Dear Subscriber

Welcome to our March newsletter!

See below for member updates, events recap, upcoming gatherings, and our organizational spotlight featuring the Korean American Coalition (KAC) of Los Angeles led by Eunice H. Song .

Please also read CKA's response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Remember to like us on  Facebook  and follow us on  Twitter  for more news and updates about CKA.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Paul Park
Program Manager
CKA Member Updates
Frank Aum published a new report that provides a comprehensive overview of the diplomatic, security, and economic elements that would need to be a part of a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. This report also addresses how U.S. administrations can strategically approach the challenges and opportunities these various elements present, and then offers general principles for incorporating them into a peace-building process.
Ricky Choi recently relocated to San Francisco, CA as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine in the Division of General Pediatrics .
Susan Cox has been advocating for the vulnerable children in Wuhan who face an unanticipated crisis due to the breakout of coronavirus. While alleviating concerns of affected families, she has been raising money to help Chinese orphanages keep children safe from coronavirus, as the orphanages are running short on items like masks and cleaning supplies. You can find more information here on how to help.
Irene Kang introduced the D.C. Office of the Mayor to Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon during his visit to Washington, D.C. The courtesy visit included a sit down between the two mayors and a D.C. sponsored visit to the Wharf to tour the economic development project.
Duyeon Kim held meetings with the deputy commander of the Indo-Pacific Command and commanding generals of the other military services in Hawaii regarding the security of the Asia-Pacific (renamed Indo-Pacific) and published " How to keep South Korea from going nuclear " in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists March 2020 issue. 
J. Joseph Kim 's company, Inovio , is on the forefront of developing a vaccine for the coronavirus and has produced a pre-clinical vaccine to fight the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus at its lab in San Diego
Tina Kim 's department, the Office of the New York State Comptroller, was awarded the 2020 Citizen Budget Commission (CBC) Public Service Innovation Award. The award was established in 1997 to recognize and promote successful innovations in the delivery of public services. The CBC awards this prize to celebrate creative thinking, encourage continual improvement in the delivery, efficiency, and quality of public services, and to share government achievements with the public and other agencies.
Yul Kwon returned to CBS' reality show Survivor to compete alongside twenty returning winners from previous seasons. The season, called "Winners at War,” premiered on television February 12, 2020.
Lucy Lee recently transitioned to HS Manufacturing Group Corporation as the Vice-Chair where she will advise the Chairman, operate the business and manage the executive team, and also serve as the head of the Chairman’s family office with assets over $2 billion.
Caroline Moon published a blog article entitled, "16 Things To Know About The 409A Valuation" on the key things to keep in mind when startups grant stock options.
Jenny Town was recognized by Worth media in their Groundbreakers 2020 list of "50 Women Changing the World," citing her work to provide balanced coverage and factual analysis of North Korea that utilizes international experts to provide military, political, economic, and social insights into the country.
Nancy Yoon moderated a panel hosted by the Women in Cable Telecommunications, National Cable and TV Association, and California Cable and Television Association that focused on "Diversity, Mentoring and Advancing your Career" with all the nation’s cable companies and major TV networks. 
Upcoming Events
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Enrichment Dinner - Boston
Wednesday, March 25
On March 25 , CKA member William Woo will be hosting a special Enrichment Dinner for fellow CKA members and guests. The dinner will feature a thematic discussion on the ongoing humanitarian efforts in North Korea.
Korea's Global Reach - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 
Saturday, March 28
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korean War, CKA will be hosting a special program in partnership with the Carolina Asia Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. Scott Snyder of Council on Foreign Relations will provide a talk on U.S.-Korea relations, followed by a screening of Jeronimo (2019) and Q&A with director Joseph Juhn .

Click here for more information.
CKA's Response to Coronavirus
We have been following the news and carefully considering how the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will shape our planning as we prepare for our 2020 programs. Our members' and guests’ health and safety are top priorities so we will proceed rationally and with caution. Thus, if there is any concern, we are prepared to postpone or cancel scheduled events.

Rise of Anti-Asian Sentiment

We are also troubled by the increasing reports of harassment cases against Asian Americans as a result of fear, misinformation and racial stereotyping triggered by COVID-19. As news will likely persist on the growing number of infected Americans, we fear that micro- and overt-aggression toward Asian American individuals and businesses will also increase.  

We are communicating with regional Korean American and national Asian American organizations to discuss how we can work together to push back the rising tide of xenophobia and racism during this time of uncertainty. 

Helping our Local Asian American Restaurants and Businesses

Finally, now is not the time to play defense. Rather, we need to be on the offense to counter the misinformation undermining Asian American businesses and restaurants that are being hit the hardest. We will be working with other AAPI organizations to launch an information campaign encouraging Americans to support Asian Americans by supporting Asian American small-medium businesses and visiting their local Asian restaurants. 

Information about COVID-19 from the CDC

February Events Recap
On February 8 , CKA members and guests came together in San Francisco for a reception and dinner event. The gathering was a great opportunity to discuss CKA's vision and programming for 2020. Special thanks to David and Lillian Chun for hosting this wonderful gathering at their home!
On February 9 , CKA Board Member Gloria Lee held an Oscar viewing party in Koreatown, Los Angeles to support Bong Joon-ho's "Parasite / 기생충". The event was attended by CKA Members and guests. Thank you to all those who came out to celebrate a historic night of Korean representation and new milestones in the film industry!
Organizational Spotlight:
Korean American Coalition - Los Angeles
Eunice Song
Executive Director, Korean American Coalition
Can you briefly introduce the work of KAC-LA, as well as some of the key initiatives under your leadership?

The Korean American Coalition - Los Angeles (KAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1983 to promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community. KAC achieves these goals through education, community organizing, leadership development, and coalition-building with diverse communities. We have passionately served our community for 37 years and counting!

Our key pillars of focus:
Civic Engagement
  • Census 2020
  • Citizenship
  • Voter Registration
  • Voter Education 
  • Advocacy
Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Conciliations
  • Mediations
Leadership Development
  • Model United Nations
  • National College Leadership Conference
  • Summer College Internship Program
  • Leadership Series
  • Mentorship Programs
When did you first come across KAC-LA and how did your own Korean American experience shape your decision to lead the organization?

I’m a homegrown KAC member. Looking back, it’s amazing to think this journey with KAC started back in 2008, as a law student participant in one of KAC’s mentorship sessions. Through KAC, I met my legal mentor who impacts my life to this very day.

That experience marked the start of my journey with KAC. As a Los Angeles native, proud of my Korean American heritage, I wanted to contribute more to our community. While in law school, I started as a certified mediator for KAC’s 4.29 Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Center. Four years later, I accepted the full-time role of KAC’s Mediation Director. Helping bridge the conflicts of the community members through bilingual and culturally sensitive mediation was challenging, but rewarding work. I’m proud to say that our 4.29 ADR Center continues to thrive today.

Ten years after my first encounter with this cherished organization, I became its Executive Director. Being loyal to my passion and identity as a Korean American is the driving force of my work with my team. Working with a remarkable team of professionals, together we have made a real difference in educating our community members about the power of voting and of citizenship. We need to take ownership of our community, and since change happens first at the individual level, I am proud of KAC’s grassroots approach to reach out to our community and involve them in becoming active members in their community and beyond.
How has your background in law helped your work at KAC-LA?

Although being an attorney isn’t a prerequisite to being a mediator, I found that my training helped tremendously. Law is a versatile area of study and problem-solving skills, analysis and precision in language are useful in the daily operation and structure of the organization. Having legal knowledge builds credibility with mediation participants and those with whom they must communicate effectively.

What is a typical day like for you at the office?

As my priority is to achieve KAC’s goals, on any given day my job is all about management: managing people, managing time, and managing client expectations. In my first year as Executive Director, our goal was to increase the financial stability of the organization. This involved restructuring our organization, recruiting talented staff, and building communication with our board members. 

I also want to take this opportunity to recognize my amazing staff and volunteers. They handle many of the true daily efforts of the organization, from fielding client calls to developing strategic partnerships. Connie Ku, Esther Jung, Audrey Jang, Sophia Shin, Kevin Yang, Chris Lee, Ireh Yoon, and Vincent Lee have been essential members of our team.
What is your future vision of KAC-LA? Are there other areas or new issues that you would like to see KAC-LA get involved in?

In order to implement my 10-year strategic vision for KAC, I have instituted a focus model called “C-A-L” - (Civic Engagement; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Leadership Development). It is my passion to continue to raise and cultivate leaders through our leadership development programs and resolve disputes to improve the quality of life in our communities. I reiterate that this is all about helping historically disenfranchised people take ownership of our shared community through active civic engagement.
How can CKA or the broader Korean American community further assist the work of KAC-LA?

KAC and I encourage Korean Americans to become more engaged in civics by responding to the U.S. Census, voting and engaging in the political process. Actively encouraging citizens to vote is a duty and a privilege worth pursuing. Regardless of party affiliation, we would like to see more Korean Americans run for political office to increase representation. We hope that CKA members will refer their college students to our National College Leadership Program which runs from June 22-26, 2020 in Malibu, California.
Any upcoming KAC-LA events or programs you'd like to share?

The year 2020 offers a critical opportunity for the Korean American community. Our organization is tirelessly working towards raising awareness for two parallel campaigns: the 2020 Census and the upcoming elections. KAC-LA is currently hosting Census Bureau Job Information Workshops in collaboration with the Census Bureau office in the western region. During these workshops, we help our community members to apply to work for the Census Bureau and assist with voter registration to educate and empower Korean Americans to exercise their civic rights. We have also produced a few multimedia campaigns to reach the Korean community to respond to the census. 

KAC is celebrating an important civic anniversary! One of our signature leadership development programs, the National College Leadership Conference (NCLC) and the associated Summer College Internship (SCIP) program is entering its fortieth year! NCLC is the longest running annual leadership conference for Korean American students in the United States. I am honored to continue a tradition of teaching leadership to people that started before I was even born. This year we plan to uphold the tradition by holding our best conference ever at Pepperdine University in beautiful Malibu, California. 
For more information on KAC-LA and the 40th NCLC, please visit kacla.org .
The Council of Korean Americans (CKA) is a national nonprofit organization. Our mission is to advance the national voice, interest, and influence of the Korean American community through education, collaboration, and leadership development.
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