“Change can start with having conversations about voter mobilization, understanding what effective policy implementation looks like, and working towards making a positive impact.” Just Be Yourself. Those were the three words my parents would tell me every day. However, growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, I was an outsider…

“I needed to take a more active role in advocating for my community and get involved in politics which affects all of our lives — whether we choose to ignore it or not.” My earliest memories of being perceived differently for my race can be traced back to first grade…

“I want to inspire future generations that have similar aspirations as I do, just as so many others have done for me. I want to prove that our appearance should not limit how far we can make it in the United States, and that we can achieve anything we put…

“By working at the forefront of the political effort, I learned that voting is an essential tool for the political empowerment of racial and ethnic minority communities; it played a crucial role in amplifying their voice in the policymaking process.” Growing up as the daughter of two pastors of a…

“Throughout my time with KAGC in the Office of Representative Adam Smith, not only was I able to acquire the knowledge that I sought, but I also gained valuable skills, connected with a network of like-minded peers and mentors, and grew as an individual– both professionally and personally” I grew…

“Interning on the Hill allowed me to learn about the mechanisms that can significantly improve the lives of people across the country. It was particularly inspiring to see that there were Korean staffers on the Hill working for those improvements, informed by their own experiences.” One of the most impactful…

I believe that empowered people are equipped people, and we give ourselves the autonomy to defend and champion ourselves when we gain new knowledge. And this has brought me to truly appreciate the work that KAGC does. — I was always proud of my ability to fit in. Having moved around over ten times in my childhood, attending three different middle schools, and constantly having to make new friends, my priority was never defining my identity, but aligning it with others’. I was proud that I could strike…

“Listening to the stories of Black Americans who were purposely failed by their own education systems, Asian Americans who faced assaults on their subway commutes, gay couples who were refused entrance in a church that ‘welcomes all’ — other people’s stories became the fuel for my passion for change.” — Though I was born in Seongnam, South Korea, my family’s move to the Pennsylvanian suburbs concealed my Korean identity for the next ten years of my life. Although I spoke Korean at home and my favorite gourmet meal consisted of rice with a side of gim and kimchi, spending my…

“America is still the land of immigrants and opportunity, and there will always be a need for people to bridge the gap of this multicultural society.” My parents call themselves the 1.5 generation, a mixed breed of model minority Korean immigrant parents and a new generation of not-so-rule followers. In…