About Me

ជំរាបសួរ. My name is Rhummanee (pronounced រមនីយ៍). I am an artist, organizer, and facilitator. If you are here, you likely know me from poetry, dance, or community organizing. On this site, I'm documenting my stories and experiences through the lens of a diasporic ខ្មែរ/Khmai woman (as regularly as I can), particularly when it comes to motherhood, art activism, and organizing.

I am a daughter of Cambodian refugees, second-generation in the United States. My parents came to the US in 1981 and 1982. I was born and raised in the Town, Oakland (Ohlone land), and have a deep love for both the Bay Area and my ancestral home. That love was what lead me to community organizing via arts activism as a young person.

These days, I am a Co-Director at AYPAL, a leadership development, community organizing, and coalition-building organization that supports Asian Pacific Islander youth in Oakland. Part of what I do supports using the arts to advance social justice, which was always what I saw myself doing. I am a doula. I've started to learn more and practice traditional Khmai postpartum care. And I do all this while being a dope mom to my amazing kid, Noreak (pronounced នរៈ).

Sidenote. I tried to read and write ខ្មែរ many times in the past and it never really stuck, until a class I took at the beginning of 2021. So, as a beginner still, I'm just trying to practice it when I can and especially when I use ខ្មែរ words. I am aware folks will have questions. I also want folks to know that it's okay to ask. And... I KNOW that the mainstream and Western way to spell "ខ្មែរ" is "Khmer". French colonizers decided on that, it stuck, and now folks keep saying it wrong. So when you see "Khmai" here or on things I write, it is intentional. We're going to try it out; roll with me. We should talk about different ways to decolonize another time, yes? :)

Anyways, I enjoy collaborating and working with people and especially making art together. I invite you to explore some of my work and the folks I'm connected to and reach out. Subscribe to keep updated on new posts and life updates. If you take the extra step to become a paid member, I'd be so honored and grateful for your trust and support for doing and creating things that feel good and for helping me keep up with my practice and collaboration.

Peace y'all,
Rhummanee