I AM KOREAN AMERICAN

Own Words

I’m an advocate for immigrant rights. I love drinking with friends but I’m also susceptible to hangovers so I don’t drink as much as I’d like. I’m a headbanger m/ from Waterbury, CT but I was born in Inchon.

I’m a teacher for adults who are trying to learn English. Most of my students are Latin@s and South Asians, which reflects our population of immigrants in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC.

As an immigrant, this is a direct way I can help my community, even if few Koreans take advantage of our free classes. (We have had some Koreans and Chinese Koreans as students, just not that many.) Like 10% of Korean Americans, I am an involuntary immigrant. I was brought to the USA to be the daughter of a white American couple. I had no say in becoming American, whether or not I now embrace, reject, or simply accept that this is my identity. I do accept it, both aspects.

Some adoptees feel like they’re not Korean but through my friendships with other 1.5/2nd generation Korean Americans, I see that I’m on the continuum of a huge range of what it means to be Korean American.

One of the things that made me really identify as Korean American was poongmul. I started playing in 2003. I usually play changgo. Poongmul and metal are both powerful identity-forming genres of music.

Most Korean I know reflects my two favorite passtimes: poongmul and drinking ^_^ (which invariably leads to a visit at a noraebang.)