KAGC U Spotlight: Sydney Kim, Washington University in St. Louis
“Language serves as a vehicle for my mom to better understand me as I strive to help the world understand her. Learning her diction and syntax enables me to see the world with her compassion, hope, and faith.”
“If only I could speak better English, you could’ve made more friends. You could’ve had more opportunities. I’m sorry you grew up so fast because of me.” This is how my mom often apologized to me for her “shortcomings.”
When I think of my experiences and identity as a young Korean American, serving as a translator for my mom is the first thing that comes to mind.
As a child, I saw translating as a chore. I knew I had to do it, but I grumbled through it regardless. Everything from writing texts to sitting in on parent-teacher conferences, I had wished that it wasn’t my responsibility. As I grew older, I finally started to notice my mom’s subtle pained expressions when she didn’t understand dinner conversations, or her urgency when the cashier at Walmart said something out of the ordinary. Translating was not a chore but an example of my privilege as an English speaker. I worked to help her through these moments by switching back to Korean during dinnertime or by walking her through typical customer-cashier conversations. I watch as my mom continues to persevere and meet every day with love and enthusiasm.
Serving as a translator for my mom has been integral to our relationship and to who I am today. When I read mail or interpret conversations for her, I take the words I see and hear and convert them using cultural nuances, not just one-to-one dictionary definitions. Language serves as a vehicle for my mom to better understand me as I strive to help the world understand her. Learning her diction and syntax enables me to see the world with her compassion, hope, and faith. Viewing the world through her eyes, I see the perspective of a Korean immigrant, an artist, and a mother of two.
Informed by her perspective, I started learning about critical issues affecting the Korean community. Many older Korean American citizens share similar language barriers, which prevent them from applying for government assistance or registering to vote. On a more global scale, I’ve learned about the detrimental implications of the South Korean Nationality Act on young American-born men. As I’ve learned to become aware of these issues, language has become a medium for how I interact with my culture and has shaped how I want to make an impact. In turn, KAGC has begun to teach me the means by which I can advocate for my communities.
When I applied for the KAGC U Leadership Summit, I hoped to meet new friends, learn more about working in government, and maybe make a couple new LinkedIn connections. What ensued was something truly special.
Surpassing all my expectations, I left my three days at KAGC U with a renewed confidence for tangible career paths in public policy, a driven network of Korean-American peers and mentors, and a newfound avenue for channeling my Korean American identity to help serve my communities. I learned to combine policy research and personal anecdotes in order to craft impactful messages to our representatives. All the students I met were leaders in their communities, passionate about everything from working in their own start-ups to going to arts school. Together, we worked diligently to present KAGC priority issues on Capitol Hill.
My research focused on voting rights legislation, specifically regarding limitations for language-minority communities. I advocated for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2021 which amends the Voting Rights Act of 1965 by expanding the criteria for language assistance in voter registration and ballot procedures. Visiting the offices of Senator Tammy Duckworth, Senator Richard J. Durbin, and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, my peers and I lobbied for a variety of critical Korean-American issues, such as small business initiatives, trade relations, adoptee citizenship, and the aforementioned voting rights.
By far the most memorable part of my experience was my reflection of the challenges facing the larger Korean American community, in the context of my own family. I considered my mom’s struggle with language barriers, and the role that translating had in both our lives and relationship. As someone who was fortunate enough to learn from her perspective, I want to ensure that the voices of Korean American communities everywhere are amplified. Just as translating helped me understand how I perceive my Korean American identity; I realized through the KAGC U Summit that my identity could also serve as a channel to serve and grow the underrepresented Asian American demographic in government.
I’m excited to continue working in public policy, and I look forward to the next time I get to engage with KAGC and its amazing network of leaders. Thank you again to KAGC for my formal introduction to public service and thank you to my mom for being my inspiration.
Sydney Kim is an alum of the 2024 KAGC U Leadership Summit. Visiting three congressional offices, Sydney advocated for the expansion of Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act which would provide more Korean American communities with voting accessibility services. As a Freshman majoring in Political Science & Marketing at Washington University in St. Louis, Sydney currently serves as the Treasury Representative at her campus’ Student Union.
Click here to learn more about KAGC, the largest nationwide network of Korean American voters for opportunities to share the Korean American identity, discuss the key issues of our community, and get our voices heard, counted, and reflected in public policy.
