Allison Yang
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Although I was unable to attend the whole conference, NCLC definitely shaped the way I envision the Korean American community. Listening to accomplished speakers who felt so passionate about giving back to future generations by sharing their experiences instilled a sense of pride and duty in me. I could sense the hope and expectations they held for our generation, and I felt motivated to fulfill them. The best way I could reciprocate what they've given me is by supporting NCLC/KAC in the future when I feel like I have something to give back.
In terms of the student population, I felt so happy to be connected with a group of people who were so open, warm, and supportive of each other. It was refreshing to be surrounded by peers who were highly motivated, trustworthy, and filled with good intentions. I hope I will continue to cross paths with these lovely people in the future. I also felt appreciation for the counselors who guided the whole program by cultivating a safe space in which the participants could open up and learn from each other. Without their leadership and commitment, NCLC would never have happened! I feel nothing but gratitude for the program and those who participated in it. University of Southern California ‘16 |
Audrey Jang
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Throughout my life I have actively avoided and privately derided nationalism. I was certain that pride based on an identity assigned at birth was as dangerous as it was arbitrary, and prided myself in rejecting that mandate. When I went to boarding school, I avoided groups supporting Asian students. Though I resolved to be more open-minded in college, I was not naturally inducted into the appropriate ethnic student circle as so many minority students seemed to be. I can count the number of Korean friends I have on one hand, and I feel ashamed when I find myself referring to "too many" Korean things. Though I am fluent in Korean, I never got hooked on the Hallyu products over which my sister and mother bond every night. I was thrilled to find a class on Korean film, and score a research assistant position studying comfort women, but I worried that my resume was becoming "too" Korean.
In five days, NCLC completely turned my reluctant, disclaimer-ridden Korean American identity on its head. It was the first time I met Korean American adults who were not the non-English speaking, working-class immigrants I knew from church or Koreatown. Inspiring speakers from law, medicine, national security, politics, education, and finance traced their (often dysfunctional) pathway to success. We listened to speakers back to back for hours at a time, and this setup highlighted the diversity of personality, character, politics, values, and advice represented. We heard different opinions about everything, even issues portrayed as having a supposed "Korean consensus" on the matter, such as Saigu or Park Geun Hye's impeachment. It finally clicked for me that a Korean American identity is not necessarily an inheritance of backwards tradition or stubborn nationalism. Rather, I saw Korean Americanness best defined by the camaraderie we witnessed between and among the speakers and counselors. The obvious respect and encouragement these adults had for each other, as well as the commitment they shared in making sure the next generation of Korean Americans have an even better network of connections. NCLC connected me to professionals who are willing to answer my annoyingly frequent questions, and who go out of their way to connect me further to people of interest. Thanks to Joon, for example, I am meeting up with the man I hope to work for in two years. NCLC gave me the opportunity to connect with an incredibly diverse group of Korean American peers, granting me a sense of solidarity I never knew I craved. Most importantly, NCLC provided the space for me to unpack my Korean Americanness, and define that identity for myself. Pomona College ‘19 |
Bianca Roh
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Before arriving at KAC’s office in LA, I expected a conference filled with scholars sharing how they paved their roads to success, but I quickly figured out that success and leadership don’t result from intelligence alone, but rather from building character, being resilient, and showing determination. I had high expectations for what I would gain by coming to NCLC, and what I received from this experience exceeded my expectations by far more than I could have imagined. My vision of a leader before attending NCLC was admittedly a poor one, in that I correlated a leader with someone of a higher status, but the most important lesson I learned was that a leader is inside everyone, as long as they are willing to share ideas and form meaningful connections.
I remember feeling extremely nervous to meet the other members attending NCLC and wondering just how well our goals and dreams would intertwine, and it turns out that despite our different plans for the future, everyone conveyed a willingness to learn from each other and even share personal struggles that made them who they are today. This inspired me to truly engage in everyone’s presence and teach myself how to grow as an individual in the Korean-American community. I soon found myself sitting with groups of people sharing life stories and simply listening to different ideas. Although we had to meet as early as 7:30 am every day, I found myself constantly eager to hear from the group of speakers whose dreams once started out just like mine. These 5 days at NCLC proved to me that it’s not about the length of time that I have, but rather the productivity and quality of each day that results in a true impact. Every single activity planned for this event from holding hands and making eye contact to listening to countless speakers was equally integral to my experience here at NCLC, because it made me explore different aspects of myself regarding everything from my insecurities to my future career goals. By doing this, I was able to put myself into perspective for others and for myself to better understand the character that I’ve acquired throughout my life. Something about this group felt easily relatable, and I can honestly say it’s the first time in my life that I’ve felt connected to a whole group rather than just a single person. By being able to make these connections and have a network full of compassionate, humble individuals, I feel that is success in and of itself. I want to individually thank every member of the 2017 NCLC for making my experience special. Boston University ‘19 |
Brendan Kim
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Having grown up in a sheltered, ethnically homogeneous suburb of Los Angeles, reconciling my dual identities as a Korean-American has, at times, been a challenge. I always believed that stifling this foreign aspect of myself would help me achieve a greater sense of belonging; in reality, I only succeeded in manufacturing an artificial identity that betrayed every idiosyncrasy that made me. But after spending a week at KAC's National Leadership Conference with those who share an interest in our Korean heritage, I am now learning to appreciate and embrace our dual identities.
Wherever I turned, there was always a new person willing to share his or her story. The speakers taught me that a sense of belonging could only be achieved by embracing my identity. Each person had their own obstacles to overcome, and they were able to do so by relying on the support group that a cultural identity provides. It was inspiring to see accomplished community leaders who looked like me and who could relate with the struggles of being a minority, but perhaps the biggest impact I felt was through my peers. We were able to forge bonds through our shared backgrounds; not just through our culture, but also through our interests and hobbies. Every night we would stay up and discuss our lives, struggles, and aspirations. Though I was initially apprehensive about opening up, the intimacy of our environment allowed everyone to feel welcome. It’s difficult to put into words just how profoundly this experience has affected me, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in it. I went into the program expecting nothing, and I left with an entirely changed worldview and a drive to affect my community and the people around me in a positive way. Occidental College ‘21 |
Debora Bang
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I've always approached my identity with apprehension, especially that of my Korean-American duality. The multiplicities and varying nuances of this hyphenation were not lost on me, especially growing up in Los Angeles, in America, with an obvious Korean (or some sort of Asian) appearance and traditional Korean family. All throughout my life, I've felt forced to choose one or the other, like sacrificing parts of my Korean heritage for being a "true" American, or rejecting my American nationality to fit in with Korean family and friends. As such, I grew to resent what I thought of as a discordant mismatch of blood and environment; a frustrating jigsaw puzzle I could never complete. This sentiment affected my cynical assumptions about attending a program like NCLC: a leadership conference for Korean-Americans. It hadn't helped that what I most remembered and deduced about the Korean-American community and my family were quite unfavorable. Deep down I knew, however, that I shouldn't assume the worst of such a large and diverse community. No matter how much I antagonized my Korean roots, it served as a vital part of my selfhood. Little did I know that my perspective about the Korean-American diaspora would blossom from a narrow-minded pessimism to an affirmation of the beautiful amalgam that is the Korean-American community. Hearing from prominent speakers and from my peers, all from different backgrounds and with different dreams, opened my mind to not only the distinctions of life experiences and socioeconomic upbringings, but the similarities we all shared: our Korean-Americanness, our determination, our empathy, and--most importantly--our humanity. Each speaker and student brought with them a unique story, but what truly tied us together was our willingness to be vulnerable: to share not only our successes, but also our weaknesses: our shortcomings and our imperfections. Each of us had a failure (or rather, multiple), but we all chose to rise above these struggles and saw them as a way to grow. With this refreshing honesty, with not only others, but with ourselves, emerged the wider anxieties prevalent in the Korean-American community: mental illness, domestic abuse, financial hardships; topics rarely ever discussed and, to a certain point, considered taboo in our collective diaspora. With newfound connections and a transformed outlook, my direction in life has morphed and evolved into a series of questions: How can I serve my community? How can I make a change? Most importantly: How can I be a conduit for the underrepresented in our community, for the voiceless?
New York University ‘18 |
Jason Yi
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Although I only attended the NCLC session for one day, it was a valuable experience with many things to learn from. The lives of various speakers provided me with perspectives other than my own. It allowed me to see how other individuals were brought up in vastly different environments. Moreover, politics is not my expertise. As a result, the political aspect of the conference was an unconventional change to my normal life. However, because much of the current world revolves around politics, I believe that the conference was able to provide me with political awareness that I could not have received from anywhere else. In general, I strongly believe that NCLC was a great experience and would have wished to be there during the entire session.
Claremont McKenna College ‘20 |
Jesse Jun
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Imagine this.
You enter a room full of 15 strangers. You take a seat in an empty chair, and observe the faces of the people around you. Some with confident smiles as they introduce themselves, others with nervous grins as they listen in on conversations around them. You close your eyes for a second as your heart starts pounding. "Breathe. Relax. It’s okay." you tell yourself. You take a deep breath and you open your eyes. For the first couple of days at KAC’s NCLC, this is what I experienced. I was nervous beyond imagination, I had very low confidence in public speaking, and being one of the youngest students there, I was intimidated. For the first couple of days, I closed myself off from the others and kept to myself. On the third day, we decided to play a game. At first, I thought it would be another typical “get to know each other” game, but the moment the cards were passed out, we read the questions on each card, and opened it up for discussion, I knew my expectations were about to be completely torn down. As one by one, each person shared their story, my heart was broken and I was at a loss for words. The pain, the struggles, the emotional rollercoaster that my fellow classmates were experiencing were things that I never would have imagined from the smiles and perfect facades they had carried with them the past few days. The vulnerability was evident in the following days and the more I heard their stories, the more my heart ached for them and while I wasn't in their shoes to truly understand their pain, somehow as I listened, I hurt with them. But then I remembered something that we had learned the previous day: the importance of connection. And as my eyes scanned the room as it made stops on each person’s face, my heart was overwhelmed with joy. Connecting with their eyes, I began to see something different in each of them. No longer was I seeing people with painful pasts and emotional baggage, but I saw men and women with hearts of compassion, of strength, of forgiveness, of love, of hope. I saw students who were clearly gifted with these priceless characteristics that I do not see in many people nowadays. I saw people who had once fallen and hit rock bottom, only to look up and rise again. And while from the speakers I learned about what it means to be a leader, what it means to be successful, and what it means to have a dream, this was the lesson that I can confidently say will forever resonate in my heart. It's a lesson about connection and why it's so important to be able to connect with people. It's about the idea that everybody has a story and how powerful a person’s story can be. It's about how one smile, one laugh, one tear, one conversation can speak a thousand words. To be a leader is not to be the best or even try to be the best. To be a leader is to be a follower, a listener, who desires to know and connect with the people around them with a genuine heart. This is my NCLC story on what it's taught me. And I encourage you to find yours. Southern Methodist University '21 |
John Park
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When I first stepped through the door of the KAC building, I was nervous. New faces, unfamiliar territory, and me learning to be a leader. My first thought was to run out of the room, but I'm glad I didn't. Through this leadership conference, I made amazing friends, met influential speakers, and most importantly, learned the meaning of being a leader. I personally never saw myself as a leader, but in one week I learned it's more than just a title. Being a leader means giving back to the community, connecting with people, and taking that first step. This event also aided me in meeting unforgettable friends and staffs. Thanks to their open minds and friendly attitudes, it really enhanced my experience. It was a privilege to take part in this conference, and I would love to encourage future generations to join this once-in-a-lifetime journey.
Pasadena Community College ‘21 |
Lisa Kang
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To say that the National College Leadership Conference was amazing would be an understatement. The week-long conference was more than I could ever ask for. Coming into college, I have always wanted to help the Korean American community, but I didn’t know how and where to begin. At my school, where only ten percent of the student body represents Asians, I felt powerless to do anything, and my goals began to blur. However, my lack of confidence and uncertainty soon disappeared when I stepped inside the retreat site.
I have attended numerous conferences prior to NCLC, and I would say this one has been the best thus far. The speakers, conference counselors, and my peers have shown me a glimpse of empowerment and challenged me to see past and current events regarding the Korean American community in a different perspective. The friends I have met at the conference soon became my family and the ongoing discussions became my weapon and source of wisdom. As I anticipate graduating in May, I will never forget the KAC staff for providing me with all the tools, resources, and people I need to navigate my career goals and reminding me that there is a lot to be done in my community and that this is only the beginning. Chapman University ‘18 |
Michelle Jong
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Attending KAC’s five days of lecture really triggered me to open my mind to meditate on who I am, what can I do, and what I want to do as a Korean American in the upcoming generation. Aside from the brilliant speakers enlightening us with information, guidance in career life, and mind-boggling personal experiences, I was extremely lucky to spend time with people who have phenomenal spirits. The number of people was not too small nor too big, which helped me to engage fully with each and every one. Every day was unique and exciting. I've made actual, legitimate friends, and I mean more than just befriending them on social media. We really got the chance to be intimate and open up to each other.
Honestly, I did not know what to expect from this leadership conference, except listening to hours of lecture day after day. However, the last five days gave me faith in Korean society. Before attending this leadership camp, I viewed Korean American society as a place where everyone needs to be better than others to succeed, even if it means putting others down. What I realized from listening to and exchanging views with my new friends is that success does not mean being better than others. I've learned that success requires groups of people of all genders, ages, and status to gather as one and construct something far greater than what would have been created by just one individual. Everyone was very selfless and supportive of one another. All of the amazing people I’ve gotten to know and heart-warming experiences I've gained through the 2017 Breaking Barriers conference are truly dear to me and I'll never forget them. Rhode Island School of Design ‘18 |
Monica Roh
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The NCLC program has changed me in ways that no amount of schooling could ever achieve. I walked into the conference struggling to find the Korean American identity within me, nonetheless the leader within me. As the speakers came in and spoke about their life experiences, not excluding their hardships along the way, their genuineness made the idea of me being a leader less of a reach. In fact, I realized that a leader lies within every single person—all it takes is a setting conducive to an encouraging and supportive environment. Our NCLC family provided just that—a place where I could see myself and my peers in a raw, unaltered light. What amazes me is the community we created, one of compassion and vulnerability. As would most others, I grew up thinking of a leader as one who could never show a sense of vulnerability, let alone admit to them. However, as each and every person in our group opened up, exposing themselves to people they had met just a few days prior, they showed me that leaders do not conform to circumstances. Rather, leaders stick to their convictions and have faith in their own selves, no matter how unfamiliar their settings. What further intrigued me was the fact that my peers simply listened to my thoughts. I had expected others to interfere with my convictions, as I erroneously believed that that is what leaders do—be listened to and lead. However, I saw understanding manifested in my peers’ faces, and it truly changed my once rigid beliefs about what constitutes a leader. I was able to see the true qualities of leadership: courage, strength, and compassion.
Throughout this journey of discovering the leader within me, I was able to formulate a liaison between my Korean American identity and my leadership qualities. The connection I had with my peers and the speakers alike arose from our shared Korean American backgrounds. This sense of cultural similarity proved to me that there was not much of a difference between us, regardless of our future goals and interests. I walked into NCLC unsure of my abilities and leadership, but walked out a confident, undaunted individual; ready to become the leader I was destined to be. Boston University ‘19 |
Nicole Yim
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The five-day experience at NCLC was, to say the least, life-changing. Not only was there much to learn from each speaker, but the conversations and relationships that took place outside of the classroom made the experience all the more worthwhile.
The stories of the speakers and the other attendees instilled in me a strong sense of unity and comfort. The struggle of my own life seemed to exist in others' in different and identical forms and knowing this allowed me to see the importance of real human relations and connection. All the while, I learned information about how the healthcare system affects our everyday lives, that redistricting is a major component of the social and political reforms in Los Angeles, how to go about searching for a career (the simple answer being: with ambition and flexibility), and most importantly, how to build an effective and supportive community, starting with the Korean American community. I take away the sense of responsibility of being a Korean-American youth in unifying and fighting for our community and thank everyone involved in my experience. Occidental College ‘21 |
Rachael Lee
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The National College Leadership Conference was an extraordinary experience that I never expected to have. As a Korean American who was raised abroad, I didn’t feel a strong connection to the Korean American community. But, after spending a week with the speakers and other college students, my perspective of the Korean American community changed. Learning about the history of Koreatown allowed me to understand my grandparents’ and parents’ immigration experience. The struggles and barriers they overcame while living in the US are the reason I am the person I am today. I grew a deeper appreciation for my family and the Korean American community.
The speakers’ perspectives on real success and how they have been able to overcome many hurdles to get to their positions today showed me that there are various ways our generation can be successful in our work, as long as we are passionate for the cause and truly enjoy what we are doing. Many of us came out of the conference wanting to make a difference within the community and were inspired to continue the work of our predecessors. Georgetown University ‘19 |
Teddy Park
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The National College Leadership Conference was an empowering and transformative experience.
Before arriving to the University of Redlands, I had little to no expectations. This wasn't my first student conference, and it certainly wasn't going to be my last. Born and raised in LA, I wasn't new to bonding with other Koreans either. Honestly, I was just ready to survive through the week in order to be a part of KAC's internship program. In my mind, the conference was just a checkpoint before starting work for the summer. Luckily, I was so very wrong. In each of the 5 days of speakers and workshops, I was inspired and empowered to stand as a leader for the Korean-American community. Going beyond the mundane motivational mottos, we dove into nuanced discussions of the KoAm community: our perception in society, our troubled racial history, our generational divide, and most importantly, how to foster growth and leadership to address these issues. What I found truly special about NCLC and the Korean American Coalition is their unique effort to foster an empathetic and supportive Korean-American community. Beyond contact numbers and resume boosters, the leadership and staff of KAC provide a space to open up, reflect on yourself, and grow with your fellow participants. I entered NCLC apathetic. I left with a newfound appreciation for the leaders who came before me and a motivation to inspire future NCLC attendants one day. Needless to say, I'll be back. University of Southern California ‘18 |
Treasure Bammel
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I had the opportunity to go to California for an NCLC conference that has helped me in many ways. Prior to this event, I had never been to a Korean leadership conference before. I was not sure what to expect, but I went with high expectations. I arrived in LA and met many other Korean American students at the KAC office. It was a special moment for me because I was not used to seeing so many Korean American students all gathered in one place. Though it took us a few minutes to get to know each other, we were able to quickly get comfortable. Throughout the whole five-day conference, I could tell that everyone was there with an open mind and an open heart. I felt no judgment, which I think helped everyone to open up with some of their personal thoughts and opinions. Not only did we talk about Korean American society, but we also talked about many general topics, such as what we think success is and what our goals as humans should be. Not only did I learn who I was as a Korean American, I found out who I was as an individual.
Trinity University ‘21 |
Uriel Lee
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At some point in my junior year of college, I was confused and lost about where I was heading with my studies, career, and life. Words like success, happiness, and community had limited meaning for me, and I was racing through my college years to achieve my own definitions of success and happiness.
NCLC was more than a simple leadership or networking conference for me. Within a span of five days, I was able to see my community and my role as a leader in a way I had never seen. I was inspired by the speakers’ unwavering dedication to public service, and the people I met during the conference helped me ask hard questions and think critically about who I am and what I must do. I did not know I could become so close with a group of people and have so many treasured memories in such a short period of time. NCLC changed my life, to say the very least, and I am truly honored to have been part of this program. New York University ‘18 |
Yahya Stith-Stewart
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Every time a person has asked me about what happened at the National College Leadership Conference (NCLC), I always begin with, “There was no way to prepare for the week I just had.” I had arrived to the conference shortly after the first speaker, Duncan Lee, began his presentation and was being briefed when I was told he had just started the topic of the Chinese Exclusion Act. Needless to say, I was beyond confused. I have always had a love for history, but I had always separated the different struggles of each race and culture in the same way that the textbooks I studied did with chapters. By the end of Duncan Lee’s speech, he was able to connect the dots of not only all Asian-American struggles in the United States, but of all minorities, and left us with a message of cohesion. Ending the first day with that lingering note created a whole new atmosphere for us. We were no longer individual students that came with our own goals in mind. From that point on, we were a group that learned and grew as one. The aura of unity was stronger than ever and it did not end there.
The conference was absolutely bejeweled with amazing speakers from all walks of life, but the people I spent the week with were just as valuable. I was able to acquire more information than I ever thought I needed due to a TREASURE trove of questions asked by my fellow ELOQUENTLY spoken students. Some of which sounded so melodic and MUSICALLY in tune that it was as if their words DANCED to the rhythm of the campus. A campus so beautifully tucked away that it was nearly impossible for me not to RUN off and get lost every morning, which is a thought I feel was commonly ECHOED as well. Yet above all else, I believe even the speakers would agree that the University of Redlands’ greatest appeal was the food that would keep you coming back for seconds or THIRDS every meal. The most comforting part of the trip was not the food, but was the family bonding we had every night. We would usually spend the entire day engaged in the most complex political engagements, bouncing ideas off one another and the speakers as well, but when the sun went down, we came to a silent agreement that the only way to lead our communities to the answers they seek is to first quell the questions in our souls. Thanks to the guidance of both the most LOVING and compassionate counselor, as well as the best mood-reading FATHER, we were able to confide our troubles in each other, as if we were just speaking to our favorite TEDDY bears. Of course, not all moments of the conference were spent with serious demeanors. There were times when a POTATO was cared for more preciously than someone’s actual DAUGHTER, who was berated by a never-ending litany of DAD jokes. We even found that more than a few of us had the same guilty pleasures when it came to media binging. All in all, this conference made me wish that everyone I met had a TWIN, so I could keep one around me at all times. This June went off with a BANG. Some would say these memories are priceless, but I would say they are worth exactly $210,000. California State University, Long Beach ‘18 |
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The 2017 NCLC was sponsored by:
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