Born to Khmer refugee parents and being of Chinese and Laos decent, Tony Khuth’s family were targets during the Khmer Rouge regime, a genocide that resulted in the death of an estimated 1.5 – 3 million people. Tony’s family immigrated to the United States in 1984, and he was raised in a segregated community in Rochester, MN. Tony strives to educate communities about segregation, racism, colorism, intersex discrimination, homophobia and xenophobia through personal stories.
Tony is a Special Inquiries Specialist with Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield. He also serves on Wellmark’s Inclusion Council, which engages the company and surrounding community to promote an inclusive, trusting, healthy environment and culture; celebrating and appreciating our differences both seen and unseen. Tony serves on the board of directors at Iowa Safe Schools, an organization whose mission is to provide safe, supportive, and nurturing learning environments and communities for LGBTQIA youth through education, outreach, advocacy, and victim services.
Tony believes the most important aspect of inclusion is understanding the complexity of intersectionality and how to engage in the conversation with all walks of life. He has applied this work with Iowa’s high school students with Wellmark and Des Moines Public Schools’ annual Youth Summit, as well as his work with Iowa Safe Schools.