Culture & Healing Arts

Survivors of the Cambodian genocide suffer serious physical and mental health problems, which are closely related to each other.

The impact of the genocide is not limited to those who lived through it, but is passed down from one generation to another. Effects of the past experience intertwined with present socio-economic hardship may cause social and familial issues. The museum, in collaboration with multidisciplinary professionals, employs a holistic approach to address these complex challenges that survivors and their families face.

The museum provides various pathways that community members can use to explore the process of healing—with a special focus on arts and creative engagements, including dance, music, spoken words, photographs, creative writing, drawing, sculpture, and other various forms of creative expression. All members of the Cambodian and Chicago communities are welcome to participate in these classes and events.