In 1986, my family moved to the United States. My proud parents framed The Korea Times newspaper and read it over and again to us. My 14 year old sister, Soo Jung Kang, had written an article that made it into the major Korean-American newspaper. Her article speaks of the great anticipation and hopes we all had in coming to America. However, she had noticed things we never encountered living in a homogenous country like Korea. She said she had never seen racial tension nor had ever heard about gun-violence in our old country. Maybe she was searching for her identity as many teens do, in a new place and also new to her, being a minority. She resolved her article saying, ‘I will make my friends, family and the country of Korea proud by working to make America, my new country, a better place’. She kept her words, words documented in this article above. Soo Jung was a devout Christian and later changed her name to ‘Christine’ for Christ. Christine called Harlem in NYC her home and co-founded Harlem4Kids. She was also the only Asian-American member in an all African-American Choir at Cornell University. She passed away in 2012, and surprised everyone at her memorial service with a pre-recorded message that made everyone laugh and cry at the same time. She was beloved by many. A bench by The Conservatory Garden in Central Park is dedicated to her. 

– S

Relationship:  Im/migrant who arrived as a child Im/migrant who arrived as a child