The 2009 KAAN Conference will be held in Denver, July 31 to Aug 2, 2009.  Our theme will be: Extending the Family of Korean Adoption.   Registration is now open at www.kaanconference.com 

This year we will have a Korean Birth Mother and also a Birth Father who have since immigrated to the United States and have become professionals.  What makes this so important is that their language and cultural competence make them more accessible to our adoption community.

Here are their profiles:

Birth mother

Kyung Ae Bae was born and raised in Korea. As a young woman, she fell in love with an American man who was living near her hometown working as an engineer. Although the relationship did not end in marriage, she becamse pregnant and retreated to a convent. She chose to give the child up for adoption and the nuns found a home for the child.

Ms. Bae immigrated to the United States in 1979. In 2004, thirty years after his birth, she began a search, and found her child in Australia. He had become a very famous football star! A miraculous love story has been unfolding ever since, including reunion with the birth father, a warm relationship with the adoptive parents, new grandchildren, and countless other blessings.

Ms. Bae has a Master's degree in communications and founded a successful company which provided leadership coaching to corporate executives. She and her husband chose and early retirement and they now enjoy a simple lifestyle in Nevada's Sierra Mountains by Lake Tahoe.

Birth father

SungHo Suh and Ho Sook met in college, fell in love, and got married in 1972. Soon Ho Sook became pregnant and delivered a beautiful girl named Hana. All was not wel, though, in their marriage. When Hana was four months old, they got divorced. SungHo had the primary responsibility to raise Hana with help from his 70 year old mother who had to move to Seoul from the countryside. Raising a baby for an aging Grandma was difficult because there was no child care center at that time. One day a Holt workere who was a relative suggested adoptioin. SungHo decided that was the best option for Hana.

When SungHo came to the United States in 1981, he decided to look for Hana. His prayers were answered and he found Hana in 2003. It was his dream come true. IN this session, he'll be talking about his unfolding relationship with Hana, her husband, and her children.

 

The KAAN Conference which will be held July 31 - August 2, 2009 in Denver.  Register today at www.kaanconference.com

- Mother's Day tinged with sadness for birthmoms
- Netherlands limits adoptions of US children
- Raising Katie
- Fulbright Scholarship to South Korea brings Pompey man to birth mother
- Dad Opposes Madonna Adopting Daughter

- How it Feels to be Adopted
- Peering Into North Korea

- In Their Siblings' Voices
- Ten Days and Nine Nights: An Adoption Story

- Meet a Korean Birth Mother and Birth Father at the KAAN Conference
- Korean Government Scholarship Program for Graduate Students
- CFP 2009 Asian American Theatre Working Group
- Call For Papers: 2010 Association for Asian American Studies Conference
- Adoptee Poetry and Writings
- Joyful Korean School - California
- 2009 First Trip Home

- Made in Vietnam - New York, NY - Through May 2009
- International Adoption Focus Group - Cambridge, MA - May 7, 2009
- Dialogue about Race and Racism - Burtonsville, MD - May 7, 2009
- Truth of the Korean War - Seattle, WA - May 7, 2009
- G.O.A.'L Adoption Day-Event - Seoul, Korea - May 9, 2009
- Adoption Day Weekend - Seoul, Korea - May 8 - 10, 2009
- The Wat Misaka Story - Sacramento, CA - May 8, 2009
- Ta-ri Book Discussions - Camphill, PA - May 8, 2009
- Adopted the Movie - Seattle, WA - May 9, 2009
- International Children's Festival - Washington D.C - May 9, 2009
- The Wat Misaka Story - San Jose, CA - May 9, 2009
- Korean Adoption Studies Forum - Seoul, Korea - May 10, 2009
- Korean Culture Night - Davis, CA - May 14, 2009
- Adopted the Movie - Wellesley, MA - May 14, 2009
- Adoption, Identity, Family - New York, NY - May 15, 2009
- Korean Cultural Festival - Charlotte, NC - May 16, 2009
- The Lifelong Impact of Adoption - Santa Monica, CA - May 16, 2009
- Transracial Parenting - Portland, OR - May 16, 2009
- Korean Kites - Washington D.C. - May 16, 17, 2009
- Pacific Rim Street Fest - Sacramento, CA - May 17, 2009
- The Wat Misaka Story - New York, NY - May 18, 2009
- Korean American Picnic - Mechanicsburg, PA - May 25, 2009
- APA Heritage Month - Philadelphia, PA - May 30, 2009
- Korean Food Fest - Essex Junction , VT - May 30, 2009
- Transracial Parenting - Portland, OR - June 6, 2009
- Korea Society Dinner - New York, NY - June 9, 2009
- Corean Film Festival - Washington D.C. - Through June 10, 2009
- Korean Renaissance Art - New York, NY - Through June 2009
- True Colors - Oakland, CA - June 13, 2009
- UCLA Summer Institute
- Summer Intensives - Provincetown, Cape Cod, MA - July 12 - 15, 2009
- PACT Camp - Occidental, CA - July 16 - 20, 2009
- InKAS Summer Camp - Seoul, Korea July 19-25, 2009
- KAAN Conference - Denver, CO - July 31 -August 2, 2009
- G.O.A.'L Conference - Seoul, Korea - July 31 - August 2, 2009
- KAMP - Cedar Falls, IA - August 5 - 9, 2009
- InKAS Summer Camp - Seoul, Korea - August 23 - 28, 2009

At church each Mother's Day, Eileen McQuade used to watch forlornly as flowers were handed out to beaming women surrounded by their loving children. Though she was raising two daughters, her special day was filled with grief and shame.

In 1966, when she was an 18-year-old college freshman, she gave up her firstborn for adoption.

 Read More: http://www.google.com

The Dutch government said Wednesday it would make it more difficult to adopt American children, who formed the third largest group of foreign adoptions in the Netherlands last year.  Read More: http://www.google.com

What adopting a white girl taught a black family about race in the Obama era.  Read More: http://www.newsweek.com

Derek Hommel never imagined he'd someday speak to his birth mother face to face.  Read More: http://blog.syracuse.com

A Malawian man claiming to be the biological father of a four-year-old girl Madonna hopes to adopt says he's opposed to it.   Read More: http://www.cbsnews.com

Rapper Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels, an adoptee, pushes for open adoption http://blog.cleveland.com

News stories about North Korea have been quite frequent recently, with their test launch of a rocket over Japan, withdrawal from nuclear disarmament talks coupled with a threat to restart their nuclear program, reports that their nuclear attack capabilities may be larger than previously thought - and their recent arrest and indictment of two U.S. reporters on its border with China. Even with all this attention, photographs from North Korea are still restricted and hard to come by.  http://www.boston.com 

"In Their Siblings' Voices: White Non-Adopted Siblings Talk About Their Experiences Being Raised with Black and Biracial Brothers and Sisters" 

In Their Siblings' Voices shares the stories of twenty white non-adopted siblings who grew up with black or biracial brothers and sisters in the late 1960s and 1970s. Belonging to the same families profiled in Rita J. Simon and Rhonda M. Roorda's In Their Own Voices: Transracial Adoptees Tell Their Stories and In Their Parents' Voices: Reflections on Raising Transracial Adoptees, these siblings offer their perspectives on the multiracial adoption experience, which, for them, played out against the backdrop of two tumultuous, politically charged decades. Simon and Roorda question whether professionals and adoption agencies adequately trained these children in the challenges presented by blended families, and they ask if, after more than thirty years, race still matters. Few books cover both the academic and the human dimensions of this issue. In Their Siblings' Voices helps readers fully grasp the dynamic of living in a multiracial household and its effect on friends, school, and community.  Available through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com

Follow a little girl as she and her family prepare for the new baby that will soon be joining them. And simultaneously, watch the girl’s mother fly off to Korea, meet the new baby, and bring her home. Here is an utterly simple, sweet, and child-centric look at the adoption process through the eyes of a soon-to-be older sibling. From cutting a red paper heart and taping it above the new baby’s crib to telling her best friend about the adoption, the young narrator counts down every day and night with growing anticipation, marking them with a big X on her calendar. Unlike other adoption books which are aimed only at the adoptive child, Ten Days and Nine Nights is also perfect for older children who are about to become big sisters and brothers.

The pictures are lovely.  Learn more about the book at http://www.randomhouse.ca

This year we will have a Korean Birth Mother and also a Birth Father who have since immigrated to the United States and have become professionals.  What makes this so important is that their language and cultural competence make them more accessible to our adoption community.

Here are their profiles:

Birth mother

Kyung Ae Bae was born and raised in Korea. As a young woman, she fell in love with an American man who was living near her hometown working as an engineer. Although the relationship did not end in marriage, she becamse pregnant and retreated to a convent. She chose to give the child up for adoption and the nuns found a home for the child.

Ms. Bae immigrated to the United States in 1979. In 2004, thirty years after his birth, she began a search, and found her child in Australia. He had become a very famous football star! A miraculous love story has been unfolding ever since, including reunion with the birth father, a warm relationship with the adoptive parents, new grandchildren, and countless other blessings.

Ms. Bae has a Master's degree in communications and founded a successful company which provided leadership coaching to corporate executives. She and her husband chose and early retirement and they now enjoy a simple lifestyle in Nevada's Sierra Mountains by Lake Tahoe.

Birth father

SungHo Suh and Ho Sook met in college, fell in love, and got married in 1972. Soon Ho Sook became pregnant and delivered a beautiful girl named Hana. All was not wel, though, in their marriage. When Hana was four months old, they got divorced. SungHo had the primary responsibility to raise Hana with help from his 70 year old mother who had to move to Seoul from the countryside. Raising a baby for an aging Grandma was difficult because there was no child care center at that time. One day a Holt workere who was a relative suggested adoptioin. SungHo decided that was the best option for Hana.

When SungHo came to the United States in 1981, he decided to look for Hana. His prayers were answered and he found Hana in 2003. It was his dream come true. IN this session, he'll be talking about his unfolding relationship with Hana, her husband, and her children.

 

The KAAN Conference which will be held July 31 - August 2, 2009 in Denver.  Register today at www.kaanconference.com

Master's course : 3 years (1 year of Korean language course & 2 years of master's course)

Doctoral course : 4 years (1 year of Korean language course & 3 years of doctoral course)

More info available through G.O.A.'L Website at http://goal.or.kr

CFP 2009 Asian American Theatre Working Group
Constant Journeys: Asian American Theatre and DestiNation

The performative implications of its “arrival” on the national stage
position Asian American theatre as a particularly appropriate opportunity to
explore notions of “destination.” In contrast to the term’s general
interpretation as the culmination of a migration, a transference from a fixed and
implicitly less desirable locale to an equally certain and more
satisfactory one, the outcomes of such a journey for immigrant groups rarely have
been so stable or agreeable. For such populations, the “destination” within
relatively specific geographic locales simultaneously may, and likely will,
produce exclusion from “settlement” inside “America” or other social and
political territories.

In particular, Asian populations have found
themselves in illusory American “destinations” that deny both statutory and
cultural membership and withhold occupation of the territory between the
artificial opposition of “Asian” and “American.” By its presence, its “arrival
” onstage, Asian American theatre continues to resist relegation and
marginalization to a mere cellular component of American theatre and culture,
and its marketable potential as a commodity of “diversity.” Its changing
self-representation eludes confinement within preconceived boundaries,
territorial and cultural, and consistently redefines its own “destination,”
fulfilling its depiction by Dorinne Kondo as one of the most promising sites for
challenging the false dichotomy that continues to define the constructed
representation of Asian Americans. Proposals should address the ways in
which those various “travels” and “destinations” extend a performative
effect to reconstitute cultural and (inter)national notions of belonging and
permit imagination of a redefined “home” space in the American
consciousness. That redefinition may, of course, include the term Asian American itself
and the performative territory it travels and occupies. We hope to build
upon our 2008 conference presence as the first ASTR session to focus on
Asian American theatre and continue to encourage participants to explore its
potential as a web of links and thus extend our “destination” by
re-examining the history, practice and scholarship of Asian American theatre within
the American DestiNation.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
· What are the historical and present effects of the “travelling” of
Asian American theatre, as tour, appropriation, or cultural adaptation and
alteration?
· How has the construction of theatre as an “island” form of cultural
expression affected its usability or usefulness to Asian American
cultures?
· How have the various constructed “islands” of Asian American
culture influenced its theatrical representation or destabilized notions of
American nationalism?
The process and implementation of the session will resemble the ASTR
seminar’s 2-hour structure. Participants must commit to submitting preliminary
drafts of their papers by August 31st and to participating actively in an
online pre-conference discussion by means of our session’s fully secure
website. The final conference drafts (8-10 pages) will be due by October 15th.
Participants will be expected to read all colleague drafts before the
conference session on Saturday November 14, 2009. Other important guidelines
are listed at:
http://www.astr.org
By Friday, May 15, please submit an abstract (max 500 words) and brief
biography (150 words) via email to:
Ron West, Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, NE (rwest33449@aol.com)
and co-conveners
Jennifer Chan, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
(jc609@nyu.edu)
and
Sean Metzger, Duke University, Durham, SC (smetzger@duke.edu).

Emergent Cartographies: Asian American Studies in the Twenty-first Century

Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) Annual Conference
UT Austin, Texas April 7-11, 2010

Omni Austin Hotel Downtown @ 700 San Jacinto St.

The interdisciplinary Association for Asian American Studies invites
presentation proposals from the fields of literature, geography,
sociology, political science, history, cultural studies, the applied
social sciences, education, anthropology, media and film, ethnic
studies, public policy, psychology, and communications.

The 2010 conference site is lodged squarely between the east and west
coasts and abutting Mexico. How might this location inspire us to
reinscribe the terrain of Asian American Studies to capture
twenty-first century realities and subjectivities? For example, to
the surprise of most, Texas now holds the third highest population of
Asian Americans, surpassing even Hawai?i, Illinois, and New Jersey.
Journeying away from the traditional AAS strongholds on the coasts and
Hawai?i suggests the urgency of regional perspectives reflecting
newer, post 1965 populations and communities that may fragment the
field between its oldest and newest parts. We argue that a process of
dismantling is necessary so that a twenty-first century vision of
Asian American Studies might be reassembled from its many messy and
morphing parts.

From its origins in the civil rights era, Asian American Studies has
been an emergent project intellectually and institutionally. It tracks
the growth and evolution of a highly heterogeneous population
constantly shifting in location, arrival narratives, socioeconomic
class, cultural formations, political identifications, and demography.
UT Austin presents opportunities to highlight these transformations,
as well as continuities, in student activism and program building,
intersections with gender and sexuality studies, hemispheric
conceptions of migration, transnational and diasporic practices,
transformative communications technologies, rediscovered migration
trajectories, economic crises, new sites of labor and employment,
communities emerging from war and refugee flight, and teaching for
non-Asian populations.

To encompass the full range of research on Asian Pacific Americans, we
encourage contributions from scholars at every level of seniority and
papers ranging from community studies, pedagogical strategies, and
programmatic models to the most experimental, and integrative, of
theoretical ponderings.

All proposals must be submitted on-line by Oct. 23, 2009. For
instructions on submitting proposals and other conference information,
visit www.aaastudies.org/index.html. For more information, you may
contact the AAAS Secretariat at piaseng@illinois.edu or the Center for
Asian American Studies at UT Austin at kydawson@mail.utexas.edu.

Conference Co-chairs: Madeline Hsu (UT Austin) & Cathy Schlund-Vials
(UConn Storrs)

*AV equipment will be available on a limited basis by request. Please
make your requests when sending in your proposals although the
Association cannot guarantee that equipment will be provided.
*To be included in the conference program, participants must be AAAS
members who have paid registration fees.

In May/June2009, Asian American Poetry and Writing, based in Los Angeles, will publish a special online issue of Korean born writers adopted and living overseas. I was invited to Guest Edit this issue, and to say it was an honor is a tremendous understatement. I have gathered thirteen writers, eleven of them adopted and now living in the United States, one adopted now living in Norway, and one adopted now living in South Korea. The cover art is by artist JooYoung Choi, born in Korea now living in Massachusetts.

This issue of all creative writing is not the first of its kind, but it is indeed one of the first in around ten years. Many of the writers I have included have garnered national and international acclaim, and I am proud to introduce several new writers whose work has never before been published. I have been working on the issue for over six months, and I am excited that it is currently in the layout process. The fantastic editor at Asian American Poetry and Writing tells me it will be complete in about a month, late May or early June.

In addition to a generous sampling from each of the thirteen of the writers, the issue will feature three authors: Jane Jeong Trenka, Sun Yung Shin, and Jennifer Kwon Dobbs. I am thrilled that the issue will publish, for the first time in print, an excerpt from Jane Jeong Trenka's highly anticipated memoir, Fugitive Visions (due in 2010), the follow-up to The Language of Blood. Also, the issue will feature new, breathtaking poems from Dobbs and Shin. Over the winter of 2008, I asked Trenka, Shin, and Dobbs to correspond over e-mail and ruminate on questions of process, history, community, and Korea. The result is an eye-opening and inspiring conversation (of over twenty pages) between three of the best writers at work today. This conversation will be in the issue as well, and I guarantee you—you won't want to miss it.

Please keep an eye out for its publication. Spread the word, please, to all your listservs and blogs. You can keep an eye out for the issue's publication at my blog—http://apapoetry.blogspot.com. The quality of writing, the variation of experience and aesthetics, and the depth of spirit in the writers' work will astonish you. Individually, the writers are treasures. Collectively, they represent a bourgeoning and vital voice in contemporary poetry and prose.

If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at leeherrick@hotmail.com.

Thank you.

The issue will include:

Poetry:

Thomas Marco Blatt

Emily Han-Young Hurd

Anyssa Kim

Jennifer Kwon Dobbs

Katie Leo

Beth Kyong Lo

Nicky Schildkraut

Sun Yung Shin

Leah Silveus

Kim Sunée

Creative Nonfiction:

HyunJin

Play (excerpt):

Sun Mee Chomet

Memoir (excerpt):

Jane Jeong Trenka

Dear Friends of JKS;

I am happy to inform you that we will have children's Korean program on Fridays at the Pleasanton branch, too.
We will have classes both on Fridays and Saturdays. Most of our Korean language program for children will be
offered on Fridays, but some other classes such as the kids from English speaking family and adults program will
be still offered on Saturdays.

Class time is from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Fridays, and campus is in Pleasanton.
Since there are many families who could not send their kids to Korean schools on Saturday because of other activities
such as sports or music, please spread this good news to people in Trivially.

If you have further questions, please reply to this e-mail or call us at 408-716-8443.
Please, find the attached registration forms.

Thank you, and hope to see you all at the Pleasanton campus.

Joyful Korean School
--
Joyful Korean School
Milpitas/Palo Alto/Pleasanton branches
E-mail: joyful@adroitcollege.org
http://joyful.adroitcollege.org
http://cafe.naver.com

Made in Vietnam
Exhibition Opening Reception

Tuesday, March 31, 2009
The Gallery Space at Wagner
Puck Building, 2nd Floor
295 Lafayette Street
at the corner of Houston Street
6PM-8PM

"Made in Vietnam" runs from March 31 through May 31, 2009.
Gallery viewing hours are Monday-Friday 8:30am-7:00pm and Saturdays
9:00am-6:00pm. 
For more information, please contact Margie Jimenez at 212.998.7535.

The Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, in partnership with
the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, is
pleased to join New York University's celebration of Asian Heritage Month
with the opening of "Made in Vietnam," our fourth exhibition of the
2008-2009 season. Curated by NYU Steinhardt Professor Ann Chwatsky, with
curatorial assistance by Frankie Crescioni-Santoni and the Gallery Space at
Wagner Committee, "Made in Vietnam" features a stunning selection of
lacquered prints by photographer and Steinhardt alumna Phuong M. Do.

With this intriguing and culturally-rich photographic essay, Phuong M. Do
delves into complex questions of self-identity and cultural and geographical
displacement by revisiting her parents' homeland and documenting local
nocturnal scenery. Commercial and residential architecture, city landscapes,
and everyday street life function as subjects to a collection of images that
evocatively captures the dynamic vibrancy of these urban spaces. The
photographs, all taken at twilight or nighttime and primarily lit by street
lamps or beaming window lights, convey a remarkably inviting and intimate
mood despite the strictly public settings.

We are creating a new training program for adults who have been touched by international adoption and we need your help.  Contact Larisa Kottke at larisak@kinnect.org or call 617-547-0909 to sign up or for more information.  Registration is free and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

How to Dialogue with Young People about Race and Racism
A workshop for Parents

Thursday, May 7
7:00-9:00pm
Fee: $35/person. No child care.

Most parents have a difficult time talking about race and racism with their children. This workshop will teach concrete skills on how to have these important discussions in a way that enhances your child's identity. Age appropriate guidelines will be discussed so that you can help your child deal with the ways they may be affected by race in their school, neighborhood or with their friends. The conversations you have with your child about these sensitive topics will bring you closer! Led by Reena Bernards, a licensed family therapist, trainer in multicultural dialogue, and mother of two biracial children through adoption; and Vanessa Marshall.

4000 Blackburn Lane
Suite 260
Burtonsville, MD 20866

For more information, call C.A.S.E. at 301-476-8525, or email caseadopt@adoptionsupport.org  

Korean American Historical Society Presents

Dr. Seung-Hee Jeon

"War Memories and Memory War:
Wanso Pak’s Half-century Quest for Truth of the Korean War"

Thursday, May 7, 5:30pm

Wing Luke Asian Museum
Free

Dr. Jeon will discuss the issue of the role of art and literature in representation of collective historical memory
focusing on Pak Wan-so’s autobiographical literature on her Korean War experience.

This event is a community program for the exhibit “Still Present Pasts: Korean Americans and the “Forgotten War,” now on view in the Tsutakawa Art Gallery through May 17.

For more information, see http://www.kahs.org

Regards,
Matthew Benuska
Korean American Historical Society
http://www.kahs.org

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Date: Saturday, May 9, 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Location: Sogang University
City/Town: Seoul, South Korea

2009 marks the 4th Annual G.O.A.'L Adoption Day event --already a tradition for us to organize this special opportunity for the Korean adoptee community and birth families to commemorate Korean "Adoption Day," officially every May 11th.

This year the event will be held at the Sogang University. All Korean birth families and Korean adoptees are invited to join us for a dinner together and to share experiences with each other.

Phone: 023256585 Email: info@goal.or.kr

In Relation to Adoption Day  

SEOUL, May 4 – Three overseas adoptee-related organizations will host a variety of events over Adoption Day weekend, which kicks off May 8.  The organizations bring a critical voice to Korea’s national Adoption Day, saying unwed mothers should be supported so they can raise their own babies -- not send them for adoption. In addition, the organizations claim international adoption is a hidden part of modern Korean history, and that both the history and the adoptees must be acknowledged by Korean society.

ASK (Adoptee Solidarity Korea) www.adopteesolidarity.org

Beginning with a pressconference at 1:30 on Friday, May 8 ASK is sponsoring an afternoon symposium at the National Human Rights Commission about alternatives to intercountry (ICA) adoption with representatives from five NGOs speaking on how their work is related to ICA. Among the thought-provoking panelists are reps from the Korean Foster Care Association, the Korean Unwed Mothers Support Network, A-Ha! Sexuality Education Counseling Center, TacTeen, and the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center. The symposium is open to the public.

Date: Friday, May 8
Time: 2:00-6:00 p.m.
Location: National Human Rights Commission of Korea 11F Euljiro Ip-gu Subway Station, Line 2, Exit 1 or City Hall Subway Station Line 1, Exit 5

“Dispersed and Returned”  KoRoot  www.koroot.org

“Dispersed and Returned” is an art exhibition in relation to Adoption Day with photographers Kim Sperling (Germany) and Sean Rho (Korea) and film/videomakers Tammy Chu (USA-Korea) and Maya Weimer (USA). With this exhibition, KoRoot will try to deliver the message that Korean society should support the development of a social welfare system for families facing separation, especially unwed mothers and their children, rather than promote domestic and international adoption.  

Opening: Saturday, May 9 at 4:00 p.m.
Duration: May 7-18
Location: Seoul Metro Art Center 1 & 2  Gyeongbokgung Subway Station, Line 3, B1

TRACK (Truth and Reconciliation for the Adoption Community of Korea) http://www.adoptionjustice.com

If you’ve never seen puppets in downtown Seoul before, now’s your chance! The puppet show’s main character will be a giant, 10-meter long puppet representing Korean unwed mothers created by artist Eom Jung-ae of the magical Chuncheon Puppet Theater. It will surely be a photo-worthy event, with modern art showcased in front of the traditional-style Bosingak bell tower. Mingle freely and casually outdoors with the adoptees and their supporters. Our message is “Protect the human rights of unwed mothers and adoptees.” Free and open to the public. 

Date: Sunday, May 10
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Location: Bosingak near Jongno-1-ga, right outside Jonggak Subway Station Exit 4 (Line 1)

 

Date: May 8, 2009
Time:7:00 pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm
Location: Sacramento Asian Sports Foundation
9040 High Tech Court
Elk Grove, CA 95758

For tickets, contact Brandon Yung
916-712-8148 or
bwyung@gmail.com

TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY is a documentary film about Wat Misaka, the first Asian American pro basketball player. A Nissei who was born, raised and is still living in Utah, he was the very first draft pick of the New York Knicks, in 1947. Overcoming the national political climate during World War II, Wat was a star player for the University of Utah 1944 and 1947 championship teams, taking 2 years off in between to serve in the U.S. Army. His perseverance and loyalty to his teammates, other Nissei friends (including those interned at Topaz) and his family are a testament to the unflappable Japanese American spirit.

This film includes in depth interviews with Wat and his family, teammates from his championship teams (including All-American star Arnie Ferrin of the Minneapolis Lakers) sports authorities (including Knicks Historian Dennis D'Agostino and ubiquitous New York sportscaster Spencer Ross), and many who continue to look up to him as both a role model and personal hero. The film also has video clips from his 1944 and 1947 college games, rare footage from a visit to the Topaz Internment Camp, and countless photos of his triumphant career.

Directed by award winning filmmakers Bruce Alan Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson, this project was awarded two consecutive grants from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. Plans are in motion to have screenings and accompanying panel discussions on exclusion at universities across the country.

6:30-8:00PM

Cleveland J. Fredricksen Public Library, 100 N. 19th Street, Camp Hill PA
17011

Ruggaber Community Room (downstairs adjacent to Children's Room)

For directions, call 717.761.3900 or visit http://www.pacounties.org

RSVP requested by May 5 to info@ta-ri.org

Geography of Thought: How Westerners and Asians Think Differently and Why by
Richard Nisbett

Join us for our first book discussion! The chosen book focuses on how Asian
philosophy influences the way Asians think and perceive the world around
them. Bongrae Seok, professor at Alvernia University and member of Ta-ri's
Advisory Council, will present and help lead conversation. We will discuss
broad ideas, such as what history, cultural tradition, and
intellectual/spiritual heritage mean to human beings, as well as the shaping
of specific traditions including the removal of shoes when entering the home
and the daily consumption of kimchi. While questions may naturally lean
towards Korean culture, the book covers many Asian countries. This should
prove an enlightening conversation for all!

Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington (AAAW) and the Wing Luke Asian Museum (WLAM) present: What:    "Adopted" - documentary feature film screening.  Clips from the film's accompanying educational DVD will also be shown, followed by a Q&A with the film's Co-Producer, Nancy Kim Parsons. Where:   Wing Luke Asian Museum              719 South King Street              Seattle, WA  98104 When:    Saturday, May 9, 2009              Film screening: 1:00 - 2:30 pm              Q&A and clips from teaching guide: 2:45 - 4:00 pm Cost:     $15/each (discounts available for Museum members).  Tickets will be available online through Brown Paper Tickets (link forthcoming) or through the Wing Luke Asian Museum admissions desk

"Adopted should be seen by all contemplating adoption: adoptive parents, adoptive workers and clinicians." — Jane Brown, Adoption Professional

"Offers an authentic, moving and truly inspirational portrait of what it means to be adopted. I have never felt so validated in my whole life."
— Jennifer Bao Yu, Adult Adoptee

"This set is a must-have for every transracial adoptive family's library."
— Kathy Urbina, FCC NY

Adopted reveals the grit rather than the glamor of transracial adoption. First-time director Barb Lee goes deep into the intimate lives of two well-meaning families and shows us the subtle challenges they face. One family is just beginning the process of adopting a baby from China and is filled with hope and possibility. The other family’s adopted Korean daughter is now 32 years old. Prompted by her adoptive mother’s terminal illness, she tries to create the bond they never had. The results are riveting, unpredictable and telling. While the two families are at opposite ends of the journey, their stories converge to show us that love isn’t always enough.

For more information on the film, please visit http://www.adoptedthemovie.com.

Please join us for this important event!  This is the first time the film will be shown in the Pacific Northwest (one of the subjects of the film grew up in coastal Washington). 

People can buy advance tickets online for the May 9th screening of "Adopted" - http://www.brownpapertickets.com.

Sarah Kim Randolph, M.P.A. / Kim, Mi Ran
Board of Directors
Asian Adult Adoptees of Washington
www.aaawashington.org

Meridian International Center produces the International Children’s Festival every May as an educational fun-fair that brings together the DC community and the diplomatic corps of Washington, D.C., as embassies host booths representing their country and culture.

When:
Saturday, May 9, 2009
10:00am to 2:00pm

Where:
Meridian International Center
1630 Crescent Pl, NW, Washington DC 20010

Admission:
$10 per person ($25 per family),
special discount for DCPS students.

For more information, please call 202-939-5591.

In addition to embassy-sponsored booths, the Festival offers a variety of global dance and music performances from local and international artists. These performers captivate the audience with examples of Capoeira from Brazil, step dancing from Ireland, and salsa and tango dancing from Latin America. Groups performing at the 2009 Festival include Abada-Capoeira, Paul Public Charter School, The O'Neill-James School of Irish Dance, Amaliza n' Amasonga, the World Children's Chorus, Joy of Motion, and Havana Village.

This year, the participating Embassies are Afghanistan, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Mongolia, South Africa, Switzerland, Syria and Turkey (as of March 31st).

For more information, visit http://www.meridian.org

San Jose, CA

Date: Saturday May 9, 2009
Time:
Location: Sponsored by San Jose Community Youth Service http://www.sanjosecys.org 

TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY is a documentary film about Wat Misaka, the first Asian American pro basketball player. A Nissei who was born, raised and is still living in Utah, he was the very first draft pick of the New York Knicks, in 1947. Overcoming the national political climate during World War II, Wat was a star player for the University of Utah 1944 and 1947 championship teams, taking 2 years off in between to serve in the U.S. Army. His perseverance and loyalty to his teammates, other Nissei friends (including those interned at Topaz) and his family are a testament to the unflappable Japanese American spirit.

This film includes in depth interviews with Wat and his family, teammates from his championship teams (including All-American star Arnie Ferrin of the Minneapolis Lakers) sports authorities (including Knicks Historian Dennis D'Agostino and ubiquitous New York sportscaster Spencer Ross), and many who continue to look up to him as both a role model and personal hero. The film also has video clips from his 1944 and 1947 college games, rare footage from a visit to the Topaz Internment Camp, and countless photos of his triumphant career.

Directed by award winning filmmakers Bruce Alan Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson, this project was awarded two consecutive grants from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. Plans are in motion to have screenings and accompanying panel discussions on exclusion at universities across the country.

Host: G.O.A.'L Korea
Type: Education - Study Group
Network: Global
Date: Sunday, May 10, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: G.O.A.'L Korean Adoptee Center
City/Town: Seoul, South Korea
Phone: 01058022121
Email: seokilseung@gmail.com

This is an invitation to come and participate in the newly established Korean Adoption Studies Forum. The Forum will meet regularly and discuss texts that are related to the academic field of Korean Adoption Studies. The format is an informal academic study group.

The Korean Adoption Studies Forum is open for anyone interested. There will be short presentations about the distributed texts followed by an open discussion. In order to get the maximum benefit from the Forum it is recommended that each participant come prepared by reading the distributed texts.

The first forum will be held at the GOA'L adoptee center and afterward we will continue the discussions at a nearby restaurant for those interested.

The texts to be discussed at the first meeting will be three texts by Sigmund Freud: Screen Memory, The Mechanism of Forgetfulness, and Childhood Memories.

You can download the texts with following links:
http://www.goal.or.kr
http://www.goal.or.kr
http://www.goal.or.kr

See you there,

Kim Su Rasmussen, Ph.D. History of Ideas
Eli Sorensen, Ph.D. English Literature

More information to follow

Special Screening of Adopted

Wellesley College Campus
Thursday, May 14th
6:30pm to 9:00pm
Collins Cinema - in the Davis Museum

Free Admission

6:30pm - light refreshments
7:00pm movie (approximately 80 mins)
Panel discussing following the movie

Brought to you by EALL, KSA, and the Korean Adoption Circle

ADOPTED reveals the grit rather than the glamour of transracial adoption. First-time director Barb Lee goes deep into the intimate lives of two well-meaning families and shows us the subtle challenges they face. One family is just beginning the process of adopting a baby from China and is filled with hope and possibility. The other family's adopted Korean daughter is now 32 years old. Prompted by her adoptive mother's terminal illness, she tries to create the bond they never had. The results are riveting, unpredictable and telling. While the two families are at opposite ends of the journey, their stories converge to show us that love isn't always enough.

Families with Children from China of Greater New York
Kick-off for upcoming Fall Event on
ADOPTION, IDENTITY & FAMILY for Tweens, Teens and Parents

Please join us for
An Author Reading of LUCKY GIRL by Mei-Ling Hopgood
and Followup Discussion w Amanda Baden, PhD.

Friday May 15th, 2009 6:30pm - 8:00pm
The School at Columbia University
556 West 110th Street (at Broadway)

REGISTER online at www.fccny.org
Cost: Adults $10; Kids 12y-17y $5

Join us and Mei-Ling Hopgood, an award-winning journalist, writer and
Chinese adoptee (1974) for readings from her new memoir Lucky Girl,
published by Algonquin books. Amanda Baden, PhD will facilitate the
follow-up discussion.

Lucky Girl is highly recommended summer reading for anyone (adults and
children 12 and over) "whose ever had a family...or two." This riveting
memoir is about one woman's surprise reunion and relationship with the
complicated Chinese family that gave her up for adoption when she was a
baby. Spanning cultures and continents, Mei-Ling Hopgood's journey brings
home a tale of joy and regret, hilarity, deep sadness, and great discovery,
as she untangles the unlikely strands that formed her destiny.

Mei-Ling's story is rich with possibilities for thought and discussion with
parents and tweens/tween alike. As a journalist, she pushes herself to
address from within many of the complex and difficult questions parents and
adolescents struggle with around self-identity, adoption and the complex
concept of family today.

Next fall, we will host a day of panel discussions for adults and
tweens/teens on some of the many topics this book raises. Please join us in
reading this moving, complex memoir, in encouraging your child to read it
this summer and then watch for information about the date and place of next
fall's follow-up event, which will include separate discussion sessions for
tweens, teens and adults.

This event is sponsored by Families with Children from China of Greater New
York, The School at Columbia University, The Bank Street School and The
Cathedral School of St. John the Divine.

For more information on Lucky Girl , check out www.mei-linghopgood.com or
check out her fan page on Facebook. You can also see the Lucky Girl Book
Trailer at http://m1e.net

Questions? Want to help? Contact Kathy Urbina at Urbina9@aol.com

Event: Korean Cultural Festival
When: Saturday, May 16th, 10:30am to 2:30pm
Where: Wesley United Methodist Church, 3715 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC
Cost: Free with registration 

The Korean Cultural Festival provides an opportunity for parents of adopted Korean children and their children to learn more about the Korean culture. The event will include lectures, a panel discussion on raising adopted children in a multi-cultured family and Korean cultural experiences for the children. There will be art, games, music, dance and martial arts sessions. Registration begins at 10:30am there is no charge for the event and a Korean dish will be provided for lunch. For more information, contact the church office 704-542-1122 or by email at wesleyumc@bellsouth.net. A detailed event schedule is posted on the church website: www.wesleyumccharlotte.com.

The Lifelong Impact of Adoption

Lecture & discussion by Marlou Russell, Ph.D.

Saturday, May 16th, 2009

Santa Monica College (Bundy Campus)

3171 S. Bundy Dr., Room #240

Los Angeles  CA  90066

1pm -4pm    $35 per person

Free parking on campus

 

Marlou Russell, Ph.D. is a psychologist, adoptee in reunion, and the author of  Adoption Wisdom: A Guide to the Issues and Feelings of Adoption.

 

This class is for adult adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, those considering adoption, therapists, attorneys, the media, and anyone interested in the emotional and psychological aspects of adoption.

 

To register online: 
http://commed.smc.edu

 

For more information contact:

 

Marlou Russell, Ph.D.

1452 26th Street, Suite 103

Santa Monica, CA  90404

Phone (310) 829-1438  

Email: marlourussell@hotmail.com

Website: www.marlourussellphd.com

When: Saturday May 16, 2009
Time: 9am – 1m
Where: Portland, OR
Cost: $60 per person or $90 per couple

This workshops be facilitated by Astrid Dabbeni. Astrid, a co-founder of Adoption Mosaic, trains across the country on the topic of transracial adoptions, leads youth activity groups and an adult adoptee movie group. She has worked and volunteered for adoption related organizations for over 14 years. Astrid’s life-long interest in adoption is rooted in her own transracial adoption at the age of four with her older sister.

This workshops are appropriate for adoptive parents, waiting parents, professionals, and anyone interested in the topics of adoption.

Pre-Registration is required. To register for one or both of the events please download application from the Adoption Mosaic website www.adoptionmosaic.org or e-mail Silvia at info@adoptionmosaic.org

ImaginAsia: Korean Kites
Study Korean art in the museum galleries and make a Korean kite to take home. Ages 8-14 with adult.
Event Location: Freer Courtyard
Cost: Free; first come, first served
Date & Time:  Saturday, May 16, 2009, 2:00 PM
                      Sunday, May 17, 2009, 2:00 PM

For sixteen years the festival has displayed the richness and diversity of many Pacific Rim cultures through cultural programs, entertainment, art and food. The event also enhances the community's knowledge of Asian/Pacific Island cultures in a fun and positive environment.

The Annual Pacific Rim Street Fest is scheduled for May 17, 2009 from 10:00am -5:00pm in Old Sacramento and Westfield Downtown Plaza. Having people of all ages and backgrounds at the event offers an excellent vehicle for leading businesses to showcase their support for the Asian American community. Each year we feature an aspect of Asian culture as the theme of the festival. For the year 2009, the theme is "Hats and Headdresses".

http://www.pacificrimstreetfest.com

Date: Sunday May 18, 2009
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Tribeca Cinemas
Special Asian Heritage Month Screening for members of Actors Equity Association

TRANSCENDING - THE WAT MISAKA STORY is a documentary film about Wat Misaka, the first Asian American pro basketball player. A Nissei who was born, raised and is still living in Utah, he was the very first draft pick of the New York Knicks, in 1947. Overcoming the national political climate during World War II, Wat was a star player for the University of Utah 1944 and 1947 championship teams, taking 2 years off in between to serve in the U.S. Army. His perseverance and loyalty to his teammates, other Nissei friends (including those interned at Topaz) and his family are a testament to the unflappable Japanese American spirit.

This film includes in depth interviews with Wat and his family, teammates from his championship teams (including All-American star Arnie Ferrin of the Minneapolis Lakers) sports authorities (including Knicks Historian Dennis D'Agostino and ubiquitous New York sportscaster Spencer Ross), and many who continue to look up to him as both a role model and personal hero. The film also has video clips from his 1944 and 1947 college games, rare footage from a visit to the Topaz Internment Camp, and countless photos of his triumphant career.

Directed by award winning filmmakers Bruce Alan Johnson and Christine Toy Johnson, this project was awarded two consecutive grants from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program. Plans are in motion to have screenings and accompanying panel discussions on exclusion at universities across the country.

Lower Allen Community Park

11:00AM--??

Programs:

11:00     Getting together by individuals or groups (churches,
organizations,...); no official activities.

                Cooking delicious Korean and American Food.

12:00     Having Memorial Service with national anthems and speeches,
followed by lunch.

1:00       Having sport games by groups (e.g., volley ball, 4-stick game
("yoot-no-ri), 2-men-3-leg (tying-

leg), running game, dodge ball, shuttle cocks ("jae-gi-cha-gi"), ...)

                Drawing contest for students (K-12 grades) with many gifts
and awards.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration-Philadelphia-May 30

Franklin Square Park, 6th and Race Street, Philadelphia

11AM-5PM

Free Admission

Come experience Asian cultural performances, a variety of ethnic foods,
Asian art and cultural merchandise, and children's activities. Participating
communities include Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indian, Indonesian,
Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese. Free parking is available at 7th
between Vine and Callowhill Sts (west side). Want to know more? Contact the
Governor's Advisory Commission on Asian-American Affairs at
asianam@state.pa.us or call 717.214.6205.

Korean Food Fest
Saturday, May 30, 2009
11:00 am ~ 2:00 pm

Menu
Bulgogi(Korean BBQ)
Japchae(Sweet potato noodles)
Egg Roll
Kimchi *
Dessert
Korean Rice Cakes
Fruit 

Price
Adult: $9:00
Children (age-10): $6:00

Vermont Korean American United Methodist Church
130 Maple Street
Essex Junction, VT 05452

For further details, please call 802-999-7202

When: Saturday May 16, 2009
Time: 9am – 1m
Where: Portland, OR
Cost: $60 per person or $90 per couple

This workshops be facilitated by Astrid Dabbeni. Astrid, a co-founder of Adoption Mosaic, trains across the country on the topic of transracial adoptions, leads youth activity groups and an adult adoptee movie group. She has worked and volunteered for adoption related organizations for over 14 years. Astrid’s life-long interest in adoption is rooted in her own transracial adoption at the age of four with her older sister.

This workshops are appropriate for adoptive parents, waiting parents, professionals, and anyone interested in the topics of adoption.

Pre-Registration is required. To register for one or both of the events please download application from the Adoption Mosaic website www.adoptionmosaic.org or e-mail Silvia at info@adoptionmosaic.org

Keynote Speaker

The Honorable Stephen W. Bosworth
Special Representative for North Korea Policy
United States of America

2009 Van Fleet Award Honorees

Mr. Chung Mong-Koo
Chairman
Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group The Honorable Henry A. Kissinger
56th Secretary of State
United States of America

 Tuesday, June 9, 2009

The Waldorf=Astoria
301 Park Avenue
New York City

Reception • 6:30 PM • Jade Room
Dinner • 7:30 PM • Grand Ballroom

black tie/traditional attire

For further information, please contact ' ); MGDocW(document).write( addy_text9548 ); MGDocW(document).write( '' ); //-->\n Jiyoung Suh ' ); //--> This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ' ); //--> at (212) 759-7525, ext. 311.

 

The Corean Film Festival DC 2009 is made possible by the Corean Film Council and the Corea Foundation.   All films are 35mm and in Corean with English subtitles unless otherwise indicated.  

FESTIVAL VENUES  

Freer Gallery of Art Meyer Auditorium Independence Avenue at 12th Street SW Washington, DC Metro: Smithsonian www.asia.si.edu   Free tickets are required for films in the 300 seat Meyer Auditorium, located in the Freer Gallery. Up to two tickets per person are distributed at the auditorium one hour before show time.  

AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center 8633 Colesville Road Silver Spring, MD Metro: Silver Spring www.afi.com  

Watch a slide show about the art at http://www.nytimes.com

Find out more about at the Metropolitan Museum of Art  http://www.metmuseum.org

True Colors I: Putting together the pieces of the Transracial Adoption Puzzle

Date: January 10, 2009, June 13, 2009
Time: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Kaiser Oakland Medical Center
Mosswood Building, RM 1130A
3505 Broadway, Oakland, CA

Description: True Colors is a workshop for transracial and interracial families that focuses on the issues inherent to parenting children across racial lines. We will present concrete suggestions for connecting your child to his or her racial heritage and information about how positive racial identity develops. Guest Speakers are a panel of adult adoptees sharing their lived experiences. We will focus on white privilege and how white parents bring blinders to some of the racial realities that their children will deal with as a fact of life as a person of color. Real life scenarios will be also explored in an interactive approach to problem solving and understanding the obvious and sometimes not so obvious divides and boundaries that multiracial families must negotiate. This workshop is required for Pact clients currently waiting to adopt across racial lines as well as parents who are experiencing new challenges as they and their children enter new ages and stages of the journey.

Cost: $60 Members, $75 Non-members
$72 Member with lunch, $87 Non-member with lunch

Register at: http://www.pactadopt.org

UCLA World Music Summer Institute -- This week-long intensive music study
program (June 21-27) is available in one of four areas: Chinese, Mexican,
Korean and African-American.  The program is open to students/musicians ages
high school through adult.  Supervised housing is available for high school
students. Students can earn 2 UC credits.  For more information, go to
http://www.summer.ucla.edu
or e-mail uclawmsi@gmail.com   

Where & When

Alliance Redwoods Camp & Conference Center Occidental, California
July 16th-20th, 2009 4:00pm Thursday through 1:00pm Monday

We're particularly thrilled to welcome Rose "Mama" Rock, author who parented over 27 children, included comedian Chris Rock! Parents will attend a wide range of meaningful educational and recreational programming on parenting, adoption and race with an outstanding staff. We will also offer for adults and kids a huge range fun things: a swimming pool, basketball and volleyball courts, skate park, playground, climbing wall and a thrilling zip line. We are planning a special teen program and Teen Village for our older youth, and a film project headed up by adult adoptee and award-winning filmmaker Phil Bertelsen ("Outside Looking In").

To view program details go to: http://www.pactadopt.org

Click here to register http://www.pactadopt.org

InKAS is holding a Summer Camp program for Korean adoptees to experience and learn Korean Culture.

It is our desire to aid in the understanding and experience of the true Korean culture during their visit.

The program is mainly coordinated for overseas Korean adoptees to experience Korean cuisine, custom,

culture and language via opportunities of direct participation and experiences.

InKAS Summer Camp is composed of several hands-on programs. There will be Korean cuisine cooking,

Taekwondo, and other practical classes in several places in South Korea. After the classes, you will have

an opportunity to experience the culture of young Korean people’s lives with young Korean adults.

? About the program

- Korean culture Classes     

- Gathering with Korean young adults

- Field Trip

? Program Details: Please indicate which program you are applying for. (July or August)

   1.   July Program (July 19th Sun to 25th, Sat)     

Date

Details

Jul 19, Sun

Check in/Welcoming Party

Jul 20, Mon

Go to South East Province

2:00-4:00: Korean culture activity 1

Jul 21, Tue

9:30-3:00: Korean culture activity 2

3:00-: Free time

Jul 22, Wed

9:30-12:00: Korean culture activity 3

Cruse, Swimming

Jul 23, Thu

Go to Seoul

Free Time

Jul 24, Fri

9:30-3:00: City tour

5:00-6:30 : NANTA performance

7:00: Farewell Party

Jul 25, Sat

Check out

  

2. August Program (August 23rd Sun to 28th, Sat)

Date

Details

Aug 23, Sun

Check in/Welcoming Party

Aug 24, Mon

Go to South West Province

2:00-4:00: Korean culture activity 1

Aug 25, Tue

9:30-3:00: Korean culture activity 2

3:00-: Free time

Aug 26, Wed

9:30-12:00: Korean culture activity 3

Cruse, Swimming

Aug 27, Thu

Go to Seoul

Free Time

Aug 28, Fri

9:30-3:00: City tour

5:00-6:30 : NANTA performance

7:00: Farewell Party

Aug 29, Sat

Check out

? How to apply

1.   Sign-up through the InKAS website and go to the Summer Camp section: Services ->

    Culture Camps (http://www.inkas.or.kr)

2.   Submit an application form on the page (Please indicate which program you are applying for

     (July or August) on Comments area) and upload one page of the adoption paper with

    your Korean name and the copy of your passport on "My-page"

? Application due date:

We accept applications form from April 1st.

? Selections:

Overseas Korean adoptees who are over 18 years of age or older will be selected.

First come first served basis.

? Other Information

 ?Accommodation:

 Please check-in to the accommodation by fist day of the Summer Camp at the hotel

 (Your stay can be extended at a twin room by request, by paying 80,000 KRW per day to InKAS

 ?Pick-up service:

 InKAS volunteers will be waiting for you at Inchon international airport on the day of your arrival.

 Please provide your flight details, once you make a reservation

 ?Fees:

 Free room and board (two people per room) but airfare not included. For questions and applications:   http://www.inkas.or.kr

* Schedule is subject to change without notice

The 11th Annual KAAN Conference, Extending the Family of Korean Adoption, will be held at
the Sheraton Denver Hotel in Denver, Colorado on July 31 - August 2, 2009.   To see the complete program and to register go to www.kaanconference.com

KAAN’s primary project is an annual national conference in a different city each year. This annual coming together allows all attendees to feel part of a national adoption community. In fact conference attendees come from all over the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe and Australia.

KAAN offers national support and guidance, but the KAAN Conference belongs to the community where it is held. Through the process of hosting a conference, it is hoped that the local organizations will be strengthened and the local connections among adoptive families, adult adoptees, Koreans, and Korean Americans will be enhanced.

For nine years KAAN has supported community development through its conferences: KAAN Conferences have been held in Los Angeles, California; Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey; Seattle, Washington; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Arlington, Virginia; San Francisco, California; Detroit, Michigan; Seoul Korea; Boston, Massachusetts: and Chicago, Illinois. This year’s conference will be held in Denver Colorado.

KAAN is entirely run by volunteers with no paid staff. All funds raised go to support the KAAN Conference.

Start Time: Friday, July 31, 2009 at 2:00pm End Time: Sunday, August 2, 2009 at 5:00pm Location: Sogang University City/Town: Seoul, South Korea Phone: 023256585 Email: info@goal.or.kr

KAMP is a culture camp for adoptive families with  Korean children 5-18. Recognizing that adoption is a family issue, KAMP seeks to provide an educational and social experience not only for Korean adoptees, but also for their parents and siblings.  


Kamp 2009: August 5-9
Through a fun-filled camp format, school age Korean adoptees, and their siblings learn about Korean life, language, culture, history, songs, games, cooking, crafts, taekwondo, fan dancing, and pop culture to gain a basic understanding of their rich Korean heritage. Most importantly, KAMPers spend time with other young adults who share the unique challenge of growing up as a minority and as an adoptee in this country. There are many opportunities to address adoption and identity matters with these role models and older peers.
While children attend KAMP classes, parents are involved in some of these same experiences through special adult sessions. Parent sessions include guest speakers, panel discussions and cooking classes.  (Child-care is available as a co-op effort by parents for children too young to attend KAMP)
 The IIA board recruit yearly for college-aged Korean-American Adoptees and Native Koreans. These young adults provide a positive role model for children and parents.  Counselors need to be at least 18 years or older. Opportunities are also available for High School Juniors and Seniors to apply as intern counselors.

KAMP DETAILS
The Annual KAMP/Retreat is held during August at the Riverview Conference Center, 319 North Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

It is located in a quiet residential area with  approximately 50 cabins available for families attending KAMP/RETREAT to rent. All cabins have running water and minimal bathroom facilities.  There are also 28 camping spaces for RVs and tents with water and electricity hook-ups as well as some sites with sewer hook-ups. Shower and bathroom facilities are located next to the camping area.  
Riverview Conference Center has a swimming pool, basketball and volleyball courts, sports field, carpetball and hard surface paths for biking and rollerblading. Cabins are reserved through IIA but fees are paid directly to RCC upon arrival at KAMP/RETREAT. Truly the best way to experience KAMP/RETREAT is to stay on the grounds but there are motels near by to choose from.   For more information and registration, please visit http://www.iiakampretreat.com.

2009 InKAS Summer Camp

InKAS is holding a Summer Camp program for Korean adoptees to experience and learn Korean Culture.

It is our desire to aid in the understanding and experience of the true Korean culture during their visit.

The program is mainly coordinated for overseas Korean adoptees to experience Korean cuisine, custom,

culture and language via opportunities of direct participation and experiences.

InKAS Summer Camp is composed of several hands-on programs. There will be Korean cuisine cooking,

Taekwondo, and other practical classes in several places in South Korea. After the classes, you will have

an opportunity to experience the culture of young Korean people’s lives with young Korean adults.

? About the program

- Korean culture Classes     

- Gathering with Korean young adults

- Field Trip

? Program Details: Please indicate which program you are applying for. (July or August)

   1.   July Program (July 19th Sun to 25th, Sat)     

Date

Details

Jul 19, Sun

Check in/Welcoming Party

Jul 20, Mon

Go to South East Province

2:00-4:00: Korean culture activity 1

Jul 21, Tue

9:30-3:00: Korean culture activity 2

3:00-: Free time

Jul 22, Wed

9:30-12:00: Korean culture activity 3

Cruse, Swimming

Jul 23, Thu

Go to Seoul

Free Time

Jul 24, Fri

9:30-3:00: City tour

5:00-6:30 : NANTA performance

7:00: Farewell Party

Jul 25, Sat

Check out

  

2. August Program (August 23rd Sun to 28th, Sat)

Date

Details

Aug 23, Sun

Check in/Welcoming Party

Aug 24, Mon

Go to South West Province

2:00-4:00: Korean culture activity 1

Aug 25, Tue

9:30-3:00: Korean culture activity 2

3:00-: Free time

Aug 26, Wed

9:30-12:00: Korean culture activity 3

Cruse, Swimming

Aug 27, Thu

Go to Seoul

Free Time

Aug 28, Fri

9:30-3:00: City tour

5:00-6:30 : NANTA performance

7:00: Farewell Party

Aug 29, Sat

Check out

? How to apply

1.   Sign-up through the InKAS website and go to the Summer Camp section: Services ->

    Culture Camps (http://www.inkas.or.kr)

2.   Submit an application form on the page (Please indicate which program you are applying for

     (July or August) on Comments area) and upload one page of the adoption paper with

    your Korean name and the copy of your passport on "My-page"

? Application due date:

We accept applications form from April 1st.

? Selections:

Overseas Korean adoptees who are over 18 years of age or older will be selected.

First come first served basis.

? Other Information

 ?Accommodation:

 Please check-in to the accommodation by fist day of the Summer Camp at the hotel

 (Your stay can be extended at a twin room by request, by paying 80,000 KRW per day to InKAS

 ?Pick-up service:

 InKAS volunteers will be waiting for you at Inchon international airport on the day of your arrival.

 Please provide your flight details, once you make a reservation

 ?Fees:

 Free room and board (two people per room) but airfare not included. For questions and applications:   http://www.inkas.or.kr

* Schedule is subject to change without notice

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