new home after applying for, and being granted permanent residency status on 02/22/1983. He recalled the heartaches and suffering he went through after losing all of his siblings and parents to the genocide and how lonely he felt when he first settled here in Santa Ana, a city he would call home for the next 30 years.
Mr. Hak made a living working small, part-time jobs cutting fabrics for the local garment shops and although he never made much, he was grateful and fortunate for all of the opportunities he had in his new home. After several years, Mr. Hak became eligible to apply for citizenship but did not choose to because he heard from his friends and neighbors how difficult the citizenship exams were and because he did not know of anyone or any program to help guide him on the path towards citizenship. He also stated that he never had time to look into applying because he was always so busy working and never saw getting his citizenship as a priority.
Fast-forward thirty years later and Mr. Hak hears from a neighbor that a community organization called The Cambodian Family (TCF) was currently helping community members apply for their citizenship. Mr. Hak, now in his 60’s thought it was time that he could try for his citizenship. When asked what finally compelled him to apply, he answered that he had always wanted American citizenship because of the great benefits for traveling, the empowering ability to vote, and all the safety and peace of mind that comes with being a citizen. He also began to think more about his future as he was reaching his retirement age. He figured that it would also be much safer and easier to qualify for retirement benefits as a citizen versus as a permanent resident. With these thoughts in mind, Mr. Hak made an appointment to come to one of the citizenship clinics at The Cambodian Achievement Center.
With the help of TCF staff, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles (AAAJ-LA) attorneys and kind community volunteers, Mr. Hean completed his citizenship application without any trouble. He mentioned that the process was very easy and everyone was very kind and helpful towards him. In addition, because of his low-income status, Mr. Hak qualified for a fee waiver for his naturalization application. After completing his application, TCF staff gave Mr. Hak study materials for the citizenship exam and prepped him for what to expect at his interview with the USCIS officer. He recalled having a wonderful experience at the clinic and expressed gratitude and appreciation that there was “a program in place to help the Cambodian people in the community”.
Mr. Hak eventually passed his exam and just a few weeks ago attended his oath ceremony to proudly claim his American citizenship. The news brought “complete joy” to his heart and to his family—his wife, two daughters, and three grandchildren. We could not have done this without all of your support! Please help us create more stories similar to Mr. Hak’s by volunteering for our upcoming clinics or by asking your friends or colleagues to also get involved! Please look out for a future e-mail about our next cycle of naturalization clinics. Thank you!
Congrats to our Health Ambassadors
In an effort to improve the health conditions of our local Cambodian and Latino residents and the overall well-being of our community, The Cambodian Family has hosted the first Community Health Ambassador training series to equip our local residents with the knowledge and tools to become strong health advocates for themselves, their families and their community.
The trainings commenced in July 2013 and ended in August 2013. For six weeks, the series covered six critical health issues commonly identified in our community and leadership skills ranging from Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, Mental Health, the Affordable Care Act and Covered California to Health Navigation and Community Advocacy skills to build the capacities of our thirty volunteer Community Ambassadors to engage in their community to address healthcare issues within their families and neighborhood.
The trainings were conducted in English, Khmer, and Spanish with culturally and linguistically sensitive materials and demonstrations that are relevant to our diverse participants. Our Ambassadors also had an opportunity to receive health screenings during their training.
The program concluded with a graduation ceremony. At the ceremony, Community Health Ambassadors and their families were congratulated by The Cambodian Family’s Executive Director, Sundaram Rama, the Orange County Health Care Agency’s Program Supervisor, Joseph G. Vargas, and The Cambodian Family’s Health Program Director, Mike Murtaugh, for their effort and interest in being strong advocates for the promotion of the health of their family and community. Successful participants were awarded with the Certificate of Completion from The Cambodian Family and the Orange County Health Care Agency as well as the State of California Senate’s Certificate of Recognition from the Office of State Senator Lou Correa.
The event was also covered by a local Cambodian TV channel called Khmer TV. The Cambodian Family would like to acknowledge CalOptima, AltaMed, Vietnamese American Cancer Foundation, OCAPICA, Santa Ana Building a Healthy Community, the Office of State Senator Lou Correa, the Orange County Health Care Agency, and other community partners for their immense support, contribution and collaboration for this program. We look forward to working with our community partners for the opportunity to host our 2nd Community Health Ambassador Training.
This training is made possible through the support of the Federal Office of Minority Health and the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, which promotes The Heart Truth®, a national women’s heart disease educational program. Funding for The Heart Truth is provided by individuals and corporations, including Diet Coke, Belk Department Stores, and Swarovski. (The Heart Truth is a registered trademark of HHS.)
For further information about this program, please contact Vattana Peong, Health Program Coordinator at 714-571-1966 ext. 115 or vattanap@cambodianfamily.org.
Cambodia Town Film Festival
We are very excited for the first annual Cambodia Town Film Festival (CTFF) September 14th-15th 2013. CTFF is a three-day film forum that will introduce new studio and independent features, documentaries, foreign features, short films, animated shorts, trailers, music videos and re-released classics. The programs will include a variety of special events and panel discussions featuring directors, producers, writers and actors.
CTFF will provide a creative forum for emerging filmmakers working with Cambodian themes or submitted by a filmmaker of Cambodian descent. CTFF offers the opportunity for students, early-career filmmakers, and seasoned filmmakers to showcase their talent to a diverse viewing audience interested in and curious about the Cambodian experience. Just as importantly, CTFF will also offer opportunities for viewers to engage with and meet the talented artists, thinkers and storytellers illuminating Cambodian culture today.
The Cambodian Family Dancers will be guest performing on Sunday, September 15 after the Half the Sky – Somaly Mam screening at 7:45pm.
Jam with Cam Fam Open Mic Nite
The Cambodian Family Plan Ahead Youth Program hosts a youth-led Open Mic Nite entitled “Jam with Cam Fam.”
One of the goals of The Cambodian Family Plan Ahead Youth Program’s high school group is to host a safe space for youth where they can creatively and openly express themselves, whether it be with their voice, bodies, or other instruments.
Click here for pictures from Heng It Up Photography.
We also want to spotlight Santa Ana/OC locals and provide them with a venue to share their talents and inspire others to do the same. Our featured spotlight artists were: Hatefas Yop, Ambivalent, and Khristina Kun.
Hatefas Yop
Hatefas Yop
Hatefas Yop is a Cambodian Family alumnus finishing her last year of college at Irvine Valley College. She uses writing as a way to find herself. Hatefas believes that self expression is important and that everyone should express themselves. “Everyone has a story to tell and many want to hear it,” she says. Hatefas Yop performed her first spoken word piece at The Cambodian Family’s High School Conference in 2009. She is small in size, but her voice is loud and clear.
Ambivalent
Ambivalent – Frank, Dean, Andrew, and Angel
We are Ambivalent, a small band from Santa Ana, California. Our band members are Francisco Fregoso, Dean Badillo, Andrew Ocampo, and Angel Hernandez. We formed in 2010, slowly through our time playing music together. We individually found our passion for music through the creative class at The Cambodian Family’s Plan Ahead Youth Program. We started in the classroom and eventually moved to our parent’s livingroom. Now we perform at different events at our high school and events such as Common Ground and Summer Sensations.Our reason for playing music is simple: we like to play music. We play anything we like which can extend from alternative to ska punk to indie rock. For booking, contact us at (714)-984-9175.
Khristina Kun
Khristina Kun
My name is Khristina Kun, I am 20-years-old. I am an alum of the Plan Ahead Youth Program and a student at Cal State Fullerton. When I was young, I was not allowed to go out much so something I would do was sing! I remember annoying my little sisters everyday with my singing. I thought I was the greatest! Even when I was off tune and my pitch was all over the place, I just continued ‘singing’ because it was something I really enjoyed. The people who supported me the most in my singing was my friends that I met at The Cambodian Family. The staffs at the program encouraged me to perform in front of my friends and family and their encouragement and kind words pushed me to continue singing in front of a crowd. Khristina is the first person in her family to graduate high school and go to college. She is also a very talented Cambodian dancer and is actively involved in the Cambodian Student Association and Alpha Phi Omega. Read more about her experience at our program here.
More about our Youth Leadership Group:
The high school group meets once a week to learn a variety of leadership skills such as: team building, collaboration, community empowerment, and public speaking.The group is part of the Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities (SABHC) Initiative. SABHC is a ten-year placed-based initiative in which The California Endowment invests millions of dollars to improve underprivileged communities. The Open Mic Night is a great opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the talents we have in our community.
Doors Open at 5:45 PM
Performances Begin at 6:00 PM
Contact: Linda Sok @ (714)-571-1966 EXT. 118
Lindas@cambodianfamily.org
www.cambodianfamily.org
Check out pictures from our first Open Mic Nite last year!
Walk United With Our Team
Walk With Us
Orange County United Way is a proud supporter of the Youth Program at The Cambodian Family. Through their support, we are able to achieve our mission of helping youth develop their vision for the future and turn their vision into reality. The Cambodian Family will be joining Orange County United Way in this year’s Walk United 2013 event at Angels Stadium. Read below for a success story about Anthony, a student from The Cambodian Family’s very own youth program:
Anthony comes from a low-income, single parent household where his mother raises him along with his three siblings and seven other family members in a small, crowded apartment. With The Cambodian Family’s support of tutoring, life skills classes, field trips, and career building opportunities, Anthony is able to perform well academically with an average GPA of 3.5 throughout the year. He has also developed a positive attitude, is friendly, and is well liked by peers and staff members alike. As a result of his hard work and can do attitude, Anthony recently earned The Cambodian Family’s student of the year award.
We all want to see our children reach their full potential and lead successful, self-sufficient lives. However, we also know that when the school bell rings at the end of the day, our youth go out into a community where 1-in-10 residents live below the federal poverty level. That’s why, with your help, United Way is strengthening our community by ensuring everyone’s basic needs are met, has the tools needed to build a financially stable future, and receives a quality education.
When you WALK UNITED, you can give hope, help, and access to a better tomorrow to thousands of Orange County residents who are struggling to make ends meet. With your support, we can raise much needed funds to provide the Building Blocks for a self-sufficient life: Education, Income, and Health.
RESTORE HOPE WITH YOUR ACTIONS. SIGN UP TODAY.
We would love for you to join our team for the Walk United 2013.
How to Join Our Team
Join our team, The Cambodian Family, to walk on behalf of OUR neighbors, coworkers, and friends in need!
Follow these easy steps to JOIN OUR TEAM!
1. Go to www.WalkUnited.com
2. Click “Event Registration,” under VISITORS on the left-hand navigation panel. Click “Agree” to the Waiver.
3. Click “Join a Team” and enter team name THE CAMBODIAN FAMILY.
4. On the team page, click on “JOIN TEAM” at the upper-right hand corner of the page. Follow instructions and create username, password, and your information.
We are trying to get at least 20 WALKERS and raise at least $1000!
Please forward to all of your networks and join us!
Why We Walk
Partnering with the community and working with local families to help empower
today’s youth to become tomorrow’s leaders.
- WE WALK because it is estimated that each student who drops out of school will cost the public sector close to $200,000 during their lifetime.
- WE WALK so we can eradicate the 9.3% four-year county wide dropout rate, with an additional 4.5% of students failing to graduate on time.
- WE WALK because when a child succeeds in school, when families are financially stable, and when people are healthy we ALL win.
- WE WALK so the 300,000 people living in poverty in OUR community—OUR neighbors, OUR coworkers, OUR friends—can have the opportunity to live a good quality life.
- WE WALK so the estimated 400,000 people in OUR community who are at risk of hunger will have access to healthy meals.
- WE WALK so the estimated 18,325 people in Orange County who experience homelessness over the course of the year have access to safe and secure housing options.
- WE WALK so the one in six Orange County residents (children, families, and individuals) who are without health insurance have access to basic healthcare.
Happy Cambodian New Year
We, at The Cambodian Family, would like to wish everyone a Happy Cambodian New Year. The holiday lasts for three days beginning on New Year’s Day, which falls on April 13, marking the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season begins.
Although many Cambodian Americans are not the traditional Cambodian farmers, family and friends still gather for an opportunity to celebrate the Cambodian culture, usually filled with Cambodian food such as the mouth-watering “sach-go ang” or beef skewers, the lovely sounds accompanying the traditional “robams” or dances, and the humming of the Buddhist monks’ chants.
The celebration is a reminder to those who have been uprooted from their homes in Cambodia of the rich culture and traditions that still exists. It is also the small thread that allows the newer Cambodian American generation to hold on to a piece of their identity.
As we celebrate another year, we invite you immerse yourself in the Cambodian culture and experience the food, the dance, and the culture at one of the many events happening in So-Cal. See below for more information.
Successful Citizenship Clinics!
Thank you to our recent volunteers CAO at UCI, Annie Uy, Sophin Zoe Pruong McCreery, James McCreery, Amina Sen-Matthews, Phanith Sovann, David Chhay, Pasin Chanou, and Monorom Neth for helping Cambodian community residents realize their dreams of becoming an American citizen during our March Citizenship Clinic!
We are currently offering two more free clinics on May 13th and June 15th to help screen community residents for their eligibility to apply for U.S. citizenship, provide applicants direct one-to-one help with completing the N-400 form for naturalization, and provide study materials to prepare clients for the naturalization interview. During the clinics, bilingual staff and volunteers will help with translations in English, Spanish, and Cambodian. Additionally, immigration attorneys will be present to provide a free review of completed applications as well as consultation for the naturalization process.
Eligible applicants can call us to set up an appointment at 714-571-1966 Ext. 111 or 118.
We are looking for VOLUNTEERS to help us put on these additional workshops. Some responsibilities include client check in and check out, application completion, and translation/interpretation in Khmer and Spanish. Responsibilities will vary depending on your language abilities. Light snacks will be provided to all volunteers! Please call us at 714-571-1966 Ext. 111 or 118 or email us at sothearac@cambodianfamily.org to let us know if you would like to help out!
To view pictures from our previous workshops, click here.
Focus Group – State Voter Guide
On Monday, March 25, 2013, The Cambodian Family partnered with The Greenlining Institute to host a community listening session on the State Voter Guide.
The State Voter Guide, certified by Secretary of State, Debra Bowen, is issued to our community during every state election and is available in 10 different languages as well as in audio format, all available online. The guide, which can be viewed here in English and here in Khmer, contains summaries of state ballot measures, impartial analyses of the ballot measures and potential costs to taxpayers, arguments in favor of and against ballot measures, text of the proposed laws, and other useful information.
In an effort to improve the guide and to provide an easier way to streamline the information to our community, residents, student leaders, and community leaders met and provided some of the following suggestions:
- Provide translation and interpretation of the information taking into consideration the cultural competency of each community because literal translation might not have the same connotations
- Employ user friendly words that the general community can understand
- Print using bigger font for accessibility
- Enlist the help of community organizations to host non-partisan forums that can be conducted in the appropriate language
- Provide resources for community organizations to engage and educate under served populations in the voting process
- Provide information in other forms of media such as videos, apps, and dvds
If you have additional recommendations or feedback, feel free to contact us.
The Cambodian Family
1626 E. Fourth St. Santa Ana, CA 92701 | P: 714-571-1966
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