Cambodian Community Development, Inc.

Cambodian arts and culture

Photo of master musician Chamroeun Ploy Ngam demonstrating to students in Oakland how to play the "tro" Cambodian Community Development, Inc. (CCDI) is dedicated to serving the needs of the Cambodian community in the Bay Area.  Since its founding in 1997, CCDI has provided support to Cambodian Americans with language interpretation, cultural and linguistic education, legal and medical assistance, and much more.

In 2011, 2010, and 2009, CCDI received grants from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program to support Please Don’t Stop the Music, a series of music classes for Cambodian youth and middle school teens taught by 91-year-old local master artist Nhep Prok, the primary teacher of almost every Cambodian musician in Oakland.   These classes engage youth in traditional arts activities, encourage the continuation of these cultural assets into the future, and utilize the skills of living master artists in the community.  The music program follows the successful introduction of dance lessons to the community in 2008.

In 2010, with support from ACTA’s Traditional Arts Development Program, CCDI worked with web designer Chris Hamamoto to redesign their website.