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Navy Phim was born in Cambodia in 1975, but has lived in the U.S. since 1984. Navy grew up in Long Beach, California, in the heart of what is now dubbed Cambodia Town. She graduated from Polytechnic High School in 1994 and received her bachelor degrees from UCLA in 1999. After college, Navy worked at the university in Long Beach while pursuing a master degree in counseling, which she completed in 2006. In 2007, she published a book entitled “Reflections of a Khmer Soul” and is considered a Cambodian author of Long Beach whose book discusses issues of relevancy relating to the community like the April 17 controversy and the New Year celebrations. Reflections of a Khmer Soul has been part of an assigned book list in an Asian-American Studies courses at UCLA and CSULB. The book is also being used in reading classes at Poly High School and in a Multi-cultural Education course at CSULB. Navy is currently working on a second book while volunteering her times with the youth of Long Beach through presentations about her book and the writing process to encourage them to write and share their own life stories.
Reflections of a Khmer Soul provides a deeply personal narrative of a young woman who learns to cope with being a child of the killing fields while growing up in America. Overall, her writing emphasizes the beauty of Cambodian culture against the backdrop of her homeland’s violent history. She shares stories of being a daughter of an immigrant family and what it is like being both Cambodian and American. Whereas the U.S. remains her home, her soul is unmistakably Khmer. For instance, this expression of Khmer identity powerfully comes through as Navy describes her connection with traditional Cambodian clothing including the sarong. The author explains that she feels uniquely soft and feminine when she wears a sarong. After college, Navy and her friends began wearing the sarong to parties hosted in her home. For these Cambodian-Americans (most in their twenties), this represented a way to connect or reconnect to the Khmer culture. At these events, male and female friends were encouraged to wear the traditional sarong and the gatherings could include a night of playing board games like Taboo and Gestures. These “sarong parties” were clearly an enthusiastic statement about reclaiming identities and traditions in the U.S. The past few years have seen the expansion of the sarong parties by young Cambodians in Long Beach, California who were guests of Navy’s earlier events. The sarong theme can be seen through the photo of a woman in sarong on the cover of Navy's book and a piece in the book entitled “The Color of Sarong in Cambodia.”
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“In Reflections of a Khmer Soul, Navy Phim explores what it means to be a child of the “Killing Fields” raised in the United States. In the 30 years since the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia, many personal narratives of that horrific period have been written, but Navy offers a new point of view on this tragic story. Hers is the story of the middle generation growing up with, and trying to make sense of, two cultures and two worlds – the beauty and tragedy of her Cambodian past (her Khmer soul) and the comfortable restlessness of her American present. Through stories, memories, and “snippets,” Navy shares her life journey from her birth place in Battambang, Cambodia to Kao-I-Dang refugee camp on the Thai-Cambodian border, to a refugee processing center in the Philippines, to Long Beach California, home to the largest population of Cambodians outside Southeast Asia. Told from the perspective of a seasoned world traveler, this book offers a unique perspective on both Cambodian and American cultures and history. ”
Dr. Susan Needham, Associate Professor, Anthropology
California State University, Dominguez Hills
“Navy Phim brilliantly weaves a story of being Khmer and American like an intricate pattern of the Sampot Hole (Khmer Silk Skirt). Her narrative represents many Khmer-American voices of the post Khmer Rouge generation searching for identity. She writes with a candor and passion that expresses a faithful soul.”
Sovathana Sokhom
Former consultant to the United Nations in Cambodia
"With a passion for speaking the truth, Navy delivers a well-written book that touches on the global issues of political correctness, skin color, class status and socioeconomic background. Her narrative takes readers on a journey through her past and present and engages them on discussions of cultural diversity, spirituality, beauty and justice for all. I highly recommend this personal story of success and stigma faced by immigrants in America to educators of immigrant students."
Alex Morales
University Instructor, Multicultural Education
website : http://navyphim.com
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praCh of Mujestic Records and Jack Ong of the Dr. Haing S. Ngor Foundation
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" it's not just muzix, it's a movement.
 m u j e s t i c : 2001
long beach, CA.
jacksonville, FL.
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