From the Grassroots: Korea’s History of Protest | March 16, 2024
On March 16, the WAFL Program had a session on Korea’s history of social justice movements and protest.
This week was led by KAYF Executive Director Eri Kim, who studied postcolonial Korea at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her presentation covered various social movements through Korea’s history, from the March First Movement of 1919 to the 2016 Candlelight Protests that resulted in the impeachment of then-President Park Geun Hye.
The workshop emphasized the role of young people (students and workers) in this history, particularly in movements against Korea’s former military dictatorships. The session also included group discussions where the students shared their thoughts on American imperialism in Korea, the complexities of Cold War politics, and the importance of public testimony (as it pertains to survivors of the comfort women system of World War II.) Above all, the students were encouraged to think about the value of civic organizing and participation as a means of achieving positive change, and how the legacy of these protests affect the present and future.
Student Testimonies
“Eri's presentation was highly informative and engaging. I loved how there was a mix of learning and intaking information, while also adding in our own commentary and thoughts. These discussions with my peers helped me have a deeper understanding of these historical events and movements that have so significantly shaped our cultural community. I'm grateful to have been able to become aware of these events that are not covered enough in our school curriculums.” - Danielle, 12th Grade
“Eri's presentation was amazing. It was empowering to find that people voiced and fought against injustice after facing decades of trauma and pain. Even people who weren't directly involved in an incident fought for the justice of others, highlighting strength in numbers.” - Andrew, 11th Grade
“I really found this session to be beneficial to deepening my understanding on the history of protest and what kind of effects that it can make for the present and future generations. Specifically, learning about past corruptions in Korea and how people directly took action through protesting opened my eyes further into not only the past problems but even to current & present day problems affecting millions of people everyday. [...] Being aware of and educating ourselves on these issues are key to invoking change.” - Jessica, 10th Grade
Joint Security Area Film Screening | March 2, 2024
On March 2, the WAFL Program held its final film screening of the school year.
The students watched Joint Security Area (dir. Park Chan Wook, 2001), a mystery thriller about the investigation of a fatal shooting incident at the demilitarized zone that left two North Korean soldiers dead. The screening was a follow-up to the previous session on the Korean War with an emphasis on the humanity of Koreans on both sides of the DMZ, and the enduring legacy of the war on the Korean people.
Following the film, the WAFL students discussed its various themes, particularly the conflict that the characters experience between loyalty to their respective countries and their shared humanity as Korean people. The students reflected on how the film challenged their own biases towards North Korean people, and how military conflict, especially the “us-versus-them” mentality, often occludes the human-side of such a tragedy.
Student Testimonies
“The film executed well the social commentary on the way biases heavily impact our lives. Using the example of the tensions between North and South Korea worked beautifully, as two nations whose people look the same and speak the same language experience life threatening consequences for simply enjoying time with one another. This movie made me realize personal biases of mine about North Koreans, and flipped them on its head by showing their humanity, challenging my mentality on what North Koreans are like. We as an audience may not be conscious of our invalid opinions, and so we must put in effort everyday to humanize and empathize with all people.” - Hailey, 11th Grade
“The film Joint Security Area was a heart wrenching tale about the two Koreas. With soldiers on opposite sides cultivating a strong friendship, it all came crumbling down in the face of societal pressure. What the soldiers perceived as moral and ethical was reduced to nothing, as their supposed ‘loyalty’ to their nation overrode any sense of rationality. Furthermore, the intense fight between the soldiers also highlights how the soldiers were forced into this situation. Through propaganda and manipulation, the soldiers are forced to erase their individuality and become a small part a bigger conflict.” - Yang, 11th Grade
Remembering the Korean War | February 17, 2024
On February 17, the WAFL Program had a session on the Korean War.
The session kicked off with a discussion on how the WAFL students have learned about the Korean War, whether in school or from their families. KAYF Executive Director Eri Kim then gave a overview of the Korean War, the human cost of this tragedy, and how it is remembered in history. She also discussed the aftermath, emphasizing how the conflict has carried into Korean political and social life into the present and how the 1953 armistice did not end the war. The students also discussed the how the Korean War affected the Korean diaspora and the continuing issue of divided families (i.e. Koreans with kin still living in North Korea) today.
The guest speaker this week was Mr. Sungyull Koo of the 625 Foundation. The 625 Foundation works to establish Korean War libraries in K-12 schools across America, particularly in the hometowns of veterans who went missing or were killed in action. During the guest talk, Mr. Koo shared his experience meeting Korean War veterans as part of his work, and the importance of memorializing the war and the people who served in it.
The Power of Representation: Redistricting and Asian American Voting | February 3, 2024
On February 3, the WAFL Program had a session on redistricting and AAPI voting.
The students were joined by Grace Pyun, a New York-based attorney who formerly served as Acting Executive Director and General Counsel for the NYC District Commission. They were also joined by Judge Marilyn Go, who formerly served as a federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York as well as a founding member of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY).
The session opened with an icebreaker where the students discussed if the voting age should be lowered to 16 years old. Ms. Pyun’s presentation covered what redistricting means, how it affects voting and legislation, and what we can do to enhance the Asian American community’s representation locally. The students finished the workshop with an exercise on how to write a public testimony as a means of advocating for change within their communities.
“Learning about redistricting and how the US government tries its best to make every vote have the same influence was eye-opening. I never knew that such an elaborate measure was put in place to ensure that the elections were as fair as possible. Throughout all the negative news about corruption and stolen elections, it helped me realize that the United States is still an entity that strives for its original purpose; democracy.” - Yang, 11th Grade
“I loved writing my own public testimony after the lesson on redistricting. The lesson helped me realize that I could induce real change in my community just by writing a short testimony directed towards the city council. It was not only educational; it was also fun writing about real world issues that my school and I face every single day.” - David, 11th Grade
“[Grace Pyun and Judge Marilyn Go] were incredibly engaging, and it was so special to hear their immense wisdom through their experience in the legal field. It was interesting to have this dialogue between three different generations regarding voting age, civic engagement, and other relevant topics that shape our American political landscape today.” - Danielle, 12th Grade
Public Speaking Workshop: Nailing the Interview | January 20, 2024
On January 20, the WAFL Program held a public speaking workshop for its students.
The students were joined by Courtney Armstrong, an instructor from New York Speech Coaching. This week’s topic was “Nailing the Interview” with the focus of educating our students on how to carry oneself confidently in an interview setting. Ms. Armstrong covered the fundamentals of confident speech, speaking spontaneously, and how to most effectively share one’s personal narrative with interviewers and gave the students personalized feedback through various exercises.
Student Testimonies
“My favorite part of the session was when we were going through various speech exercises to build upon certain skills such as impromptu speaking and fluency. It was very helpful to see my peers go through these exercises and see how they had an immediate impact on how they presented themselves to an audience.” - Danielle, 12th Grade
“Courtney was very precise with the methods she was giving us, which was very helpful. She also explained on how the methods work and gave step by step example in order to achieve a better speech presentation. I really liked how she was positive throughout the whole meeting and kind to help students through the process of the variety of methods we learned.” -Emilia, 10th Grade
“Courtney was great! She seemed very genuine about the personal feedback she gave each of us and made it comfortable for us to try answering questions we never answered before. She made the process very simple to understand without overwhelming us with stuff we must and must not do. She was patient and kind to everyone!” - Jessica, 10th Grade
Free Chol Soo Lee Film Screening and Director’s Q&A | January 6, 2024
On January 6, the WAFL Program held a film screening of Free Chol Soo Lee, a PBS documentary directed by Julie Ha and Eugene Yi.
The documentary is about the story of Chol Soo Lee, a Korean immigrant who was wrongfully convicted of murder in 1973, and the subsequent movement to advocate for his justice. Although this is an often-forgotten part of history, the Free Chol Soo Lee movement was significant as an early moment of Asian American mobilization that reckoned with racial profiling in the criminal justice system. Lee was exonerated of the 1973 murder ten years later as a result of the Free Chol Soo Lee movement.
After watching the film, the students were joined by director Julie Ha and Sebastian Yoon, who voiced Chol Soo Lee in parts of the documentary. During the Q&A, the students asked questions from the filmmaker’s approach towards storytelling to the ways Ms. Ha and Mr. Yoon’s personal experiences fleshed out Chol Soo Lee’s characterization in the documentary.
Student Testimonies
“My favorite part of this session was definitely the time that we spent after to discuss with Julie and Sebastian about the relevancy of the topic along with how and why they decided to narrate and produce a documentary on Chol Soo Lee. The time that we spent sharing our thoughts about the movie was truly valuable to me as I was able to learn a part of Korean history that is too often forgotten and overlooked. The screening of this movie was eye opening regarding the experiences that a Korean American went through, but also displayed the impact and hope that community can bring to people in times of real struggle.” - Jessica, 10th Grade
“[The guest speakers] were amazing. I really appreciated Julie Ha's passion while talking about the process of making Free Chol Soo Lee, and her being transparent with the fact that it was her first documentary ever. On the other hand, Sebastian Yoon's sincerity while sharing his own story and the hardships that came along with it was gut-wrenching, to say the least. I commend his bravery and vulnerability; it isn't easy to share such a personal story like that.” - David, 11th Grade
“I loved being able to hear Julie Ha and Sebastian Yoon's perspective on how they approached the documentary. I found it interesting on how Sebastian Yoon took on the role of the voice of Chol Soo Lee and how he contributed in providing perspective with his experiences. He brought what he knew to help form how Chol Soo was represented.” - Joelle, 10th Grade
“Having the guest speakers, especially the directors of the film, engage directly with us was very important and memorable. I always love our film screening sessions because not only do we learn valuable life lessons, we also learn about our Asian American history.” - Ally, 12th Grade
Asian American Narratives Workshop with Make Us Visible NY | December 2, 2023
On December 2, the WAFL Program held an Asian American Narratives Workshop with Make Us Visible NY.
Make Us Visible NY is a bipartisan nonprofit organization that advocates for the inclusion of AAPI history in K-12 schools across America and solutions to anti-Asian American violence. The students were joined by Christine Huang and Juleigh Chin, co-directors of the New York chapter of MUV, and volunteers from MUVNY to discuss the work they do and how to tell our stories as young Asian Americans.
During the session, Ms. Huang discussed the benefits of learning Asian American history in school and how this contributes to a healthy development of AAPI youth. The students then participated in breakout sessions where MUVNY reps led discussions on developing and building public narratives that our students can use for public testimonies, media interviews, and community events.
Student Testimonies
“Make Us Visible NY were great! I could really tell that they were sincere and genuine in their work. They ensured that everybody got a chance to speak if they wanted, and made sure that everyone felt as though their thoughts, experiences, and opinions mattered. I also appreciated how supportive the WAFL students were – when I spoke, I could tell everyone was giving their full attention and truly listening to what I was saying.” - Danielle, 12th Grade
“[The workshop] was helpful for me because I was able to understand the importance that AAPI education is for our generation, especially in this time when we are recovering from the pandemic. I was able to reflect and talk on my past experiences. Through this workshop I was able to realize how much more I should embrace my Asian American identity.” - Jessica, 10th Grade
“The session helped me open my eyes to the injustices that currently exist in the U.S. education system. I found myself being frustrated at the fact that there are electives for European and U.S. History, but no available classes for African-American or AAPI History. Seeing Make Us Visible NY put AAPI History into the high school curriculum of many NY school districts gave me hope. Now, I plan on following Make Us Visible's progress and potentially volunteer to help them reach their goals!” - David, 11th Grade
Liquor Store Dreams Film Screening | November 11, 2023
On November 11, the WAFL Program had a film screening of PBS documentary Liquor Store Dreams.
Directed by So Yun Um, Liquor Store Dreams tells the story of two Korean American children of liquor store owners as they confront the complex legacies of LA’s racial landscape, particularly the 1991 murder of Latasha Harlins and the Los Angeles Riots of 1992. The students used the WAFL discord server to give live commentary on the film as they reflected on their own experiences as young Asian Americans.
The students were later joined by director So Yun Um for a special Q&A, where she took questions ranging from the filmmaking process to the need for minority creators to tell their stories for themselves.
Student Testimonies
“The Q&A with So Yun Um was very insightful, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the struggles and conflicts of being Asian Americans in the United States. She had very in-depth and profound answers to each of our questions, and offered a level of insight that allowed us to understand the perspectives of first and second generation Korean Americans.” - Yang, 11th Grade
“[During the session] we covered a lot of different aspects of the lives of Korean Americans and first and second generations (for instance, while watching the film we talked about the language barrier and how it's difficult to communicate with your parents because you often lose fluency in your native tongue while your parents aren't the best at English).” - Hannah, 10th Grade
“Hearing So Yun Um's perspective as an Asian American filmmaker/storyteller was really empowering to hear. As someone who wants to go into journalism to properly report stories, her documentary and experiences were really eye opening in the ways journalism can negatively impact communities. Especially with the 1992 LA Riots and the unfair/inaccurate media portrayal of the events, the documentary and the way So Yun Um brought a fresh perspective to the events was really refreshing and inspiring to watch/hear.” - Ellen, 12th Grade
College Prep & Essay Writing Workshop | October 28, 2023
On October 28, the Korean American Youth Foundation held its annual College Prep & Essay Writing Workshop for the WAFL Program.
Our students were joined by Ed Kim, VP of Education & Training for Code Ninjas, who has extensive experience working with teens pursuing higher education. The session kicked off with an inside look on the college admissions process and how students can make their applications stand out. The latter half of the workshop covered how to write a strong college essay that reflects the students and their experiences. Throughout the session, the students had opportunities to ask questions ranging from their academics to any anxieties they have about applying to college.
Student Testimonies
“My favorite part was learning about the main topics on the personal essay. Ed made the point very clear; go explore yourself and find your true passions. Nerd away about them. Colleges want to see you for who YOU are.” - Yang, 11th Grade
“The workshop was very helpful and informed me on key factors that make up a good college essay and application.” - Jessica, 10th Grade
“The best thing about the Workshop was that it was an open environment where anyone could share their thoughts and questions. [...] This nonjudgmental environment helped me both feel comfortable and learn more about the college application process.” - David, 11th Grade
“I felt like this was the most important seminar to me out of all the college workshops I have attended. Thank you!” - Lonnie, 11th Grade
WAFL Orientation | October 14, 2023
On October 14, the Korean American Youth Foundation kicked off the We Are Future Leaders (WAFL) Program with its orientation.
During the orientation, Director Eri Kim discussed the program overview, student conduct policy, and how students can apply for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. This was then followed by student introductions and an icebreaker for the new WAFL class to get to know each other.
The WAFL Program strives to build up the next generation of Asian American community leaders and connect high school students with others like them. Though the WAFL Program began in 2007 as an in-person program, it has adopted an online format since 2020 and is currently open to Asian American teens nationwide. This year, 72 students are enrolled in the WAFL Program representing 11 states (New York, New Jersey, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Virginia, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and West Virginia) and a province in South Korea.