On Wednesday, Sept. 25, Pomona College’s Academic Affairs and English Department hosted an event titled “The Afterlife of Genocide.” The event looked to Anthony Veasna So’s 2021 book, “Afterparties,” to examine the experiences of second-generation Cambodian Americans and what it means to be a queer Asian person in America.

“Afterparties” is a collection of fictional short stories centered around a family of second-generation Cambodian Americans. Set in Stockton, California, in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge genocide, “Afterparties” follows the characters as they grapple with the intersections of race, identity, sexuality, family and trauma.

Gary Champi, an assistant professor of dance at Pomona, moderated the event. Alongside Champi were three panelists: Samantha Lamb, sister of Anthony Veasna So, Jolie Chea, assistant professor of Asian American studies at the UC Los Angeles, and Nora Fujita-Yuhas, lead organizer of API Equality – Los Angeles.

Bilal Nasir, assistant professor of Asian American studies at Pomona, opened the event by talking about what he referred to the current genocide in Palestine.

“[Palestine is] not alone because of the swell of solidarity that we’ve seen, but it’s also not alone as an exceptional site of genocide, past and present,” Nasir said. “Today, we’re gathered to learn about and think through survival in the context of another genocide, namely a Cambodian genocide.”

When Champi introduced the panelists, Chea spoke on how they originally didn’t want to speak at the panel, but that Israel’s continued attacks on Palestine prompted a change of heart.

“Amidst the current and ongoing genocide of Palestinians by the State of Israel, it became clear that I should take a seat on this platform,” Chea said.

They then spoke on their family’s immigration, noting that they are a part of a second generation of Cambodian Americans. They said that the way that Veasna So wrote about that experience in “Afterparties” resonated with them so deeply that it made the author “feel like family.” The book, Chea said, presented a new perspective on how Asians are portrayed in American media.

“What we get in “Afterparties” is a powerful and forceful, unrelenting contrast to the narratives and the kinds of passive and pathetic characters presented to us,” Chea said.

The panelists began discussing one of the chapters of the book titled “Human Development.” It follows Anthony, a private high school teacher navigating dating as a gay Cambodian American man.

Lam interpreted the chapter as commenting on Anthony’s desire to have a real connection, explaining that he lacked connections with his family and the other Cambodian people around him.

“I think that’s why a lot of people connect with the story, because I think we’re all trying to find that connection,” Lam said.

Panelists also discussed the themes of cultural obligation and American individualism in the book touching on how they grappled with those themes in their personal lives.

As the discussion continued and was opened to audience questions, the panelists were asked about how the Cambodian genocide was overshadowed by the Vietnam War and about the continued lack of education surrounding the former. 

“That’s the problem with our system right now,” Lam said. “We are failing kids, we’re not teaching them what they need to know when they get into college.”

Chea built upon that and added that Southeast Asian history is inaccurately taught without proper distinction between different countries and their specific histories.

Additionally, Aimee Bahng, associate professor of gender and women studies at Pomona, asked about the concept of post-war resilience in the Asian American experience. In response, Fujita-Yuhas explained how the concept can apply to the generational cycle of war trauma.

“I don’t like the word resilience, I feel like it’s not the compliment people think it is,” Fujita Yuhas said. “That’s not actually how it feels or what we want for our communities.”

The panelists all shared the sentiment that they don’t want to be seen as victims of their family experiences and that they’re more than the trauma they experienced. Champi wrapped up the event by praising the book and the visibility it has brought to Cambodian Americans.

“Selecting a Cambodian American author provided visibility for myself,” Champi said. “For a marginalized community, that was important for us to feel seen and seen in a way that’s beyond the pity of genocide.”

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