Connexion Champa is a Montreal-based non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the culture, history and art of Southeast Asia. Through events, performances and collaborations, it aims to build cultural bridges and strengthen understanding of this rich heritage.
Chan Tep is a leader in promoting Cambodian and Southeast Asian heritage in Canada. As co-founder and chair of Connexion Champa and strategist for the Festival Champa Montréal, she works to build cultural bridges through art, history, and performance.
She also holds a key role at Radio-Canada, using her expertise in media to amplify underrepresented voices and foster cultural dialogue.
Through her work, she highlights Cambodia’s resilience and history while ensuring its cultural heritage remains vibrant and accessible for future generations.
Victor-Amarin Pann is a community builder, rooted in the Canadian urban dance scene for over 20 years. A dancer, producer and cultural leader, he has set up major festivals and initiatives that give a real place to up-and-coming artists.
Through his role as Executive Director of programming for the Champa Montréal Festival, he celebrates Southeast Asian culture while building bridges between tradition and contemporary expression.
His driving force: to ensure that the next generation of artists doesn't have to fight so hard to make a place for themselves. Victor-Amarin acts where it counts—on the ground, with heart, advancing arts and culture for all.
Moly Tow is an artist and passionate advocate of Cambodian culture. A former Khmer classical ballet dancer, she has dedicated many years to preserving and sharing Cambodia's traditional arts.
Today, she applies her expertise and commitment as the Programming Director of the Champa Festival at Connexion Champa.
Through her work, she highlights the richness of Cambodian heritage, creating bridges between ancestral traditions and the contemporary arts scene.
FONKi, a graffiti artist since 2005, blends his triple identity with the universal language of art. His artistic approach evolved in 2012 when he reconnected with his Cambodian heritage, inspiring the creation of Khmer graffiti lettering in the Kbach style—merging modernity with ancient Cambodian art.
Featured in the award-winning documentary The Roots Remain, he continues to shape Cambodia’s art scene as the curator and owner of FT Gallery at Factory Phnom Penh and founder of the Murals for Cambodia Festival. Through his projects, FONKi nurtures new Cambodian talent and strengthens Phnom Penh’s cultural reputation while preserving the passion and authenticity that first drew him to graffiti.
Kanica is a bilingual sexology expert dedicated to guiding individuals through self-exploration and personal growth. Known for her direct yet compassionate approach, she specializes in relationship dynamics, sexuality, cultural identity, and performance-related stress.
Her work focuses on helping singles better understand their relationships and sexuality, supporting couples in improving communication, intimacy, and their sex lives, and assisting immigrants navigating cultural challenges, particularly in intercultural relationships. She also provides a confidential space for heterosexual cisgender men experiencing performance anxiety.
Kanica’s philosophy balances safe space and brave space, fostering trust while encouraging honest self-reflection. Believing that meaningful conversations happen in person, she creates a supportive environment where clients feel heard, challenged, and empowered to cultivate fulfilling relationships and a healthy sexuality.
Chanthy Yen is a Cambodian-Canadian chef renowned for his innovative culinary approach and dedication to sharing his heritage.
Born to Cambodian immigrant parents, he began his culinary journey over two decades ago, training under esteemed chefs like Ferran Adrià and Magnus Nilsson. Yen has led several notable establishments, including Fieldstone and Parlement in Montreal, and the vegan restaurant Nightshade in Vancouver, which earned a Bib Gourmand recognition.
In 2021, he made history as the first queer and BIPOC chef to serve as personal chef to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In 2024, Yen won Season 11 of "Top Chef Canada," becoming the first queer Southeast Asian to achieve this honor. He currently serves as the chef de cuisine at Bacaro, a Michelin-recommended restaurant in Vancouver.
Yen's culinary philosophy emphasizes kindness, authenticity, and a deep connection to his cultural roots.
