I'm very connected to the story, the history, and the trauma people experience.

You have to experiment with different mediums and things around you [making art].

I am a community social psychologist and a lot of my work deals with social work and helping people overcoming addiction and trauma.

I have a great advantage: I write from the perspective of my own voice. I'm not copying anyone's voice. It's my voice. I have the advantage of being a writer of English as a second language.

I read a lot when I was in school in the United States, and even though writing in English is very difficult for me, I wrote in journals.

I'm also developing my own narrative, because I'm the son of a widow. And so, while working with women and gathering their oral histories, I'm taking a step back to do my own art book and visual work.

When I hear Khmer poets, when they recite their poems, I know what they're talking about, I get it right away.