For our 20th issue, Lift’s writers and reporters look into what it means to be Khmer in the 21st century, and how Khmer youth are mixing traditional Khmer values with influences coming in from other countries. Dressing in Korean styles or listening to American music does not make you any less Khmer; it just means that you are tuned into a global culture facilitated by advancements in media and technology. Many Khmer youth feel as though they are caught between being a foreigner and being Khmer, but at Lift we think that you can embrace Western culture and still be just as “Cambodian” as your parents. Cultures change, countries become more exposed to other cultures and the way in which we identify ourselves changes as well. What it means to be Khmer is changing, and in this issue we discuss the identity of the Kingdom’s youth.

The identity of Lift is changing by the week as well. We began with five or six writers, and now we have nearly 30 contributors. Most of our writers come from the Department of Media and Communications at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, but we would love to expand the number of voices that are part of Lift. Contribute your ideas to our discussion on Facebook or send story ideas to [email protected] and you can see your name in print. As we move into the future, Lift will continue to publish only young Cambodian authors, writing about events and issues relevant to today’s Cambodian youth. We want you to find a way to contribute your ideas to us. You can start by telling us about your identity in this week’s discussion on our Facebook page.