“Since its emergence, reporters and public officials have been comparing the global outbreak of coronavirus to fighting a war. To survive this war, we will need to be strategic, united, and most of all, resilient.”
~ Loung Ung
Loung Ung shares with Omega cofounder Elizabeth Lesser her definition of resilience: An act that people do best in community.
LOUNG UNG BIOGRAPHY
AUTHOR-SPEAKER-ACTIVIST
A life-long activist, Loung Ung is public speaker, bestselling author of ‘First They Killed My Father, Lucky Child, and Lulu in the Sky, and a co-screenplay writer of a 2017 Netflix Original Movie, “First They Killed My Father”. Loung started her activism work in 1993 when she became the Community Educator for a domestic shelter in Maine. Since then, she has worked on various campaigns to end violence against women, to end the use of child soldiers, and to eradication landmines globally. In 1995, Loung made her first trip back to Cambodia—and has returned on over forty trips—devoting herself to helping her native land heal from the traumas of war. In 2013, Loung expanded her activism reach to screenplay writing, and was one of the writers for Girl Rising, a groundbreaking film directed by Academy Award nominee Richard Robbins.
For her work, the World Economic Forum selected Loung as one of the “100 Global Youth Leaders of Tomorrow.” Among the publications, television and radio shows she has been featured on are The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, People Magazine, CNN, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and The Today Show. In addition, she has been the subject of documentary films broadcast by Nightline, German ARTE, and Japanese NHK. Loung has given hundreds of keynote addresses at numerous forums in the U.S. and internationally, including at, Stanford University, Dartmouth College, Philips Academy, Facing History and Ourselves, Women in the World Summit, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and Mexico 1 Million Youth Summit.
(printable full bio)
MEDIA LOUNG UNG HAS BEEN FEATURED IN:
BOOKS
“ Ung’s memoir should serve as a reminder that some history is best not left just to historians, but to those left standing when the terror ends.” ~ Booklist
FILMS & VIDEOS
Inspiring people and ideas…
from pages to screens.
ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS
Smithsonian Museum of Asian Art. Revealing Krishna: Journey to Cambodia’s Sacred Mountain” will transport visitors to a sacred mountain in the floodplains of southern Cambodia through art, immersive video installations and interactive design. https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/groundbreaking-exhibition-newly-restored-cambodian-masterpiece-krishna-lifting
Cleveland – TODAY is my birthday. April 17 is what’s on my driver’s license and other documents. But I don’t know for sure, and probably never will. All I know is that I was born in Cambodia, sometime during 1970. https://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/17/opinion/a-birthday-wrapped-in-cambodian-history.html A Birthday Wrapped in Cambodian History.
FTKMF Movie turns five this month. Has it already been five years when Netflix released the film on September 15, 2017? Yes, time flies. Thankfully, good friends, family, and intentions remain. My deepest gratitude to all the people-over 20,000 souls-who helped turn FTKMF from a dream into reality. Thank you. AWKOON. Peace to you all. Read More
As Asian Americans, we all have our own experiences with racism, sexism, fetishism and xenophobia. But the Atlanta-area attacks feel different. Loung Ung – Opinion Contributor USATODAY
