About KAFGW

Establishment

The Korean American Foundation‒Greater Washington was formed on October 30, 2001 as a Virginia non-profit organization to provide programs relating to the history and future of Korean immigration to the United States, and to engage in other educational and cultural activities. The foundation is actively supporting and organizing special events on January 13, designated by Congress as Korean American Day.

The organization was recognized as tax-exempt under IRC Section 501(c) (3) in June 2003 by the Internal Revenue Service.
The Centennial Committees of Korean Immigration and Korean Americans have designated January 13th of each year as Korean American Day to memorialize the more than 100 year journey of Korean Americans to the United States.

On October 20, 2005, the Senate of the United States passed Senate Resolution 283 of the 109th Congress. It states that the Senate –

(1) supports the goals and ideals of a ‘Korean American Day’;

(2) commemorates the 103rd anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States; and

(3) encourages the people of the United States to –

(A) share in such commemoration in order to greater appreciate the valuable contributions Korean Americans have made to the United States; and

(B) to observe ‘Korean American Day’ with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

On December 13, 2005, the House of Representatives of the United States passed House Resolution 487 of the 109th Congress. It states that the House of Representatives –

(1) supports the goals and ideals of a Korean American Day;

(2) urges all Americans to observe Korean American Day so as to have a greater appreciation of the invaluable contributions Korean Americans have made to the United States; and

(3) honors and recognizes the 103rd anniversary of the arrival of the first Korean immigrants to the United States.

Our Mission

  • We strive to honor and increase awareness of the accomplishments and contributions of the Korean American community since January 13, 1903, when Korean immigrants first arrived in the United States.
  • We aspire to cultivate an appreciation among present and future generations of Korean Americans for the efforts of our pioneering predecessors in establishing our roots within the American homeland and its culture.
  • We endeavor to build and strengthen relationships between the Korean American community and the diverse communities of the United States while maintaining strong bonds with the people and the rich and ancient traditions of Korea.
  • A major part of our effort to realize these goals shall include organizing a public event on Korean American Day, January 13, in Washington, D.C., that invites distinguished Korean Americans and friends of the community to gather together in celebration of this day.

Korean American Foundation
– Greater Washington

9대임원진 / Staff :

이명희/Myung Hee Lee

9th President

M: 443-504-2322
mlee@kafgw.org
President@kaf-gw.org

존 유/JOHN YOO, MBA

Vice President

M: 703-618-6756
jyoo@kaf-gw.org

김경훈/Kyung Hun Kim

Secretary

O: 410-761-2988
dkim@kaf-gw.org

강치현/Chi Hyon Kang,CPA

Treasury

O: 703-256-2580
michael@kangthomascpa.com

역대 회장님들:

1/2/3 대 회장

정세권/ Sekwon Chong

4/5대 회장

이은애/ Eun Ae Lee

6대 회장

허인욱/ Ben Hur

7/8대 회장

김 미실 / Mi Schill Kim

Message from KAF-GW president:

I am honored to serve as the 9th President of the Korean American Foundation-Greater Washington for the next two years.

As a first generation Korean immigrant arriving in the U.S. in 1988, I had to restart my career by enrolling in various training programs. I eventually enrolled in an accounting program for college graduates of other majors (Art at Duksung Women’s University in Korea in my case). This led me to eventually obtain a position at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) as a senior accountant before recently retiring. During my tenure at MICA, I was able to organize many community engagement and artistic performance events held in the community and at MICA. I was the first recipient of MICA’s Riley Hawkins Award for community service to Baltimore.

I was also able to co- establish the Baltimore Changwon Sister City Committee (BCSCC) in 2017 under Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc. I currently continue as co-Chair of BCSCC. Mayor Huh of Changwon City and his delegation were invited by BCSCC to visit Baltimore in 2019, during which he signed an agreement with Baltimore Mayor Jack Young. Last year, I joined the Korean American Foundation-Greater Washington (KAF-GW) as co-Chair of the steering committee.

I see my role as President of KAF-GW as transitional, during which I and colleagues will prepare the organization for a next generation President. We will do our best to preserve the legacy of our past organizational leaders, to continue to build awareness and respect for the accomplishments of our predecessor Korean immigrants, and to increase and strengthen relationships between the Korean-American community and American society.

We welcome all to join us for the hybrid (in person and live streamed) celebration of Korean American Day on or about January 13, 2021 (exact date to be determined) at the U.S. House of Representatives Rayburn Office building. More details and updates will be available on this website as our preparations progress.

Please be safe as we fight our way through this Pandemic.

Best Wishes,

Myung Hee Lee

October, 2020

Community Activity Highlights

Community Engagement
My unique experiences as an immigrant from Korea, an art college graduate, and qualified through a rigorous program for non-accounting majors to sit for the CPA exam, has allowed me to work in the finance department of the Maryland Institute of Art (MICA) as well as pursue extracurricular activities in the local and MICA campus art community. One of my first efforts in the community was the Bmore Soul to Seoul events, designed to promote understanding between the Korean and Baltimore African American community after the Baltimore uprising of 2015. I and Station North Arts and Entertainment partnered with support from the MICA Office of Community Engagement grants, a MICA graduate student, Station North and Korean community people, and a Maryland State grant. I recently supported a 2020 Asia North virtual event organized by Towson University’s Asia Art & Cultural Center and Central Baltimore Partnership. This event is intended to promote development of the Station North area as a center for Asian food, arts, and culture.
International Performers and Educators
I coordinated with the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. to have an event at MICA presented by the National Gugak Center, an internationally recognized institute of performers and artists in Korea, in October, 2016. I was also able to organize a 3 day seminar in Feb. 2019 and workshop with the MICA Fiber Department and the Korean Hanbok Advancement Center that included a high level Hanbok (traditional attire of Korea) fashion designer and Professor from Korea. This was followed by a 2019 summer course (2 weeks credit course) in Hanbok history, design, dyeing, assembly, and exhibition at MICA.

While at MICA, I have been able to work with graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of ways. I organized 3 Korean Film Festivals (2016-2018) at the MICA Brown Center, with support from Hoi grants each year awarded to a MICA student I mentored. I worked with KISA (Korean International Student Association) undergraduate and graduate students, as well as MICA alumni and faculty, and Peabody Institute musicians. I have reached out to Maryland Film Festival and the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. for a Korean movie series at Parkway Theater in Baltimore. I have worked for the annual Korean Society of Maryland outdoor Festival, and organized an artistic event at R-House in Baltimore which included Clayworks (Ceramics) and MICA graduate artists and filmmakers.

Co-chair and Co-founder, Baltimore-Changwon Sister City Committee (BCSCC)
To promote international relations between Baltimore and Korea, I and a colleague organized and gathered support for a new sister city committee, BCSCC. With the signing ceremony attended by Mayor Young and Mayor Huh (Changwon) at City Hall in November, 2019, BCSCC officially became the newest sister city of Baltimore. I arranged for MICA to host Mayor Huh, his delegation, and the Changwon City Dance Troupe. MICA hosted the delegation, and a performance was presented at Brown center by the dance troupe. The visit planning initiated discussion of a Memorandum of Understanding between MICA and Changwon National University, which is still pending.

In May 2019, as co-Chair of BCSCC, I assumed responsibility for the organization and production of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) celebration in the greater Baltimore area (link to video below). This was a very large event, bringing together a diverse group of cultures from the Pacific Islands and Western Pacific Rim, held at MICA. Speakers included President Samuel Hoi of MICA, Maryland State Senator Susan Lee, and University of Maryland Professor of Medicine Dr. Van-Khue Ton. It was a unique opportunity to experience the traditional dances of Indonesia, Hawaii, Thailand, Vietnam, and others.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) celebration link:
International Performers and Educators
I coordinated with the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. to have an event at MICA presented by the National Gugak Center, an internationally recognized institute of performers and artists in Korea, in October, 2016. I was also able to organize a 3 day seminar in Feb. 2019 and workshop with the MICA Fiber Department and the Korean Hanbok Advancement Center that included a high level Hanbok (traditional attire of Korea) fashion designer and Professor from Korea. This was followed by a 2019 summer course (2 weeks credit course) in Hanbok history, design, dyeing, assembly, and exhibition at MICA.

While at MICA, I have been able to work with graduate and undergraduate students in a variety of ways. I organized 3 Korean Film Festivals (2016-2018) at the MICA Brown Center, with support from Hoi grants each year awarded to a MICA student I mentored. I worked with KISA (Korean International Student Association) undergraduate and graduate students, as well as MICA alumni and faculty, and Peabody Institute musicians. I have reached out to Maryland Film Festival and the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C. for a Korean movie series at Parkway Theater in Baltimore. I have worked for the annual Korean Society of Maryland outdoor Festival, and organized an artistic event at R-House in Baltimore which included Clayworks (Ceramics) and MICA graduate artists and filmmakers.

Co-chair and Co-founder, Baltimore-Changwon Sister City Committee (BCSCC)
To promote international relations between Baltimore and Korea, I and a colleague organized and gathered support for a new sister city committee, BCSCC. With the signing ceremony attended by Mayor Young and Mayor Huh (Changwon) at City Hall in November, 2019, BCSCC officially became the newest sister city of Baltimore. I arranged for MICA to host Mayor Huh, his delegation, and the Changwon City Dance Troupe. MICA hosted the delegation, and a performance was presented at Brown center by the dance troupe. The visit planning initiated discussion of a Memorandum of Understanding between MICA and Changwon National University, which is still pending.

In May 2019, as co-Chair of BCSCC, I assumed responsibility for the organization and production of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) celebration in the greater Baltimore area (link to video below). This was a very large event, bringing together a diverse group of cultures from the Pacific Islands and Western Pacific Rim, held at MICA. Speakers included President Samuel Hoi of MICA, Maryland State Senator Susan Lee, and University of Maryland Professor of Medicine Dr. Van-Khue Ton. It was a unique opportunity to experience the traditional dances of Indonesia, Hawaii, Thailand, Vietnam, and others.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM) celebration link: