Our time over the past 35 years has been an amazing journey for the Korean Resource Center (KRC), one that has only been made possible with your support. Not only has our scope of work expanded but we are still committed to the same mission that has always grounded KRC, and this would not have been possible without your contributions. On behalf of KRC and our community, I thank you.
I also have exciting news to share: KRC’s Orange County Director Jonathan Paik has stepped up his role and will be taking on the position of Executive Director.
For the past few years, KRC has been developing a new leadership structure to strengthen our capacity and serve as a framework moving forward. As a result, KRC has built an Executive Team with three directors (Immigrant Rights Director Jenny Seon, Digital Director Yongho Kim, and Membership Manager Jung Woo Kim) and our Senior Team. While we had challenges as we developed our leadership, our collective skills and knowledge were further strengthened and unified in the process. With Jonathan as our Executive Director, the support of our Executive Team and newly formed Senior Leadership Team, KRC is now prepared for the future. As board president, DJ Yoon will continue to regularly support Jonathan and the Executive Team.
I would also like to highlight some of KRC’s recent growth and accomplishments. Over two years, KRC’s staffing has increased from 17 to 29. And since 2016, KRC has developed 3,649 dues-paying members. KRC has been busy with health access, affordable housing counseling programs as well as continuing our immigration legal services. This year we provided legal consultations to over 5,000 community members regarding immigration issues including naturalization, DACA, family petitions, deportation, and more. We filed nearly 500 naturalization application and renewed DACA for over 300 recipients, providing USCIS fee assistance for over 70% of the applicants. Also, our legal service program has screened and assisted more than 50 community members file for immigration forms of relief such as the U Visa (immigration visa for victims of crime), VAWA (immigration relief for survivors of domestic violence), and other critical forms of relief for this year so far.
In Los Angeles, KRC is raising a critical voice for the needs of the homeless and houseless community for bridge housing and permanent housing in Koreatown. In Orange County, we have been developing multi-ethnic youth leaders in partnership with VietRISE and Resilience OC. This summer, our 41 young leaders (youth and college students in our Leaders of the New School program) are working together with Resilience OC and VietRISE’s young leaders to learn about issues and lead the civic engagement program. Together, we aim to phone bank, visit neighborhoods, and register 10,000 voters. We expect over 26,000 voters will pledge to vote and support our issues for the November 2018 election. Change is coming to Orange County!
Once again, thank you for your ongoing support, and we are excited that you will continue to be our partners on this journey.
David K Song
Board Chair
Korean Resource Center