HANA Center

09/01/2026

Yesterday I joined young leaders at HANA Center for a Youth Convening on the implementation of the TEAACH Act, which requires Illinois public schools to teach a curriculum on Asian American history.

As the chief sponsor of the TEAACH Act, I’m proud to stand alongside young people who are fighting to make sure Illinois classrooms reflect the histories, cultures and contributions of all our communities.

Youth voices must be at the center of this work. Their stories, advocacy and determination are helping turn the promise of the TEAACH Act into meaningful implementation in classrooms across Illinois.

08/25/2026

[한국어⬇️] Both HANA Center offices will be closed this Friday, August 28 for an all-day staff retreat!

Thank you for your patience as we take this day to recharge as an organization. We will be back on August 31 and look forward to connecting with you then! 💛

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하나센터 시카고 본사와 북서부 사무실은 8월 28일(금) 하루 동안 직원 리트릿으로 휴무합니다.

저희가 함께 재충전하는 시간을 갖는 동안 이해해 주셔서 감사드립니다. 8월 31일에 다시 만나요! 💛

08/22/2026

[한국어⬇️] Application deadline extended to August 28!

HANA is hiring a Bilingual Korean Civic Justice Fellow for a 9-week fellowship (now September 8 through November 6) for young people interested in community organizing and non-partisan voter engagement ahead of the 2026 Midterm Elections!

Gain hands-on experience in:
✔️Bilingual voter engagement workshops and registration drives
✔️GOTV phone banking, canvassing, text banking
✔️Volunteer recruitment & training
✔️Election Day mobilization

Requirements: Bilingual fluency in Korean & English (both written and verbal), demonstrated commitment to immigrant rights and social justice, see job posting: https://hanacenter.org/8006-bilingual-korean-hana-civic-justice-fellow

Compensation: $24.00 per hour for 25-30 hours/week + reimbursement for work-related mileage

Send your resume and cover letter to [email protected] with subject "Civic Justice Fellowship"

Apply by August 28, 2026

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한국어/영어 가능한 청년들을 위한 새로운 기회를 놓치지 마세요!

2026년 중간선거를 앞두고, 하나센터는 비당파적 유권자 참여에 관심 있는 시민 정의 펠로우를 모집합니다! (9주 프로그램: 9월 8일~11월 6일)

직접 경험할 수 있는 기회:
✔️한/영 이중언어 유권자 참여 워크숍 및 등록 캠페인
✔️GOTV(투표 참여 독려) 전화, 방문, 문자 캠페인
✔️자원봉사자 모집 및 교육
✔️선거일 조직 활동

자격요건: 한국어 및 영어 이중언어 능력(말하기/쓰기), 자세한 자격 요건은 여기서 확인하세요: https://hanacenter.org/8006-bilingual-korean-hana-civic-justice-fellow
보수: 시간당 $24, 주 25-30시간 + 교통비 지원

이력서와 자기소개서를 [email protected]로 보내주세요. 제목은 "Civic Justice Fellowship"
지원 마감일: 8월 28일

08/20/2026

💜 JUST ANNOUNCED: Willis Tower will light up purple for BTS next Thursday and Friday! We’re thrilled that HANA Center could play a role in making this happen.

Welcome ARMY and BTS to our amazing city of Chicago!

Make sure to check out our diverse neighborhoods and support local businesses, including our great Korean food (don’t miss the bingsu!) while you’re here. In these difficult and divisive times, it’s so important to find joy together as a community, and we’re happy to have you in our city. 🫶

BTS (방탄소년단), we’d love it if you’d come visit HANA!

08/20/2026

[English ⬇️] 최근 연방 판사가 일리노이주의 서류미비자 학생들에 대한 주 내 등록금 및 재정 지원 혜택을 차단했습니다.

서류미비자 학생 여러분께: 아직 이번 판결의 전체적인 영향을 파악하는 중이지만, 이 판결이 여러분이 즉시 수업을 취소하거나, 학교를 그만두거나, 새로운 등록금을 바로 납부해야 한다는 것을 의미하지는 않는다는 점을 알아두시기 바랍니다.

교육에 관한 결정을 내리기 전에, 지금 바로 취할 수 있는 실질적인 조치들을 슬라이드를 넘겨 확인해 보세요.

주 내 등록금 소송과 관련해 궁금한 점이 있으시면, [email protected]로 문의해 주세요.

Translated into Korean from Latino Policy Form's post

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Recently, a federal judge blocked access to Illinois’ in-state tuition rates and financial aid for undocumented students.

To undocumented students: while we’re still assessing the full impact of this decision, know that the ruling does not mean you should automatically drop your classes, leave your college, or pay a new balance immediately.

Scroll through for some practical steps you can take right away before making any decisions about your education.

If you have questions about in-state tuition lawsuit, please contact [email protected].

08/19/2026

Thank you for this spotlight on Danae's leadership and HANA! We are grateful for your support.

As we continue to celebrate the 2026 Leaders for a New Chicago awardees, we are shining a spotlight on one leader each week.

To kick us off, meet Danae Kovac, Executive Director at HANA Center, a Chicago-area, community-based nonprofit working to meet the critical needs of Korean, Asian American, and multiethnic immigrant communities and build power toward systemic change.

As a champion for immigrant rights and civic participation, Danae is deepening partnerships across Chicago’s immigrant communities.

The Field Foundation and the MacArthur Foundation honor Danae for her impact. Through her work at HANA Center and the communities it serves, she is redefining civic leadership and reimagining Chicago’s future. Learn more about Danae and her fellow 2026 awardees: https://fieldfoundation.org/grantmaking/leaders-for-a-new-chicago/2026-leaders/

Image description: Portrait of Danae Kovac. She has shoulder-length dark hair and drop earrings and is smiling outdoors in front of greenery. Below the photo, the Leaders for a New Chicago logo appears next to the text '2026 Awardee.'

08/14/2026

Her fists clenched. Hair cropped short. Face resolute. The Statue of Peace, or sonyeosang, symbolizes the survivors of Japanese military sexual slavery, as well as the ongoing fight to end the conditions that allow for sexual violence.

On Wednesday, HANA Center co-sponsored KAN-WIN's 14th annual Global Action Day to honor and demand justice for the "Comfort Women" survivors who were kidnapped and forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II.

HANA's Suburban Youth Council member Hannah Yang spoke during the event:
"As a Korean American high school student, I see the Statue of Peace as more than a statue. I see it as resilience many young women have built under the patriarchy system. It reminds me that the history of Korean women is also the history that I inherit, that my generation has the power to turn remembrance into action. Together, we will stand with survivors, fight against gender-based violence, and demand justice be upheld, and embrace the truth, not hide from it."

HANA and event participants took time to sit in the empty chair beside The Statue of Peace in solidarity then marched to the Japanese Consulate together. Thank you to HANA community navigators, youth, community members, and staff for joining us. Thank you to KAN-WIN for their continuing advocacy for justice for "Comfort Women" survivors.

Learn more about the "Comfort Women" survivors and their seven demands to the Japanese government, who to this day, refuses to admit to their wartime crimes or deliver an official apology: www.comfortwomen-justice.com

08/11/2026

Last week, HANA Center's Arts for Justice youth apprentices celebrated the culmination of their program with guardians, friends, and community members, showcasing their artwork and sharing the stories behind their work.

Throughout the summer, HANA youth ages 14–15 from across Chicago explored storytelling, identity, community, and social change through art. Working with artists Michael Oliveros and Jeewon Han, apprentices developed comic books, scrapbooks, paintings, and other creative projects rooted in the issues and experiences that matter most to them.

From child mental health to systemic oppression, HANA youth used art as a tool to reflect on their communities, express their perspectives, and imagine possibilities for change. Their work challenged them to experiment with new artistic practices while engaging with questions of identity and belonging, including one of the most fundamental questions we can ask ourselves: "Who am I, and what makes me 'me'?"

We are proud to celebrate our youth's creativity, courage, and thoughtfulness in this program. Thank you to our artists, families, friends, and community for supporting and celebrating their voices!

08/11/2026

🎉 Huge congratulations to our Executive Director, Danae Kovac, who has been named a 2026 Leaders for a New Chicago Awardee by the The Field Foundation of Illinois, in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation!

This award recognizes Chicago leaders who are redefining civic leadership and reimagining our city's future with creativity and innovative vision. We couldn't be prouder to see Danae's dedication to Korean, Asian American, and multiethnic immigrant communities across Chicagoland celebrated in this way. The recognition will help HANA Center continue the work of advancing human rights towards a livable life for all.

08/10/2026

HANA will be hosting Hanuri Korean School for kids K-12 starting in September! Registration is open now. Learn more and register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftkP5EaaWZ5-3IrGa4mjwHS-_GVIfr9ei9KOfCPo7Ug2L0Tg/viewform

Register your child for Hanuri Korean School! We welcome students ages 5-18 years in grades K-12 who want to cultivate their Korean heritage or are curious about Korean language and culture. The registration form is linked in our profile.

We thank HANA Center for generously providing us with space for our school!

Help spread the word and repost this announcement!

한우리 한글학교에 등록하세요! 한국인의 정체성을 성장하고 싶거나 한국어와 한국문화에 대한 호기심을 가진 학생들 모두 환영합니다. 5-18세와 K-12학년 재학 중인 학생들은 다 등록 대상입니다. 프로필에 등록 신청서 링크를 찾을 수 있습니다.

학교 장소를 마련 해주신 HANA Center에게 깊이 감사드립니다!

우리 학교에 대해서 공유하시고 리포스트를 부탁합니다!