Civilizations, Families and America’s Inner City

We received some unique donations that should add a new dimension to the Angsoeng Library when they arrive next year.

Civilization III and IV.
The Civilization series of video games is popular with educators looking for unique ways to teach social studies. Pookai staff member Chris Seper is going to use some online modifications available for Civilization III to create a Khmer civilization Angsoeng’s patrons can play.

Family Tree Maker 2006.
This should enable Cambodians to preserve and revive their family histories (as well as store them) in a digital format.

Spencer Nakasako’s Trilogy (DVD)
The United States is a land of milk and honey to Cambodians. But many refugees often wind up in hardscrabble places like San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. Spencer Nakasako’s Trilogy confronts that reality, particularly in aka. Don Bonus, a video diary of one young Cambodian’s life in a few of America's tougher neighborhoods. Then in Refugee, a young Cambodian-American confronts his father, who decided his son would go to the United States but that he would stay in Cambodia. What’s great is that these movies, particularly Refugee, have lengthy conversations in Khmer.

We’ll be sure to get Chandara Lor’s reaction to these donations once they arrive.