Organization
Cambodian Society of Rhode Island
The Cambodian Society of Rhode Island (CSRI), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, serves Cambodian American families in Providence and across Rhode Island.[1] It was formerly known as the Cambodian Association of Rhode Island. Cambodian refugees who first reached the state in the late 1970s and early 1980s founded it in 1982.[2][3] It holds a Khmer New Year celebration each year.[3]
History
CSRI was set up in 1982 as a meeting point for Cambodian refugee families and to help them adjust to life in the United States.[3] It began by serving the refugees who came to Rhode Island, and over time it became, in its own words, "a prominent local resource for the Khmer community."[1] As families became established, the society turned more toward the cultural arts, to preserve Cambodian heritage and teach others about it.[3] Its work has covered social services, cultural events and refugee resettlement. It has promoted and preserved Khmer arts, culture and religion, and it has pressed at many levels for a better quality of life for Cambodian residents of Providence.[2] The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission lists it among the state's Cambodian heritage organizations.[4]
The COVID-19 pandemic stopped the society's gatherings in 2020. It cancelled its Khmer New Year celebration, its community potluck and its camping trip, which usually bring in donations. It turned its efforts toward becoming a health resource for the community, and Rhode Island's State Council on the Arts gave it emergency money that kept it running and paid for equipment to hold meetings and events online.[3]
On April 25, 2025, CSRI joined the Providence Youth Student Movement (PrYSM) and the Alliance of Rhode Island Southeast Asians for Education (ARISE) to mark the 50th anniversary of the Cambodian genocide and to celebrate the resilience of the Cambodian people. Community members watched performances, received blessings from Buddhist monks and shared light refreshments from a local Southeast Asian restaurant.[5]
Programs
The society works on cultural preservation, education, charity and social concerns in the Cambodian community.[1] It funds a Youth Dance Troupe and a Youth Traditional Drumming Group.[1]
Khmer New Year
CSRI holds a Khmer New Year celebration each year, usually at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet in Cranston. Buddhist monks from Rhode Island's Wats bless those attending at a morning ceremony, and a Khmer dance troupe is the featured act at night.[3] Its website lists a 2026 celebration.[6]
Scholarship
Each year the society gives a $500 scholarship to three Khmer students in their last year of high school in the state who show academic promise and leadership in their school or community.[7]
Community
The society is run by volunteers, with an all-volunteer board.[3] It holds fundraisers and other community events, including a yearly camping trip, and it offers volunteer opportunities.[8][1][3] Andy Chao was its president in 2021.[3] In 2026 the Rhode Island House of Representatives directed that a copy of its resolution recognizing the Cambodian New Year be sent to Suonriaksmay Keo, president of the society.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, home page
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, heritage booklet (2012)
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Sean Carlson, "Khmer During COVID-19: A conversation with Andy Chao of the Cambodian Society of Rhode Island", Motif (April 14, 2021)
- ↑ Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, Cultural heritage organizations
- ↑ Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, Cambodian Genocide National Day of Remembrance (April 2025)
- ↑ Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, Annual Khmer New Year
- ↑ Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, Annual scholarship
- ↑ Cambodian Society of Rhode Island, Contact us
- ↑ Rhode Island House of Representatives, resolution recognizing the Cambodian New Year (2026)