Cambodian Association of Illinois

10/07/2026

October 6, 2026

Staff members of the Cambodian Association of Illinois, along with representatives from more than 100 community agencies, the Governor of Illinois, the Mayor of Chicago, the Secretary of State, the Cook County Board President, the Cook County Forest Preserve, and other elected officials, attended the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) 40th Anniversary Celebration at the Chicago Cultural Center.

It was a meaningful gathering celebrating 40 years of advocacy, community service, and the contributions of immigrant and refugee communities across Illinois. Congratulations to ICIRR on 40 years of serving immigrant and refugee communities!

10/01/2026

It was a special and meaningful day for our family as we welcomed our grandniece from Cambodia to Chicago. We were honored to take her to the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI) and the National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial.

This visit is an important part of her journey to better understand her Cambodian heritage and the history of our people, including the tragic genocide from 1975 to 1979.

As the younger generation, learning and understanding our history helps keep the memories of those who suffered and those who survived alive. It is also a way to preserve our culture and heritage for generations to come.

We hope this experience will give her a deeper connection to her Cambodian roots and a greater appreciation for the strength and resilience of our people. 🇰🇭❤️🇺🇸

10/01/2026

October 1, 2026

Today, it was my privilege and honor to welcome our grandniece from Cambodia to visit the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI) and the National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial in Chicago, Illinois.

This visit is especially meaningful as part of her journey in the United States. It gives her an opportunity to learn about the history, resilience, and experiences of the Cambodian people, including the tragic genocide that took place in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979.

As the younger generation, understanding our history is an important part of preserving our heritage and ensuring that the stories of those who suffered and those who survived are never forgotten.

I hope this visit will inspire her to learn more about her Cambodian heritage, appreciate the sacrifices of previous generations, and carry our history and culture forward for generations to come. 🇰🇭❤️🇺🇸

09/22/2026

🇰🇭 Join Us in Celebrating 50 Years of Strength, Heritage & Community! 🇺🇸

The Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI) proudly invites you, your family, friends, and the entire Cambodian American community to join us in celebrating a historic milestone — CAI’s 50th Anniversary!

For five decades, our community has walked together through challenges and triumphs. From the first generation who built the foundation, to today’s leaders, families, and youth who carry our hopes forward, this 50-year journey belongs to all of us.

✨ Honoring Our Past
🤝 Celebrating Our Present
🌱 Building Our Future

This special celebration is more than an anniversary—it is a time to remember those who came before us, honor their sacrifices and contributions, celebrate how far our community has come, and inspire the next generation to continue our legacy of unity, service, culture, and pride.

🎟️ Tickets are available for purchase in advance. Seating is limited, so please reserve your seats early.

🎁 As a special thank-you, every guest attending the celebration will receive a commemorative gift.

Let us come together as one Cambodian American community to celebrate 50 years of history, resilience, service, and hope.

Strength in Unity, Pride in Heritage
Honoring Our Past • Celebrating Our Present • Building Our Future

📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
📍 Chevy Chase Country Club
1000 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, Illinois

Your presence will make this historic celebration even more meaningful. We look forward to celebrating this extraordinary milestone with you, your family, and our entire community!

🇰🇭 50 Years Strong — Together We Continue the Journey. 🇺🇸

09/21/2026

In Loving Memory of Mrs. Chhim Kim Siv

We, the staff and Board of Directors of the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI), are deeply saddened and filled with grief to learn of the passing of Mrs. Chhim Kim Siv on Friday, September 18, 2026, at the age of 77.

Mrs. Chhim Kim Siv was a cherished client of CAI’s Community Care Program (CCP) and a survivor of the Cambodian Killing Fields. Her life and experiences were a testament to her strength, resilience, and courage.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, loved ones, and all who had the privilege of knowing her. May her memory live on in the hearts of those she touched.
May she rest in eternal peace.
With deepest sympathy,

09/17/2026

In Loving Memory of Mr. Lorn Khoun

We, the Staff and Board of Directors of the Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI), are deeply saddened and filled with grief to learn of the passing of Mr. Lorn Khoun on September 14, 2026, at the age of 82.

Mr. Lorn Khoun was a co-founder of the Cambodian Association of America, Illinois Chapter, established on May 30, 1976, and a former Board Director of the Cambodian Association of Illinois. Throughout his years of service, he made meaningful contributions to the Cambodian American community and helped lay the foundation for an organization dedicated to serving and supporting Cambodian families in Illinois.

His dedication, service, and commitment to our community will be remembered and cherished by those who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.

On behalf of the Cambodian Association of Illinois, we extend our deepest condolences to his family, relatives, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.

May his memory live on in our hearts, and may he rest in eternal peace.

With deepest sympathy and respect,

Staff and Board of Directors
Cambodian Association of Illinois (CAI)

09/16/2026

09/16/2026

Cambodian American Legacy Gala Minessota 2026 9/12/2026

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Sister Emily, her husband, Sithia Khieu, the entire Cambodian American Legacy Gala Minnesota 2026 team, and the organizing committee for inviting me, my wife, and my colleagues representing the Cambodian Association of Illinois and the entire Illinois community to participate in this memorable event. I am deeply honored and humbled to have been invited as the Distinguished Guest Speaker.

To be honest, your team did an outstanding job organizing the first annual Cambodian American Legacy Gala. Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to make this celebration such a great success!

Thank you once again for giving me the opportunity to share my journey, experiences, and legacy with our Cambodian American brothers and sisters who came together from 33 states across the United States and Canada. It was truly an honor and a privilege to be part of such a meaningful gathering.

I sincerely wish Sister Emily, Sithia, the committee, volunteers, and everyone involved continued success as you carry this important tradition forward in the years to come.

In closing, I would like to leave you with this message:

We are the first generation. We must build a strong foundation so that the next generation can stand taller than we ever could.

Our legacy is not measured by what we achieve for ourselves, but by what we leave behind for those who follow us.

Let us preserve our history, honor our elders, empower our youth, and continue building a legacy of hope, resilience, and service for generations to come.

Thank you, and may our Cambodian American community continue to grow stronger together! 🙏🇰🇭🇺🇸
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ជាបថម ខ្ញុំសូមថ្លែងអំណអរគុណគុណយ៉ាងជ្រាលជ្រៅចំពោះប្អូនស្រី Emily ព្រមទាំងស្វាមីរបស់គាត់ លោក Sithia Khieu និងក្រុមការងារទាំងមូលដែលជាអ្នករៀបចំនៃកម្មវិធី Cambodian American Legacy Gala Minnesota 2026 និងគណៈកម្មការរៀបចំកម្មវិធី ដែលបានអញ្ជើញខ្ញុំ ភរិយារបស់ខ្ញុំ និងសហការីរបស់ខ្ញុំ ដែលតំណាងឱ្យសមាគមខ្មែរ រដ្ឋ អុីល្លីណយ និងសហគមន៍ខ្មែរ រដ្ឋអុីល្លីណយទាំងមូល ឱ្យចូលរួមក្នុងព្រឹត្តិការណ៍ដ៏មានអត្ថន័យនេះ។ ខ្ញុំមានកិត្តិយស និងមានអារម្មណ៍រីករាយយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ដែលខ្ញុំត្រូវបានអញ្ជើញជាវាគ្មិនកិត្តិយសពិសេស សម្រាប់កម្មវិធីនេះ។

និយាយដោយស្មោះ ក្រុមការងាររបស់លោកអ្នកបានរៀបចំកម្មវិធី Cambodian American Legacy Gala Minessota 2026 ប្រចាំឆ្នាំលើកទីមួយនេះបានយ៉ាងល្អឥតខ្ចោះ។ សូមអបអរសាទរចំពោះលោកអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នា ដែលបានខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែងយ៉ាងខ្លាំង ដើម្បីធ្វើឱ្យពិធីអបអរសាទរនេះទទួលបានជោគជ័យយ៉ាងធំធេង!

សូមអរគុណជាថ្មីម្តងទៀត ដែលបានផ្តល់ឱកាសឱ្យខ្ញុំចែករំលែកដំណើរជីវិត បទពិសោធន៍ និងកេរមរតករបស់ខ្ញុំ ជាមួយបងប្អូនខ្មែរអាមេរិកាំងរបស់យើង ដែលបានមកជួបជុំគ្នាអញ្ជេីញមកពីរដ្ឋចំនួន ៣៣ នៅទូទាំងសហរដ្ឋអាមេរិក និងប្រទេសកាណាដា។ វាពិតជាកិត្តិយស យ៉ាងធំធេង ដែលខ្ញុំបានចូលរួមក្នុងការជួបជុំដ៏មានអត្ថន័យនេះ។

ខ្ញុំសូមជូនពរដោយស្មោះចំពោះប្អូនស្រី Emily លោក Sithia គណៈកម្មការ អ្នកស្ម័គ្រចិត្ត និងអ្នកពាក់ព័ន្ធទាំងអស់ ឱ្យទទួលបានជោគជ័យជាបន្តបន្ទាប់ ខណៈពេលដែលអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នាបន្តថែរក្សាប្រពៃណីដ៏មានសារៈសំខាន់នេះទៅឆ្នាំក្រោយ។

ជាចុងក្រោយ ខ្ញុំសូមផ្តល់សារមួយនេះជូនលោកអ្នកទាំងអស់គ្នា៖

យើងទាំងអស់គ្នា ដែលមានវត្តមាននា រាត្រីនេះ ភាគច្រើនគឺជាជំនាន់ទីមួយ។ យើងត្រូវតែកសាងមូលដ្ឋានដ៏រឹងមាំ ដើម្បីផ្តល់ឱ្យក្មេងជំនាន់ក្រោយអាចឈរជេីងបានខ្ពស់ជាងអ្វីដែលយើងទាំងអស់គ្នាធ្លាប់អាចធ្វើបាន។

កេរមរតក របស់យើង មិនត្រូវបានវាស់វែងឬវាយតម្លៃតាមអ្វីដែលយើងសម្រេចបានសម្រាប់ខ្លួនឯងនោះទេ ប៉ុន្តែត្រូវបានវាស់វែងតាមអ្វីដែលយើងបានដំកល់ទុកសម្រាប់អ្នកដែលនឹងបន្តវេនតាមក្រោយយើង។

សូមឱ្យយើងទាំងអស់គ្នារក្សាប្រវត្តិសាស្ត្ររបស់យើង គោរពដល់ ព្រឹទ្ធាចារ្យ ផ្តល់កិត្តិយស និងឱកាសដល់យុវជន ហើយបន្តកសាងកេរមរតកនៃក្តីសង្ឃឹម ភាពអត់ធ្មត់ និងការបម្រើសង្គម សម្រាប់គ្រប់ជំនាន់ជាច្រើនទៅមុខ។

សូមអរគុណ ហើយសូមឱ្យសហគមន៍ខ្មែរ អាមេរិកាំងរបស់យើង បន្តរីកចម្រើន និងកាន់តែរឹងមាំជាមួយគ្នា! 🙏🇰🇭🇺🇸

08/27/2026

🎉 SAVE THE DATE! 🎉

🇰🇭 Cambodian Association of Illinois
50th Anniversary Celebration

Please join us as we celebrate 50 years of service, community, culture, and heritage!

📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026
📍 Chevy Chase Country Club
1000 N. Milwaukee Avenue
Wheeling, IL 60090

✨ Honoring Our Past, Celebrating Our Present, Building Our Future ✨

More details coming soon. We look forward to celebrating this special milestone with you! 🇰🇭❤️