Recording
Som Phin: Preserving the Culture
"Preserving the Culture" is a first-person radio commentary by Cambodian American author Som Phin, broadcast on KQED Perspectives on September 16, 2026.[1] It follows her path from a childhood spent trying to fit in to an adult return to Cambodian culture after she became a parent.[1]
About the recording
Som Phin grew up Cambodian American in Bakersfield, California. Her English was not strong, and she spent years in ESL classes. She was bullied for her family's food, for being Buddhist and for the way she looked. Her family of seven lived on welfare and food stamps.[1]
Becoming a parent changed her questions. She began to ask whether her children would know Cambodian stories beyond the Khmer Rouge: the mythology, food, dance, Buddhist traditions and ordinary family memories that existed alongside survival. She came to see that if she did not preserve those things, she could not assume someone else would.[1] She then began returning to Cambodian history and culture through fiction.[1]
Phin reflects that people sometimes spend their youth distancing themselves from where they come from, and their adult years finding their way back. She wants her children to inherit belonging, and to know they never have to become less Cambodian to become more American.[1]
Credits
Som Phin is the narrator and author. She is a Cambodian American author whose fiction explores Cambodian history, culture, family and the immigrant experience. She grew up in California and lives in the Bay Area as of 2026.[1]