Korean American Grassroots Conference - KAGC

07/02/2021

2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Weekly Meet & Greet #4

Earlier this week, the 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellows and other students in our network met with the co-chairs of Congressional Korean American Staff Association who shared their experience in public service and tips and tricks for getting the most out of an internship on Capitol Hill.

We appreciate C-KASA for the continued partnership in our shared vision for building a pipeline for more Korean Americans to enter public service and for lifting each other up for our collective success 👏👏👏

06/30/2021

On June 29th, 2021, the House Appropriations Committee passed the legislative branch budget for next year, which includes several measures to ensure and expand diversity among the workforce in the U.S. Congress. Among them is also a provision developed based on policy recommendations made by the Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC) since 2018 that would streamline the assessment of transparency and diversity in the House of Representatives.

“We thank Congressman Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20) for introducing this milestone provision in the appropriations bill,” said Wonseok Song, executive director of KAGC. “Demographic data collection through the Office of Payroll and Benefits would address the shortcomings in the current surveys conducted on the staff diversity in Congress. Gathering more comprehensive information, as well as disaggregating racial and ethnic data, lays the groundwork for closing any pay and promotion gap across all demographics. I am so proud of seeing this come to life from an idea our team has developed over the past two Congresses.

“We look forward to working closely with Congressman Castro’s office, along with all other advocates on the Hill and across the nation, who have called for racial, ethnic, and gender equity in the workforce in government, to achieve our shared goals. We hope this measure would lead to a permanent, biennial publication of ethnic and racial distribution among all congressional staff, as we have called for since 2018.”

The Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2022 also encompasses provisions to ensure internship diversity, improve survey methods to address gender and racial pay disparities, explore ways to expand the scope of staff recruitment and retention, increase staff salaries, and allocate funding for translation services for official communication materials on behalf of constituents with limited English proficiency.

KAGC welcomes such measures that not only reflects the recommendations made in the Korean American Policy Priorities—a summary of the key issues of the Korean American community, relevant legislation, and policy recommendations published by KAGC every year—but also would close the gap between the grassroots and the U.S. Congress.

On June 29th, 2021, the House Appropriations Committee passed the legislative branch budget for next year, which includes several measures to ensure and expand diversity among the workforce in the U.S. Congress. Among them is also a provision developed based on policy recommendations made by the Korean American Grassroots Conference (KAGC) since 2018 that would streamline the assessment of transparency and diversity in the House of Representatives.

“We thank Congressman Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20) for introducing this milestone provision in the appropriations bill,” said Wonseok Song, executive director of KAGC. “Demographic data collection through the Office of Payroll and Benefits would address the shortcomings in the current surveys conducted on the staff diversity in Congress. Gathering more comprehensive information, as well as disaggregating racial and ethnic data, lays the groundwork for closing any pay and promotion gap across all demographics. I am so proud of seeing this come to life from an idea our team has developed over the past two Congresses.

“We look forward to working closely with Congressman Castro’s office, along with all other advocates on the Hill and across the nation, who have called for racial, ethnic, and gender equity in the workforce in government, to achieve our shared goals. We hope this measure would lead to a permanent, biennial publication of ethnic and racial distribution among all congressional staff, as we have called for since 2018.”

The Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill, 2022 also encompasses provisions to ensure internship diversity, improve survey methods to address gender and racial pay disparities, explore ways to expand the scope of staff recruitment and retention, increase staff salaries, and allocate funding for translation services for official communication materials on behalf of constituents with limited English proficiency.

KAGC welcomes such measures that not only reflects the recommendations made in the Korean American Policy Priorities—a summary of the key issues of the Korean American community, relevant legislation, and policy recommendations published by KAGC every year—but also would close the gap between the grassroots and the U.S. Congress.

06/28/2021

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Meet & Greet with C-KASA. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

This Wednesday, we are joined by the co-chairs of Congressional Korean American Staff Association who will be sharing their experience on Capitol Hill with our students.

🙋‍♀️ Priorities are given to currently undergraduate and high school students. Registration is required to access the meeting. Stay tuned for the announcement on guest speakers for the rest of the summer!

This week's KAGC Congressional Fellowship meeting features guests speakers from the Congressional Korean American Staff Association (C-KASA). Joining us this week will be the three co-chairs of C-KASA: Kellie Chong, legislative aide in the office of Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Michael Ahn, commun...

06/27/2021

Support for the Adoptee Citizenship Act continues to grow! Thank you Congressmember Karen Bass and Congressman Scott Franklin for co-sponsoring the Adoptee Citizenship Act—the bipartisan, sensible legislation based on family values, compassion, and common sense.

If enacted, the Adoptee Citizenship Act will end the citizenship inequality suffered by as many as 49,000 intercountry adoptees who have been part of American families for decades.

👉👉 Visit http://AdopteeCitizenship.org and add YOUR name today to make this solution a reality. More information can be found at National Alliance for Adoptee Equality too!

Support for the Adoptee Citizenship Act continues to grow! Thank you Congressmember Karen Bass and Congressman Scott Franklin for co-sponsoring the Adoptee Citizenship Act—the bipartisan, sensible legislation based on family values, compassion, and common sense.

If enacted, the Adoptee Citizenship Act will end the citizenship inequality suffered by as many as 49,000 intercountry adoptees who have been part of American families for decades.

👉👉 Visit http://AdopteeCitizenship.org and add YOUR name today to make this solution a reality. More information can be found at National Alliance for Adoptee Equality too!

06/27/2021

2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Weekly Meet & Greet #3

"Progress is slow, but it's worth your time," advised Danielle Moon, legislative assistant in the office of Congressman Joaquin Castro, who shared her experience on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch, on political campaigns, and in non-profit organizations with the 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellows this week.

Stay tuned for announcements on future guest speakers throughout the summer!

🙋 Our weekly meet & greet events are open to all students interested in uplifting our community and becoming active citizens. Stay tuned for announcements on the next guest speakers!

06/25/2021

Opinion | Korean Americans still feel the effects of a war that began 70 years ago

Today marks the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. In commemoration, we penned an op-ed with Rep. Jimmy Gomez last year. While much has changed in Washington, we are still fighting towards the same goals and we appreciate those who still support the Adoptee Citizenship Act and Divided Families Reunification Act.

We pay our respects to all who served and lost their lives. We must also honor them by making sure families remain here together and others are reunited.

06/23/2021

KAGC Alumni Spotlight: Soo Lee

"Here, I finally found the sense of belonging," recalls Soo who had struggled between her Korean and American identities throughout her childhood. Check out this story on how she found the encouragement to pursue a career in public service that led to her current role as staff on the Los Angeles City Council.

#AlumniSpotlight #KAGCandYou #WhyWednesday

Here, I finally found the sense of belonging — I had never expected to see such a big group of Korean Americans interested in civic and…

06/21/2021

Every summer since 2014, we've been hosting a national conference and joined by 600+ community members from all corners of the U.S. We are eagerly waiting for a time to host one again in a secure and safe environment—and share with you our signature publications and goodies!

Until we can, let us share with you a few throwbacks from the past summers. Feel free to share with us your best memories of KAGC National Conferences, too 🙌🙌🙌

06/18/2021

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Meet & Greet with Danielle Moon. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Our SUMMER SERIES is back with the weekly 𝑴𝒆𝒆𝒕 & 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕. Register for next Wednesday's meeting with Danielle Moon, who will be sharing her tips and tricks on building a successful career in public service.

Danielle, who serves as the legislative assistant and scheduler in the office of Rep. Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20), is the founder of the Clean Energy & Technology Staff Association and previously worked on political campaigns, in non-profit organizations, and in the executive branch.

🙋‍♀️ Priorities are given to currently undergraduate and high school students. Registration is required to access the meeting. Stay tuned for the announcement on guest speakers for the rest of the summer!

This week's KAGC Congressional Fellowship meeting features a guest speaker Danielle Moon, who serves as the legislative assistant and scheduler in the office of Rep. Joaquin Castro (D, TX-20). This meeting is open to all undergraduate and high school students interested in public service and civic e...

06/17/2021

Support for the Adoptee Citizenship Act is gaining steam! Thank you Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and Congressman Bryan Steil for co-sponsoring the Adoptee Citizenship Act—the bipartisan, sensible legislation based on family values, compassion, and common sense.

If enacted, the Adoptee Citizenship Act will end the citizenship inequality suffered by as many as 49,000 intercountry adoptees who have been part of American families for decades.

Visit http://AdopteeCitizenship.org and add YOUR name today to make this solution a reality. More information can be found at National Alliance for Adoptee Equality too!

Support for the Adoptee Citizenship Act is gaining steam! Thank you Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and Congressman Bryan Steil for co-sponsoring the Adoptee Citizenship Act—the bipartisan, sensible legislation based on family values, compassion, and common sense.

If enacted, the Adoptee Citizenship Act will end the citizenship inequality suffered by as many as 49,000 intercountry adoptees who have been part of American families for decades.

Visit http://AdopteeCitizenship.org and add YOUR name today to make this solution a reality. More information can be found at National Alliance for Adoptee Equality too!

06/17/2021

2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Weekly Meet & Greet #2

The 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellows have had a busy week as the summer kicks into full swing. In this week's meet and greet, our Fellows shared with each other their best practices and tips and tricks on writing policy memo, organizing media clippings, and responding to constituent inquiries—the tasks assigned to most interns that can be overwhelming without adequate training.

We are proud of our Fellows for lifting each other up and building a supportive community day in and day out 👏👏👏

06/11/2021

KAGC Student Spotlight: David, Columbia

"Why should I embrace the difference that was causing my mom so much pain?" wondered David, as he grew up witnessing the harassment and discrimination against his parents in Boston.

Check out this story by David, a 2020 KAGC Congressional Fellow, on how he's come to embrace his Korean American identity and realize the importance of civic engagement to impact change on issues both personal and national.

#StudentSpotlight #KAGCandYou

“Why should I embrace the difference that was causing my mom so much pain?” I wondered.

06/10/2021

2021 KAGC Congressional Fellowship: Weekly Meet & Greet #1

Last night, the 2021 KAGC Congressional Fellows had a first weekly meet and greet to share their experiences so far and plan together how to maximize their learnings for the rest of the summer. Stay tuned for more webinars in the following weeks and updates from these hard-working student leaders! 👏

06/07/2021

Meet this year's class of the KAGC Congressional Fellowship program 👏

🔹 Jae Joon Lee serving in the office of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr.
🔹 Abigail Jung serving in the office of Congressman Randy Weber
🔹 Irene Kim serving in the office of Congressman Joaquin Castro
🔹 Kaitlyn Lee serving in the office of Rep. Bill Foster
🔹 Anna Lee serving in the office of Rep. Jimmy Gomez

Including this year's cohort, a total of 20 students have been placed in 16 offices across the aisle on Capitol Hill to help build a pipeline for representation, establish a Korean American visibility, and amplify our community's voice since 2017.

Throughout the summer, our Fellows receive a stipend, benefit from education and mentorship support, and enjoy special opportunities for networking and enrichment.

Please join us in congratulating these students as they embark the journey to become civic leaders and public servants of tomorrow, today! 🎉

Meet this year's class of the KAGC Congressional Fellowship program 👏

🔹 Jae Joon Lee serving in the office of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr.
🔹 Abigail Jung serving in the office of Congressman Randy Weber
🔹 Irene Kim serving in the office of Congressman Joaquin Castro
🔹 Kaitlyn Lee serving in the office of Rep. Bill Foster
🔹 Anna Lee serving in the office of Rep. Jimmy Gomez

Including this year's cohort, a total of 20 students have been placed in 16 offices across the aisle on Capitol Hill to help build a pipeline for representation, establish a Korean American visibility, and amplify our community's voice since 2017.

Throughout the summer, our Fellows receive a stipend, benefit from education and mentorship support, and enjoy special opportunities for networking and enrichment.

Please join us in congratulating these students as they embark the journey to become civic leaders and public servants of tomorrow, today! 🎉

05/22/2021

Congressman Castro Statement on President Biden’s Summit with South Korean President Moon | U.S. Congressman Joaquin Castro

"Nearly two million Americans of Korean descent call the U.S. home and actively participate in civic engagement, including organizations such as the Korean American Grassroots Conference, and are key to bridging our nation with the Republic of Korea." Thank you Congressman Joaquin Castro for reaffirming the importance of U.S.-Korea alliance in a wide range of domains and for recognizing the Korean American community as the bridge of it. 🇰🇷 🇺🇸

The Official U.S. Congressional website of Congressman Joaquin Castro

04/22/2021

The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bill introduced by Senator Mazie K. Hirono and Rep. Grace Meng to combat the rising incidents of racially charged violence, just passed the Senate. We thank the leadership of Senator Hirono and Rep. Meng on this issue, and look forward to welcoming substantive legislation to prevent further pains in our community.

PASSED: Today, the US Senate rejects anti-Asian hate.

This historic, bipartisan vote on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act is a powerful message of solidarity to our AAPI community. Now, I urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation so President Biden can sign it into law.