This nonprofit hosted ‘A Nightmare on 6th Street’ to scare – and inform – the community – Press Telegram

Khmer Girls in Action hosted an event this past weekend that not only scared their community in Long Beach, but also gave them more information about the upcoming general election on Tuesday, November 5th.

The local nonprofit hosted “A Nightmare on 6th Street,” an interactive haunted house experience focused on voter education.

The mission of Khmer Girls in Action, or KGA, was to build a progressive and sustainable community in Long Beach and to envision a safe, healthy and just world where all people are free from oppression and able to determine their own lives and communities, according to them website.

Khmer Girls in Action programming invests in and empowers Southeast Asian youth to become leaders who advocate for justice in their communities and focuses on holistic youth development, political education and hands-on learning in planning and leading cultural events, campaigns and strategies, according to him. website.

The organization decided to host “A Nightmare on 6th Street” to encourage Long Beach residents to get out and vote this election, and it’s one of the first haunted house events they’ve held since 2019, as the event was put in a break. to the COVID-19 pandemic, said the organizers.

Traditionally, each year, young members of the Khmer Justice Program and the Long Beach Youth Organizing Program come together to create and host a haunted house where they choose a theme and find oddly creative ways to show how important there are certain measures and proposals to vote on for the community, and how they would impact the lives of different generations and people, said Kelliana Lim, communications coordinator for the KGA.

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Khmer Girls in Action hosted “A Nightmare on 6th Street,” an interactive haunted house experience focused on voter education, on Sunday, October 27, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Khmer Girls in Action)

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“As a youth-led AAPI organization dedicated to accountability and civic engagement, we believe it is important for our community to actively participate in the voting process,” said Lim.

“Historically, youth and people of color have been underrepresented in civic engagement, which makes our outreach and education efforts all the more important because election results can have a significant impact on their lives,” added Lim . “As we work to get our community more involved in the voting process, we believe it is necessary to highlight how proposals and measures directly impact our lives. When we don’t actively participate in civic engagement, we risk having our experiences and needs overlooked, which can have lasting negative consequences for ourselves and future generations.”

For this year’s Halloween event, youth members chose the name of the event and focused on communicating different scenarios of how a yes or no vote on Measure A, Prop. 5 and Prop. 36 could affect communities through the maze of haunted houses, Lim said.

Youth members created pictures, skits and acted out the different ways these proposals and measures can affect people, while incorporating a spooky Halloween theme.

In addition to the educational maze, the event also featured food, music, informational booths and more.

Youth members noted that this event helped “build a bond between friends and family.” Since many members are not yet old enough to vote, it also allows them a way to have an effect on voting and make others and themselves feel “more empowered,” Lim said.

“A Nightmare on 6th Street” was held Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Youth Movement and Education Center, 2217 E. 6th St.

If members of the Long Beach community were unable to attend this event, they can see Khmer Girls in Action’s website or social media for other future events.