Jun 16, 2020
KAGC Alumni Spotlight: Irene Rhee
At KAGC programs, I met so many Korean Americans who were similarly inspired and motivated to learn more and speak out more. I had found a community that inspired me to learn harder, and a community where I fit without trying to suppress a part of myself.
When I was in fifth grade, I had this friend whose mom had always made her the best lunches. The rice would be packed neatly into small little balls with sesame seeds on them and would come with a variety of super yummy-looking side dishes. One day, when we were eating in the cafeteria, a teacher walked by, saw the teensy anchovies my friend’s mom had packed for her, and screamed. Ashamed, my friend ran to the bathroom crying. To be honest, at the time, I couldn’t really understand the problem — why it was upsetting for the teacher and why it was upsetting for my friend.
If we fast forward to when I was in high school, I could not really understand what the problem was with asking where someone was really from, and I didn’t think that racism was a problem that was really rampant in America. At the time, I also could not see the value in diversity. I think this is a large problem with K-12 education; so much of the social aspect in it is shrouded in the desire to fit the status quo, the majority, and the white people that young students lose sight of the value of diversity.
As a minority, I both felt and experienced instances that proved to me that the Korean food, ideas, and culture that I could share would not be accepted by the majority. While I loved Korea and all it had to offer, I felt that it didn’t have a place in the hearts of many of my peers. Have you ever thought about how the “successful” Asian Americans, the ones who make it big and are generally well-respected by American people, are also fully integrated into American culture? How many fobs in America do you know who have been able to earn that same level of respect from Americans? It all stems from a fear of being different (a minority) and an affinity for the familiar (the majority). This can maybe even be thought of as a small form of racism.
When I entered college, I had a paradigm shift. My freshman year, I went to my first KAGC event 2017 KAGC U Leadership Summit and became motivated by a desire to meet other Korean Americans. There, I found an intrigue in the idea of being exposed to politics and policies, something I had virtually zero knowledge about. It was during this event in which someone stated that “not being aware was a privilege.” I don’t remember who said it or in what context, but it really resonated with me. This was the start of when I realized the importance of simply being aware.
Once I returned to college, I struggled with following current events and societal issues, but I was blessed to be surrounded by a network of people who commonly had uncommon experiences. They talked about things that bothered them, why they bothered them, and how these problems were an effect of American society, and slowly my eyes began to open. I could notice so many flaws within our society — I could finally understand why the incident in fifth grade was so upsetting for my friend and for the teacher.
I do not mean to say that this change happened all within the course of my freshman year, though; it really was very gradual. I returned to a KAGC event again in my junior year at the 2018 KAGC National Conference, and then again in my senior year at the 2020 KAGC U Leadership Summit, with an increasing level of a desire to learn. Each time I attended, I gained new concrete information from the guest speakers, testimonies, and politicians.
Equally importantly, I met so many Korean Americans who were similarly inspired and motivated to learn more and speak out more. I had found a community that inspired me to learn harder, and a community where I fit without trying to suppress a part of myself. The goal is to make America into that kind of community for everyone!
My deepest thanks to everyone working at and supporting KAGC, who have put in so much time into making these events possible and accessible for a staggering number of students. I truly believe that helping people become more aware, even if they do not actively become politicians, will undoubtedly allow them to both raise awareness in others and to effect change. Opportunities for change can only be realized if we’re aware of the need for change, right?
Side note: It was especially exciting to see how aware or eager to learn the underclassmen were at the last conference I attended in January 2020, as their passion was so much stronger than I had as a freshman. I’m excited to see the impact you all will bring to your communities!! :)
Another side note: I know that as minorities we all struggle with racism, but please show some extra love for the Black Lives Matter movement; the racism that black people experience threatens their very livelihood.
Irene graduated from Brown University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and will be working in Silicon Valley. Throughout her undergraduate career, Irene led a K-pop dance group on the campus and was actively involved with the Brown Korean American Students Association, through which she first came across the Korean American Grassroots Conference. Irene has attended the 2017 KAGC U Leadership Summit, 2018 KAGC National Conference, and 2020 KAGC U Leadership Summit.
Click here to learn more about KAGC, the largest nationwide network of Korean American voters, and its upcoming 2020 National Conference, for a rare opportunity to share the Korean American identity, discuss the key issues of our community, and get our voices heard, counted, and reflected in public policy.
Related Posts from KAGC:
- On the lunchbox moment: “Different and Alone” by Yejin Chang
- KAGC Alumni Spotlight: Chris Choi
- “Anti-Blackness, Civil Rights, and Model Minority” by Averi Suk
