Writing for VoiceWaves Long Beach, Abel Reyes attended the I Am Oum Ry: A Champion Kickboxer’s Story of Surviving the Cambodian Genocide and Discovering Peace book signing and interviewed Oum Ry, Zochada Tat and Addi Somekh.

In his profile on Ry, he details the way the international champion kickboxer “overcame the perils of genocide and gang violence, [forging] his path from Southeast Asia to the United States. Ry’s spirit and talent in kickboxing wove together a story of survival, pain, and determination that led him to be the owner of a renowned gym.”

His article also features images from the book signing and summarizes Oum Ry’s unforgettable life story, leading up to his founding of The Long Beach Khmer Kickboxing Center: “a bastion of strength, resilience, and unity for the community.”