Esther Ahn
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The five days at KAC's National College Leadership Conference were hands down the best way I could've started my summer. I had been planning to begin my first week of break sleeping in, and relaxing by the pool but this conference took me by surprise. It was extremely eye opening in terms of strengthening my identity as a Korean-American and exposing me to the issues that our community as a whole faces. It redefined what it meant for me to be a leader and a Korean-American as well. I went expecting to have speakers lecture at us and teach what they believed were the definitions to both. However, each and every panel of professional speakers had conversations with us on their experiences and stories and opened it up to allow us to formulate our own paths and narratives. Each speaker inspired me in their own ways and helped me realize that I shouldn't just wait for someone else to create the solution or take the chance. Even if I am Korean-American, part of the minority, and less privileged, I could do anything too. It encouraged me to set my goals higher and to find areas where I could give back to those around me.
Not only were the speakers amazing, but the counselors and peers I met became the community and friends that I couldn't have met anywhere else. Despite having differing areas of interests, goals, and stories, our commonality of being Korean-American tied us together. From playing the adjective name game to watching Kingdom late at night to bonding over cup ramyun, we were able to create memories and learn from each other's stories even outside of the conference room. As each day passed, I grew sad that the week was coming to an end and the five days didn't feel like enough. Thanks to NCLC, I know that I'll always have these friends to reach out to and that these five days were only the beginning to our connection. I'm excited to see what we'll do individually and collectively in the future. UCI 2022 |
Alys Chang
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Throughout my life, I did think about my identity very much. I grew up in a diverse environment in good ol' Silicon Valley, California. But as diverse as it was, I never really felt accepted entirely. I was always playing sports as a little girl with the boys while the the other girls sat around and just talk to each other. I did swimming and got extremely tan, while other kids went home or went on actual vacations. I didn't go to church like other Korean kids in my area. I didn't speak Korean like the other Korean kids who could. I didn't have straight A's like the other Korean kids. I was outspoken, loud, and always wanted to do something. My dad knew that I didn't really understand my identity. He knew that I was like the other Korean kids, but, because of the way I look, I wouldn't be considered American at first glance. So what did he do? Day in and day out would remind me that I am a Chang from Sunnyvale, California and I am a Korean American. So despite the lack of community I felt from others, I at least had my dad to reassure to me that it is okay to be Korean American. But eventually, I lost him. My dad passed away when I was 13 years old. He was the only person that re-enforced my identity and its importance. But when he was gone, the ability to accept myself disappeared like him. Throughout high school, I ended up burying my identity. I put up walls around me and a hard persona, so no one questioned who I was because stern and was convincing enough to others that I already knew who I was. But I didn't. NCLC changed that. When I was applying to NCLC, I honestly had no idea what I was going to be signing up for. I knew that I was signing up to meet and listen to Korean Americans in the real world, but I didn't think I was going to have to face the thing that I buried years ago. NCLC was truly a life changing experience. Not only did I get to talk to Korean Americans in different professions, but I was given the opportunity to open up my identity. It was the first time in 5 years that I felt like myself. I felt like a Korean American. All of the speakers, peers and counselors had a lot of the same experiences as I did growing up Korean, which was very comforting. As the week progressed, the acceptance of my Korean American identity began to open itself up. I remember breaking down on reflection day about my struggles with my trauma and self-hatred throughout my life because I was Korean American. I never experienced anything like it and I do not regret it. Lewis and Clark College 2022 |
Moon Sung Gwak
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When I moved to the United States at the age of two, my Korean roots began to slowly drift away from the cultural identity that I neglected growing up. My school environment, friends, and experiences in a generally "white-washed" community never urged me to question my identity and the differences between myself and my peers until about my sophomore year of high school when I started to observe the same pattern among other Korean Americans -- the parent's desire to push their children harder, attend an "acceptable" university, and get a "good" job that usually entailed becoming a lawyer or doctor. These patterns I observed through the lens of a young Korean American made me angry and question the validity of such expectations that we must always somehow conform to. That's why during my latter half of my adolescence, I rejected my Korean heritage for my American pride. I could never understand why I always felt like I had to wear an ethnic facade about who I was and which culture I represented.
Sure, my first expectation at NCLC was to learn about other people and listen to them talk about how they studied hard to be where they are right now, but my actual experience was significantly different than my expectations. The conference was representative of the struggles first generation Korean Americans faced to survive in a harsh society and how our generation came to idolize success, breaking from the limitations Asian Americans in general faced just a few decades ago. Rather than learning to see the revelations and success in others through NCLC, I learned to understand my culture's values through my own thoughts and realizations, finding the explanations that I have searched for that represents my childhood. I now know to be proud of the culture that I stand for, how to live a successful life while contributing to the very community that upholds the same values I do. New York University 2022 |
Ashley Hong
Hometown Palos Verdes, CA |
I expected NCLC to be the traditional summer camp, consisting of leadership and public speaking games on the grass, bonding over lunchbox stories and devouring cup ramen. And while lunch box stories were shared and cup ramen was devoured, I wasn't prepared for the magnitude of the issues we dealt with and learned about. Seeing how everyone in the conference, be it the speaker, counselors, or students, was affected to differing degrees by and held (sometimes) contrasting opinions on the same issues really exemplified that although we are one community, there is so much diversity in thought and experiences among each and every one of us. Getting the chance to hear from such passionate and hardworking filmmakers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, news producers, authors, and NASA engineers (just to name a few) was truly empowering and cemented in me the duty to further the growth of the Korean American community, by both shattering the "bamboo ceiling" and helping those who are ostracized and struggling. The best part was that every speaker blew me away in a different way -- through his or her incredible creativity, adventurous spirit, unshakable grit, infectious humor, humility and positivity -- and had something new to say.
As for the students and counselors I spent the five days with, there was an undeniable connection I felt with the group. Whether that was because we're all Korean American or they were just fantastic people, I'm not sure -- perhaps both -- but the shared experience of telling our stories and watching the K-drama Kingdom together every night instilled in me a sense of comfort and community. Thank you to the amazing counselors and students for being so relatable and compassionate, and thank you for KAC for the network of peers and professionals I connected to through NCLC! Brown University 2022 |
Guhn Hur
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Success has always been something that I have internally wrestled to define. As an Asian-American and more specifically, Korean-American, I had felt a constant pressure to excel in everything that I did and meet the expectations that had been set upon me by my parents and community. However, through my week at NCLC and hearing the speakers share about their lives and how they have individually defined their own success, I felt so empowered as if a heavy weight had been lifted off my shoulders. From teachers to investment bankers, I witnessed the same resiliency and compassion that each speaker shared which encouraged me to find fulfillment in whatever I want to do as long as I do it with a passion.
Meeting other young Korean-Americans who are motivated to push for change within our communities filled me with such hope and a sense of ease knowing that the future is in good hands. We were able to share our pains and imperfections as individuals as well as a collective community and I found this vulnerability to be a reflection of our attitudes to embrace our Korean history which has been full of trauma and recognize that united, we are stronger. Many of us had similar stories and experiences and for us to have a space where we were able to reaffirm one another showed me what it meant to be a leader and more importantly, a listener. NCLC was an eye-opening experience and I know that I have made some lifelong connections through this conference. Thank you to all the counselors for your hard work and I truly hope NCLC continues to cultivate bright and driven future Korean-American leaders for our community. UCLA 2021 |
Kate Hur
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Wrapping up the National College Leadership Program, I found myself reflecting on what it means to be a successful Korean-American. The first-generational pursuit of becoming successful through a reputable career was being challenged, evident in the diversity of the speakers’ occupations ranging from children’s book illustrator to a lawyer-turned-filmmaker. What the amazing speakers seemed to emphasize was that success comes from a proper mindset and hard work. Regardless of intellectual capability or interests, it is determination that will provide the strong framework in which passion can thrive. It is with pride that I can say that I recognized this determination in each and every one of my peers at the conference. In the speakers’ inspiring life stories and the company of my friends, I found the answer to my question—a successful Korean-American is whoever they want to be.
Amherst College 2022 |
Bo James Hwang
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As a low-income and first generation college student who grew up in a predominantly Latinx immigrant community, it was difficult for me to relate to other Korean Americans. I felt like issues pertaining to Asian Americans, let alone Korean Americans, were minor compared to other ethnic minorities. I felt unseen and unheard. However, NCLC allowed me to better understand our multifaceted identities and experiences. Through NCLC, I met amazing professionals and student leaders. It was refreshing to unpack my Korean American identity with other college students who also struggled to better understand themselves in this world. I am so grateful for this amazing experience. I was transformed by the dialogues that I had with other students, counselors, and speakers. I will like to personally thank Korean American Coalition, staff, volunteers, and donors for making NCLC possible for me.
UCLA Extension Pre-Medical Post-Baccalaureate Student 2021 |
Lindsey Kang
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I am so thankful that I was able to attend NCLC this year. I went into the week having no idea what to expect. I was nervous about meeting new people, and uncertain about whether I could learn anything from the speakers. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.
Up until NCLC, I have not given much thought to my Korean-American identity. Growing up in a community with very little diversity, I always stood out as “the Asian person" in my school and neighborhood. It was even rarer to be specifically acknowledged as a Korean, much less a Korean-American. NCLC gave me the opportunity to see what that intersectionality of identity looks like. Many of the speakers either immigrated to the U.S. at a very young age, or were born here. I was very encouraged to hear how they refused to be hindered or confined by stereotypes. Their determination to break the “bamboo ceiling” and forward thinking inspires me to continue their work and advocate for the Korean American community as rising leaders in this country. It was also very uplifting to be surrounded by peers who all come from different backgrounds, yet share a pride in our Korean American identity. A big thanks to all the counselors, coordinators, and students who made NCLC an unforgettable experience! UC Berkeley 2022 |
Lawrence Kim
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Throughout my life I have felt an ever increasing distance between myself and my Korean American identity. While I was adequately acquainted with other Korean Americans during my middle school years, we ended up attending different high schools, severing my connections with them. My Asian identity further deteriorated when I attended a primarily white high school. I managed to make plenty of friends, yet the differences in our cultures meant that finding relatable experiences to discuss was always a strenuous activity. I became distanced from my own culture, leaving me with a concealed dissatisfaction that I never realized until I attended the NCLC conference.
Spending five days among Korean Americans and listening to their life stories was an experience that revitalized my Korean American identity. My initial apprehension of the conference quickly disappeared as I realized how necessary it was for me to reconnect with my own identity. If I ever wanted to be able to achieve the same level of success as the speakers, then I must first learn to be comfortable with being a Korean American. It was inspiring to see past generation of my community achieve success and educational to listen to the wisdom they had to impart on the future generations. The shared backgrounds of all the members of the conference ensured that the experience was one that we would all be able to relate and learn from. It truly taught me the importance of culture and the role it plays within identity and connection. The relationships and experiences that were made during the conference are experiences that I am glad to have partaken in. It strengthened my sense of self-identity, but most importantly, reconnected me to the cultural roots of my character. Cal Poly Pomona 2022 |
Jonathan Lee
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NCLC was a unique and valuable opportunity for me that I will never forget. Especially in the past couple of years, I have struggled with my identity as a Korean American. My closest friends are not Korean and I also don’t have too many Korean-American friends. And among both of my extremely American or Korean friends, I have always found it challenging to feel a complete sense of belonging. This was part of my reason for attending this conference.
I remember the first day when all the attendees were just getting to know each other and listened to our first speakers. To be honest, it felt a little weird… but in a good way. It felt odd to me because I couldn’t remember the last time I was with only Korean-Americans around my age. In this sense, I felt an immediate sense of connectedness despite all of our differences. And let me tell you that they were not joking about the abundant amount of speakers booked for this conference in addition to them being established professionals. Even though it seemed as if there would be no end to the number of professionals speaking, I was able to learn something important from each speaker. Also, after hearing from that many speakers, it was inevitable to get close to my peers. All jokes aside, I was absolutely blown away from the wisdom that was poured into my life from these influential, powerful, and inspiring leaders. And not only did I get to hear from them, but I was also able to actually connect with each of them afterwards. Though it did feel intimidating at times to be always connecting with the speakers and my peers, I do not regret taking advantage of this experience as it gave me such a unique opportunity to connect with others and challenge myself to grow as a leader. I want to thank all the amazing counselors, speakers, and peers that have impacted me from this past week. All of these people have helped me feel more confident in my sense of identity as a Korean-American and this is definitely something that I am proud of. I am so grateful to have entered into a space full of strangers that I am now able to call my community. I am excited to continue my education and one day be able to give back to the Korean-American community just like they have done for me :) Westmont College 2021 |
Jake Jae Won Sim
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NCLC was a great learning experience for me where I was able to reconnect with my Korean American heritage and the larger community, with myself as well as other young Korean Americans transitioning through young adulthood. I found NCLC as well as KAC online as I was researching some things and when I saw it, I was delighted that there was a space for Korean American issues outside of the Christian community. I know so many organizations set up to organize and help African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Southeast Asian Americans in their communities. Now, I am connected to a community of Korean Americans.
I learned about the Korean American community and its history and some more of its demographics and enjoyed getting to learn about and meet many of specific individuals who were leaders and firsts for the Korean American community. As I stand in between my parent's Korean older generation and a younger American generation, I had not had many role models to look up to of similar background or heritage. Getting to hear the stories and perspectives of many speakers revealing their deepest and sincere thoughts and memories to us was almost like being able to go into our own futures and asking ourselves questions. Outside of this professional-ish mindset picking the brains of Korean American leaders, the best thing was being able to connect with all of the other youth at the conference. Over the 5 days, we were able to speak with and connect with on such deep levels to a diverse group of Korean Americans from different homeplaces and experiences. Simple things such as eating together and walking around together enabled us to get to chat with so many people to share experiences and connect with. Amazing experience and so glad I was able to attend! UC Berkeley 2020 |
Joshua Suh
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As my family immigrated to a small suburb near Los Angeles County when I was 10, I began referring to Koreans as the “invisible asians.” The only reason was that whenever someone saw my last name, they would most definitely ask me, “are you Chinese? No? Then Japanese?” and, “Korean? Wait, then which Korea are you from?” and I was frustrated to be seen as a Korean immigrant whenever barrages of questions like these flew my way. I was reluctant to share my Korean name with anyone, but I was still forced into the position to teaching Korean curse words to my friends. As I went through middle school and beyond, I viewed being Korean as a weakness.
I came to NCLC thinking I would become even more disillusioned by hearing stories that I never took to heart over and over again, but this conference was different. I felt that attending NCLC was a brand new experience that instilled a new “Koreanness” in me. Having speakers that survived through hardships and discrimination among peers, and speakers that went beyond the Korean cultural norm to accomplish their dreams expanded my view of the Korean American community astronomically. Even if there were differences among the speakers, not one of the speakers failed to impress and humble me through their life stories that seemed similar to mine. I feel that I was too reluctant to stand out among my peers, because I was afraid they would target the one thing I had no control over. However, now I wish I could talk to my younger self and tell him that the Korean heritage is what makes him unique, what drives him, what helps him in hard times and what gives him hope, and I hope I can tell the same to future generations of Koreans just like the leaders that spoke to us during this conference. UC San Diego 2022 |
Sara Tajanlangit
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Orange County, where I spent the formative half of my life, is predominantly Asian, so a culture shock developed when I moved states for college. I began to realize that I had no ties to being Korean American, only really understanding my status as an Asian American and interacting with other people based on that identity. The five-day conference was so invigorating and mentally stimulating. It was refreshing to be validated and heard by others who struggled with the duality of their identities in the Korean communities and in the general American population. A common theme present with all the speakers and with the reflection between students was a sense of community. The speakers echoed building a community for Korean Americans to unify under so that we can rely on each other. I often thought that my experiences were so common that it was unnecessary to speak about or ask for help, but other people struggled similarly to me and could provide advice or comfort. The ability to listen and learn from each other regardless of age or experience showed how the Korean American community in the younger generation is capable enough to pursue our passions, not just the paths that our parents came here for us to achieve.
Oregon State University 2021 |
Gene Whang
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At first, I was reluctant to attend the NCLC, because I thought that the conference was for people who struggled with their Korean-American identity. Since, over half of my friends are Korean and almost all those who aren’t are Asian, I never felt isolated or targeted due to my ethnicity. Because I was always around people like me, I had never really thought about, let alone struggled with my Korean-American identity. To make matters worse, as a STEM student, I thought that the speakers would focus on subjects that I either know nothing about or couldn’t care to learn about.
To say I was pleasantly surprised would be a terrible understatement. I found everything from the campus to the speakers to the other students absolutely amazing and I had a lot more fun than I could have anticipated. For example, I brought my laptop and a DS thinking I would need something to occupy myself but ended up not touching either for the whole week. While having fun, I also learned things I never thought I would learn from a leadership conference such as that I enjoy jump scares and that there are multiple ways to succeed in mafia. All of this was without mentioning the speakers too. The speakers at NCLC are some of the best speakers I have ever heard in my life. I never could’ve expected to have so much fun from a conference that I was initially skeptical of attending. I’d like to thank KAC for letting me join this wonderful experience. Cornell University 2021 |
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The 2019 NCLC was proudly sponsored by:
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