Humans of Khmer America

Salicia Nicolette Kol

My name is Salicia Nicolette Kol, and I’m a commercial/print model in Austin, TX. I was born in Lowell, MA, which in my opinion, is one of the largest Khmer communities in the US. However, growing up in Texas, the Khmer community wasn’t as big.

My grandfather (Kol Pheng) had a huge role in shaping my Khmer identity as he was former minister of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, of Cambodia(MoEYS), and currently president of Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia ( PUC ). His knowledge and wisdom taught me so much about Cambodian culture. For me, it’s very important to know about my parent’s native culture because it’s what shaped them to be the amazing parents that they are today. They like to keep the culture relevant, as they are in a Khmer band with two other members. Although band practice get a little loud (since they jam in our home), I think it’s really cool to see them perform (till this day) at Khmer New Year’s and parties.

It’s no surprise then that the number one role model in my life is my mom, or as people call her, ‘my twin.’ I also definitely get my looks and humor from her. Aside from that, she is a wonderful ‘mommager’ who supports everything I do and has given me the world.

Growing up, I’ve always been interested in art. I’m currently studying communication design (graphic design) at Texas State University. After my studies, I would love to work in the design field for Apple or web interfaces for social medias. Aside from art, I’m a huge beauty/style junkie, so I’ve been planning on creating a YouTube channel filled with similar content one day.

After attending an open casting call, I’ve been modeling since 2012 as a print/commercial model with Heyman Talent- South and as a promo model with Quench LA. Some exciting companies I’ve modeled for include Pepsi, Dell, and Abercrombie & Fitch.

One thing I like most about Khmerican is that they keep Khmer news interesting and relevant. Not to mention accessible. They’re my first stop for Khmer related news.

I’ve only been to Cambodia once, and it was a vacation of a lifetime! Visiting the Angkor Wat was by far one the most memorable moments of my life and I can’t wait to go back! Ten years from now, I hope to be continuing what I love to do while being healthy and keeping the Khmer culture alive!

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