Organization

Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy


The Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy (KLACA) is a volunteer-run nonprofit school of Khmer language and Cambodian dance in Tacoma, Washington.[1][2] Its Khmer name is សាលាភាសា សិល្បៈ និងវប្បធម៌ខ្មែរ.[1] Parents and community leaders founded it as a 501(c)(3) organization, and it teaches Khmer language, classical and folk dance and Khmer martial arts to young people and families of the South Puget Sound.[1][3] It is a member of the Cambodian American Community Council of Washington (CACCWA).[4]

History

KLACA began with a group of families who wanted to keep Khmer heritage alive for the younger generation. At first a small team of volunteers taught modest classes in language and dance.[1] Among its co-founders is Savong Lam, a second-generation Cambodian American in Tacoma, who started the academy with about a dozen other Cambodian American families in Pierce County.[5]

The academy dates its founding to March 2017 in Tacoma. The CACCWA member directory and the academy's donation page give 2019, and a charity directory based on IRS records gives 2020, the year of its IRS ruling (December 2020).[1][4][6][7][8]

As of 2023, classes met each Friday and Sunday at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma. CACCWA credits the academy's considerable growth to its being youth-led and family-powered.[4][9] By 2024 it taught language and culture to 40 to 50 Cambodian American children each year, from pre-teens to high school seniors.[5] That year it was nominated for a 2024 AMOCAT Arts Award from the City of Tacoma, in the category of Community Outreach by Organization.[2]

Tacoma Creates, a voter-approved initiative that serves Tacoma youth, pays for part of KLACA's programs. It gave the academy $18,991 for the 2024 to 2025 program year and funded it again for the 2025 to 2026 cycle, which ran from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.[3][10][11][12] As of September 2026, its most recent federal filing reported revenue of about $90,000, and it reported no compensation for its officers or directors.[8]

Programs

Most classes meet on Sundays at the academy's classroom at 3513 E Portland Ave in Tacoma, and they are open to youth and adults.[3] The academy's office is open on Sundays from noon to 6 p.m.[3]

Khmer language

Classes teach reading, writing and speaking Khmer at all ages and levels.[3] Under the schedule that took effect on November 17, 2025, beginner classes met on Saturdays from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m., in person and online. Intermediate classes met online only, on Fridays and Saturdays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Enrollment for language classes was open all year.[13][3]

Khmer dance and performing arts

Classes cover technique, gesture and performance in classical dance, robam preah reach trop, and in folk dance. Classical, folk and chaiyam classes meet on Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.[13][3][1] The dance teachers come from the Khemarak Samaki Classical Group, a classical dance group that began at the Wat Samaki Ratanaram temple in Tacoma (Wat Samakki Tattanaram (Wat Tacoma Chas)). Its dancers pass their knowledge on to KLACA students.[12]

Kun L'Bokator

Classes in Kun L'Bokator, a Khmer martial art, teach strikes, grappling and forms inspired by animals, passed down through generations.[3][1]

Community

The academy is run by volunteer advisors, teachers and a community board. It keeps its classes community-run and low-barrier so that any family in the South Puget Sound can take part, and it aims for students to grow into teachers.[1] Volunteers serve as instructors, classroom assistants and event helpers, and many of these roles do not require fluency in Khmer. Donations pay for teaching materials, instructors, costumes and youth scholarships, and businesses and community groups sponsor its performances and Khmer New Year celebrations.[12]

Team (2026)

The academy's website lists this team.[1]

  • Khmer language advisors: Venerable Khemara Chanh, Vuthy Chao, Nek Kru Darachan Ros
  • Language instructors: Venerable Sam Bo Son, Jenda Kong and Sovannary Sang (beginner); Sanhei Nhor, Ph.D., and Sophalla So (intermediate)
  • Performing arts: Ben Taing (performing arts director and dance instructor); Sras "Precious" Chuop, Somalin Thach, Boray Thach and Luna See (classical and folk dance); Sarom Son (chaiyam)
  • Kun L'Bokator: Samuel Danh
  • Board of directors: Michael-Te Chieng (president), Savong Lam (vice president), Chammy You (treasurer), Em Lovan (secretary), Sammy Sou, Sampy Chen and Chanrith Peth

Savong Lam is also the academy's program coordinator.[14]

Community partners

KLACA names these community partners and funders.[12]

Cambodian Heritage Night (2026)

KLACA anchored the first Cambodian Heritage Night with the Seattle Mariners, at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, September 24, 2026, when the Mariners played the Los Angeles Angels.[15][16][17] The special ticket came with a Mariners-themed Cambodian Heritage T-shirt, and $5 of every ticket sold went to KLACA's Khmer language and dance classes.[17] Ticket proceeds also went to the effort to save Khmer at the University of Washington. The event was organized by a community collective that included KLACA, KhAAG, CACCWA and Save Khmer Language at UW, and more than 3,000 tickets had been sold before the game.[16] KLACA also hosted the official post-game afterparty at Trinity Nightclub in Seattle, with a lineup of Khmer artists headlined by Jay Chan and including Kid Cambo, Wannary, Ezale, Davey Tsunami and Hella Chluy.[18]

Save Khmer at UW

In September 2026 KLACA used its Facebook page to spotlight Save Khmer at UW, a grassroots campaign to keep the Khmer Language Program at the University of Washington. As of September 2026 the campaign aims to raise $100,000 to fund the program for one full year.[19][20]

Name

The United Cambodian American Network (UCAN) in Stockton, California, runs a separate program with the same name, the Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy. The two are separate organizations; the Stockton program is covered under United Cambodian American Network.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Khmer Language Arts & Culture Academy, About KLACA
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 City of Tacoma, AMOCAT arts award nominations (2024)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Khmer Language Arts & Culture Academy, home page
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Cambodian American Community Council of Washington, member organizations
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 KBTC Profiles (PBS), Khmer: A Connection to Culture (2024)
  6. ↑ PayPal, Donate to Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy
  7. ↑ GivingFountain, Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy (IRS listing)
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 PlainCharity, Khmer Language Arts and Culture Academy, Form 990 summary (2026)
  9. ↑ Cambodian American Community Council of Washington, Community partners (2024)
  10. ↑ City of Tacoma, Funding to Cultural Organizations, 2024-25 Program Year (PDF)
  11. ↑ City of Tacoma, organizations funded by Tacoma Creates for 2025-2026
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Khmer Language Arts & Culture Academy, community partners and funders
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Khmer Language Arts & Culture Academy, Our Programs
  14. ↑ Tacoma Arts Month, Kaleidoscope 2026
  15. ↑ International Examiner, September 2026 events calendar
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Stayhappening, Seattle Mariners Cambodian Heritage Night listing
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Seattle Mariners, Cambodian Heritage Night
  18. ↑ Eventbrite, Cambodian Heritage Night Afterparty
  19. ↑ KLACA on Facebook, Organization Spotlight: Save Khmer at UW (September 2026)
  20. ↑ Save Khmer at UW, Givebutter campaign page

Sources

Retrieved from "https://dev.khmerconnection.com/w/index.php?title=Khmer_Language_Arts_and_Culture_Academy&oldid=8870"
This page was last edited on 2 October 2026, at 01:35.