It was an honor working with the archives of the Sisters of the Holy Cross throughout the course of the semester to build a digital exhibit. The stories of refugees brought to life the history of the Cambodian refugee crisis. The process of transcribing the journal entries of Cambodian refugees who worked with the Sisters of the Holy Cross was a delicate task and a privilege that was at the core of the project. Lifting the voices and stories of Cambodian refugees who experienced the trauma and tragedy of the Khmer Rouge exposed the harsh conditions and realities of refugees from honest and intimate perspectives. When sifting through the journal entries discovered in the Sisters’ archives, it was fascinating to uncover the connections between the authors of different letters and arrange small details into the personal histories of the refugees at the camp in Cambodia. Each author of these journal entries describes their own personal experience living during Pol Pot’s regime; images of art pieces were paired with journal entries to individualize the entries and emphasize the uniqueness of each story that authors contributed. It was important to recognize that the refugee experience cannot be generalized, as each individual refugee contributed their own perspective on the events of the world around them with their own voice. Therefore, the decision was made to include the initials of refugees so as to value their identities while, at the same time, respecting their privacy. 

Working together with journal entries, photographs, and other archival material, we had the chance to weave together the pieces of refugee journeys and glimpse the lives of the refugees that the Sisters were a part of during their time in Cambodia as well. It is incredibly valuable and powerful to share the stories of refugees in a public space and shine a light on the buried personal histories of individuals who could not express their thoughts and opinions on the Khmer Rouge when they originally wrote the journal entries. Many of the refugee journal entries provide important historical information written in a way that almost seems to predict that the journal entries would be read by an audience at some point in the future, beyond the time and place in which they were written; their efforts to pass along history to the future indicate that they held onto hope that there would be any future at all. The content of the refugee journal entries describes the positive relationships formed between refugees and the Sisters of the Holy Cross. The Sisters of the Holy Cross documented their work at the refugee camp in Cambodia by writing journal entries, letters, taking pictures, saving news clippings, and preserving important documents that served as our primary sources for this project. The Sisters' efforts to conserve the important testimonies and historical documents from their experience in Cambodia created a space for us to honor both their work and the lives of Cambodian refugees. We devote this project to the Sisters of the Holy Cross and the refugees who have spoken through history and graciously shared their lives with us. 

I am a senior student at Saint Mary’s College studying Global Justice and Human Rights. Currently, I am considering advocacy work for refugees and immigrants, and I would love to pursue further education in international public policy.

Annie Maguire
Class of 2020
Global Studies Major; Spanish Minor
Concentration: Global Justice and Human Rights