By Janet Alexander – When I walked in the door for my first day on the job at Sonoma Valley Hospital in 1988, the last thing on my mind was that, on that day, I would meet and start a life-enriching friendship with one of …
By Dana S Bourgerie, Project Director – As I have read recently posted interviews, I have been in awe of the resilience demonstrated in the stories. The narratives are often painful and harrowing but also inspiring. Many are epic stories of survival and of unimaginable …
By Dana S Bourgerie, Project Director – January marks the beginning of the eighth year for the Cambodian Oral History Project. As Cambodia returned to relative normalcy post-COVID, we sent an intern in-country for the first time in two years. Meanwhile, we expanded our efforts …
By Thomas Barrett, Project Assistant – There is an old Native American proverb that reads, “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.” I have always …
The COVID pandemic continues to affect the world to varying degrees and Cambodia has not been spared. Because of movement restrictions and contagion fears, the in-country interview collection has mostly ceased for the moment. As a result, we have turned our attention to Cambodian heritage …
By Debra Williams* My experiences from being involved in the Cambodian Oral History Project (COHP) have been about making connections. This project has helped me connect people with their past and families with their history. It has also helped me connect with and develop a …
We are excited to introduce another team member, Lauren Somsen. Lauren is a student at Brigham Young University in the Nursing program. She loves to do everything outdoors––hiking, boating, camping, etc. She served a full time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day …
We are gratified to the many people who have reached out in support of the project in various ways, especially since COHP was featured on the Brigham Young University website and YouTube channel in July. Despite the challenges associated with the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the …
Madeline Mortell is a Brigham Young University student from Boise, Idaho studying public relations. She joined the Cambodian Oral History Project this past August and currently serves as our social media lead. She also helps with the project database. Madeline’s introduction to Cambodia began with …
