I Am KoreAm: Linda Kim
Name: Linda Kim
Age: 25
City: Seattle
Occupation: Student/Painter
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Vancouver, BC, and also lived in a couple rural areas in both BC and Washington State. Moving from the vibrantly cosmopolitan city of Vancouver to a small town where my family was one of the only families of color was oftentimes a very lonely experience.
What’s a lesson your parents taught you while growing up?
Math and reading study guides make great Christmas gifts for young children.
Math and reading study guides make great Christmas gifts for young children.
What are your aspirations?
I have a BFA in Painting and am currently taking coursework in preparation for graduate studies in social work. My aspirations are to advocate for the availability of more culturally responsive models of mental healthcare, particularly for the Korean first- and second-generation population.
Name one of your habits.
I talk before I think. Apparently, it’s supposed to be the other way around. Oooops.
Are you an early bird or a night owl?
It fluctuates depending on my schedule and my mood, which I suppose would make me a hybrid of both.
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Cheesy, saccharine K-pop ballads on karaoke—the more nauseating, the better.
Cheesy, saccharine K-pop ballads on karaoke—the more nauseating, the better.
What issue are you most passionate about?
Dignity and equality for all.
Dignity and equality for all.
What’s something few people know about you?
In the privacy of my own home, I’ve tried on a few occasions to learn to rap in Korean so I could impress all my friends, but couldn’t read the words fast enough. I failed.
What’s the last book you read?
An anthology of short stories: Coming of Age in the 21st Century. I definitely recommend it.
What words do you live by?
Love always wins.
Related Articles
When we think of children’s literature, we often think back to our own childhoods, curling up under our covers with a flashlight, reading classics like The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, or, if you are a bit younger, Harry Potter.
Linda Sue Park, a Korean American children’s author, is, and continues to be a source of inspiration for this generation’s young readers and budding writers. Park, who has been exploring more of her heritage since writing her debut novel Seesaw Girl, recently visited Korea for the first time in nine years, to give lectures on her award-winning novel, A Single Shard.
Set in 12th century Korea, A Single Shard tells the tale of a twelve-year-old orphan boy named Tree-ear who becomes fascinated about learning the art of pottery. After being barred from the craft because of his orphan status, Tree-ear is eventually sent on a mission to deliver pottery on behalf of Min, a local potter, to an imperial emissary to receive a royal commission. In 2002 the novel received the Newbery Medal, the highest prize bestowed to children’s fiction in America.
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Name: Carol Lynn Pickens
Age: 25
Location: New York City
Occupation: High School English Teacher
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Germany and lived there for several years before moving to the suburbs of Columbia, South Carolina, where I spent most of my life until recently.
Describe your ethnic background.
My ethnic background could be described as biracial. My father is African American and grew up in a tiny town in Oklahoma and my mother is Korean and grew up in Seoul.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I loved a good story and often times after reading a book I often would say, “I could write that.”
As a high school teacher, what’s one thing you’ve learned from your students?
My students have taught me about Lady Gaga and Twitter, but most importantly, they’ve taught me that no one is perfect and that teacher is not God. I don’t have to know all the answers, it’s OK to live with ambiguity, and tomorrow’s a new day.
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Name: Tony Benson
Age: 34
Location: Rochester, MN
Occupation: Communications Coordinator
Where did you grow up? Rochester, MN
Describe your current city: A medium size Midwest city that wants to be and tries to act like a bigger city than it really is. (It is home to the May Clinic though!)
Do you have a nickname? “Asian”
Who’s you favorite Asian celebrity? Aaron Yoo. Seems like a cool guy and probably a fun guy to party with. I’m down for a Vegas weekend anytime!
Who inspires you? My sons. At two and five, they might still be young and small, but they encompass such a huge part of my life and I’m thankful each day for them.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done? I dressed up like a marching band member and danced around on stage at TAO Nightclub in Las Vegas with two other friends of mine. One of the guys was the Mood Director there and asked me if I’d be willing to do it. It was bananas! Sparklers, alcohol, and Sandstorm!
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Name: Kenneth Hyun Chul Ju
Age: 22
Location: Sacramento, CA
Occupation: Call Center Representative
Describe your current city: Sacramento, CA … Capital of the state… In DIRE need of more Korean culture; businesses, restaraunts, churches, grocery markets, video rental stores.
What’s one secret talent? I can drink a whole gallon of milk in one day.
What’s one guilty pleasure? I put kimchi on EVERYTHING; hamburgers, pizza, fried chicken.
What’s the most memorable place you’ve traveled to? Yosu, Korea (an hour away from Gwangju)
What’s one perk of your job? Get paid to talk on the phone 40 hours a week.
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Name: Jina Hwang
Age: 27
City: Fullerton, Calif.
Occupation: Campus minister
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Houston and raised in Rowland Heights, Calif. I’m definitely a Southern California girl. Nothing beats the diversity, sunny weather and the perfect breakfast burrito from Pepe’s.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Oh, lots of things! Teacher. Writer. Therapist. Dog groomer. Fashion designer. Hotel concierge. I wasn’t a particularly quirky or precocious child; I just changed my mind quickly and easily. Any job that required people skills and didn’t involve mental math seemed cool and fun to me.
What led you to become a campus minister?
In college, I got connected with a multiethnic Christian community that transformed my view of what a spiritual life could look like. I was introduced to a God who cares about justice, racial reconciliation, and, well, love. I learned that He extends an invitation to anyone who wants to join Him in bringing change into this world that just ain’t right. His invitation to me was to partner with Him at a large, public university in Orange County. I accepted. And now I’m having the time of my life.
Are there any misconceptions about those in ministry?
Yep. A lot of ‘em. They think those in ministry are homophobes screaming on the street corner. People who can’t find “real” jobs. They think they’re naïve. Out of touch. Judgmental. Goody-goody. Holy rollers. Rigid. They think that full-time ministry is for men only. There are too many misconceptions.
But I am who I am. You can try and put me in a box, but be prepared for a fight. I’m feisty.
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Featured Event
One of the the biggest Asian cinema events to hit Southern California opens on May 10. The Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, presented by Visual Communications, features the latest works by established and emerging filmmakers, along with seminars, panel discussions and symposiums on topics relevant to Asian Pacific cinema.
Opening Night features “Shanghai Calling,” directed by Daniel Hsia and starring Korean American Daniel Henney, who plays a Chinese American expat lawyer navigating his way through the mean streets of Shanghai (the picture above also indicates he is a raisin smuggler). But does he take off his shirt? Go watch the movie to find out! read more
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