Biography
What does Asian American Studies mean to you?
“Home. Community. Challenges. Growth. Support. This is what Asian Americans Studies means for me. I struggled during my undergraduate years, but Asian American Studies shaped me to be resilient despite my challenges. It helped me connect to my Cambodian history and even to my own family in new ways.”
A daughter of Cambodian refugees, Sophaline Chuong (she/her/hers) graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Asian American Studies. Born and raised in Stockton, California, she is the first in her family to pursue graduate school. Her passion in organizing led her to participate in the UCI Southeast Asian Student Association - SASA, which fosters community through mentorship. As a student leader, she promotes spaces for storytelling which serve as windows to better understand oneself as well as heal as a human being. Important spaces for Sophaline include the Orange County & Southeast Asian Archive Center and UCI Student Outreach And Retention (SOAR) Center (You will most likely find Sophaline there). Her research interests explore the engagement of memory work, intimacy, and intergenerational trauma in social organizations in order to rethink what mental health is for Southeast Asian youth. She is currently an intern for the department of Asian American Studies.
“Home. Community. Challenges. Growth. Support. This is what Asian Americans Studies means for me. I struggled during my undergraduate years, but Asian American Studies shaped me to be resilient despite my challenges. It helped me connect to my Cambodian history and even to my own family in new ways.”
A daughter of Cambodian refugees, Sophaline Chuong (she/her/hers) graduated with a bachelor’s in Psychology with a minor in Asian American Studies. Born and raised in Stockton, California, she is the first in her family to pursue graduate school. Her passion in organizing led her to participate in the UCI Southeast Asian Student Association - SASA, which fosters community through mentorship. As a student leader, she promotes spaces for storytelling which serve as windows to better understand oneself as well as heal as a human being. Important spaces for Sophaline include the Orange County & Southeast Asian Archive Center and UCI Student Outreach And Retention (SOAR) Center (You will most likely find Sophaline there). Her research interests explore the engagement of memory work, intimacy, and intergenerational trauma in social organizations in order to rethink what mental health is for Southeast Asian youth. She is currently an intern for the department of Asian American Studies.