On my arrival in Long Beach, it didn’t take long time to find the building of UCC, the “United Cambodian Community” -
http://ucclb.org/welcome/ - in the heart of the Cambodian neighborhood of Long Beach, on Anaheim Street. The organization was formed in 1977 to answer the urgent needs of Cambodians who entered the American mosaic in the late 70s and 80s, many as survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. Today the UCC has developed in providing services not only to the Cambodian community of Long Beach but to other low-income groups that need assistance.
Every day, after their class is finished, a group of youth gathers in the “youth room” of the UCC, most of them being from Cambodian descent. They spend a few hours listening to their music, eating snacks, drinking soda, sharing the latest news form the neighborhood or from their clan. David Hak (pictured above left), 19, nicknamed “Kurby”, says: “This place here is like our second house…". There are few girls in the group, but a couple ones showed up when I was there, like Jeanne Thoek, 17 (pictured below right).
Phiream Sok (pictured above center), aged 20, is the oldest in the group. He has finished high-school and plans to go into mechanical studies soon. Unlike the others, he was not born in the US but in Cambodia. He fled the country with his mother and siblings after the tragic death of his father in July 1997.
Every day, after their class is finished, a group of youth gathers in the “youth room” of the UCC, most of them being from Cambodian descent. They spend a few hours listening to their music, eating snacks, drinking soda, sharing the latest news form the neighborhood or from their clan. David Hak (pictured above left), 19, nicknamed “Kurby”, says: “This place here is like our second house…". There are few girls in the group, but a couple ones showed up when I was there, like Jeanne Thoek, 17 (pictured below right).
Phiream Sok (pictured above center), aged 20, is the oldest in the group. He has finished high-school and plans to go into mechanical studies soon. Unlike the others, he was not born in the US but in Cambodia. He fled the country with his mother and siblings after the tragic death of his father in July 1997. 
Kevin Ouch, 17 (pictured above left) and Dar Nop (above right), 17, are getting ready to go with their parents to a dinner organized by UCC to celebrate the Cambodian New Year.
Seila Lonn (left), 16, is embarrassed of the tattoo on his right arm that tells “Khmer” in Cambodian writing. He says he would probably have it erased. I wonder if he will make the decision.
. . See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..