Putsata Reang in conversation with Kiantha Duncan

Northwest Passages Book Club

Putsata Reang emigrated from Cambodia as an infant in her mother’s arms. Her mother fought off the boat captain's efforts to toss her child overboard, and that connection began their intricate relationship. Reang was raised in rural Oregon and spent time writing for The Spokesman-Review before the New York Times, Politico and The Seattle Times and the San Jose Mercury News. Her memoir, “Ma and Me” explores the legacy of trauma and cultural identity, and how Reang navigated her complicated upbringing. NAACP President and Spokesman-Review columnist Kiantha Duncan will discuss the book and the associated issues with feeling “other.”