Kosal Khiev

Kosal Khiev, a Spoken Word Poet and tattoo artist, was born to Cambodian parents and escaped genocide when he was a baby. He grew up in Long Beach and joined a local Cambodian gang, eventually becoming involved in a shoot-out at 16, serving a 20-year sentence. After his prison sentence, he was deported to Cambodia, leaving his family without connection to this new country or its language. As a poet, he is dedicated to In 2012, Kosal represented Cambodia at the Olympic Games in London as a Cultural Olympian. His life and journey were documented in the film "Cambodian Son" in 2014.