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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E942-E943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN MEMORY OF ROSANA CHANOU
______
HON. ALAN S. LOWENTHAL
of california
in the house of representatives
Friday, October 9, 2020
Mr. LOWENTHAL. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of Mrs. Rosana
Chanou, a Cambodian American community leader and constituent in my
47th Congressional District, who passed away on September 22, 2020 in
Long Beach, California.
Born in 1951 in the Kampong Cham Province of Cambodia, Mrs. Rosana
Chanou spent her childhood in the capital, Phnom Penh. In 1972, she
passed the Cambodian National Baccalaureate II Exam. Rosana dreamed
about studying abroad in the United States with its world class
education. Within a year, she successfully acquired a student visa, bid
farewell to family and friends, and began a journey to pursue her
ambition.
Rosana arrived in the United States with just $200 in her pocket. She
worked several minimum wage jobs to support herself while attending
school and tirelessly practicing her English. In 1975, when the Khmer
Rouge overtook Cambodia, she was granted asylum status to remain in
America. Rosana attended Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland, and
then obtained a scholarship to study at the American University in
Washington D.C. In 1979, she received her BS in Computer Science,
married her college sweetheart Pasin, and moved to California to join
her family who were able to escape the Khmer Rouge.
Rosana became a U.S. citizen in 1984. She went on to achieve a long
and illustrious career as a software engineer. As an Asian-American
woman in the early years of the computer industry, she overcame
barriers such as racial and sexual discrimination with her programming
talents and tenacious personality. Rosana began working for the Boeing
Company in Long Beach in 1986 and retired in 2015 after three decades
with the company.
Rosana and Pasin Chanou are proud parents to three children: Diana,
Ryan, and Ronald. They instilled in their children the values of hard
work, education, and family. They encouraged their children to be
progressive and forward-thinking while also remembering the wise
lessons of tradition. All three of their children completed their
college education at the University of California, began their
successful careers, and started families of their own. Rosana loved
playing with her grandchildren, showing them how to make 3D origami,
blowing bubbles, and picking exotic fruits and flowers together around
the vast garden that she maintained. She also loved to travel to places
all around the world such as Australia, France, Canada, the Bahamas,
Alaska, Hawaii, and numerous countries throughout Asia. She has
traveled back to Cambodia several times to visit friends and family,
showed her children where she grew up, gave back to her home country,
and witnessed the amazing development it has gone through despite its
tragic history.
In addition to her personal success and achievements, Rosana Chanou
was a community activist and leader. She volunteered for events such as
the Special Summer Olympics, Long Beach Marathon, NCCJ Peace Walk, and
LA Heart-Walk. She ardently championed Cambodian arts and culture by
inviting Cambodian artists to perform at the Asian Pacific Heritage
Month celebration. She generously donated to various Cambodian
community organizations such as Cambodia Town, Inc., Cam-CC, and Khmer
Arts Academy. In 2001, she co-founded the Cambodia Town Initiative Task
Force (CTITF), whose mission was to officially designate a section of
the Anaheim street corridor in Lon Beach as Cambodia Town, in honor of
Cambodian Americans who transformed the neighborhood into a vibrant
community. In 2005, CTITF was restructured as a nonprofit known as
Cambodia Town, Inc. Rosana served as the First Vice-Chair of the
organization. Both Rosana and Pasin were major donors to the Long Beach
Mark Twain Neighborhood Library's ``Cambodia Town'' Community Room, and
proud sponsors sofa Cambodia Town street sign.
Rosana was multi-talented. She provided tremendous support to
Cambodia Town, Inc. at all levels. She designed pamphlets and booklets,
organized parades, and conducted signature drives. She used her love of
cooking to build team spirit, hosting meetings in her
[[Page E943]]
kitchen while serving her signature Cambodia Town Noodles. She was an
active member of community organizations such a Cam-CC, which organizes
the annual Cambodian New Year Celebration, and the Long Beach-Phnom
Penh Sister Cities, which promotes trades, cultures, education, and
humanitarian services between Cambodia and the United States.
Rosana Chanou was a remarkable woman, mother, grandmother, and
community leader. She would always warm the hearts of those around her
with her creative passion, caring demeanor and infectious energy. With
her passing, it is a true loss to the Cambodian American community. On
behalf of the people of the 47th Congressional District, I offer my
deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Rosana Chanou, her
husband Pasin, and all of their children and grandchildren. May we
continue to serve the community in honor of the memories and dedication
of Rosana Chanou.
____________________