May 11, 2011

Contact:

Sik Son, KRCC, sohnsik@chicagokrcc.org, 773-588-9158

Dae Joong Yoon, KRC, dj@krcla.org, 323-937-3718

Olivia Park, NAKASEC, opark@nakasec.org, 202-299-9540

DREAM Act Re-introduced in 112^th Congress

Today, Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) re-introduced the DREAM Act in the 112^th Congress with the co-sponsorship of 32 members of the U.S. Senate, including California Senators, Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein, as well as Senator Akaka (D-HI), member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).

The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) and its affiliates, the Korean American Resource & Cultural Center (KRCC) in Chicago and the Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles thank Senator Durbin for his continued leadership on the DREAM Act and take this opportunity to continue to organize and strengthen our communities for reform while highlighting the need for immediate relief of immigrant youth.

“The DREAM Act holds the change that so many undocumented students have been waiting for and it is a start to reforming America’s nonsensical immigration policies,” says Chris Nguyen, member of Fighting Youth Shouting Out for Humanity (FYSH), which is the youth leadership council of KRCC. “Youth have been disheartened at the stalled progress of the DREAM Act, but recognize the bill’s great potential.”

Last December, the DREAM Act passed in the U.S. House of Representatives in a historic vote, but fell five votes short of overcoming a filibuster in the Senate. The DREAM Act, if passed, would grant young people the chance to fully contribute to society and earn their way to U.S. citizenship, after completing an extensive set of requirements including attending college or serving in the military.

Sik Son, executive director of KRCC stated, “The people of this movement have endured many obstacles, but have built a spirit that is strong. We remain true to our hearts and yet again commit to tapping the potential and aspirations of our youth.”

“The re-introduction of the DREAM Act will allow us to continue the conversation on the need for reform,” said Dae Joong Yoon, executive director of KRC. “But we also know that while we recommit ourselves to this struggle, we need to ensure that our youth are safe and not feel the threat of deportation. We can do this with President Obama’s executive authority to grant deferred action.”

Most recently, 22 Senators sent a letter to President Obama urging him to grant DREAM-eligible students deferred action until legislative fixes are passed.

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The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) was founded in 1994 by local community centers to project a national progressive voice and promote the full participation of Korean Americans as a part of a greater goal of building a national movement for social change. NAKASEC is based in Los Angeles and has an office in D.C. NAKASEC also has affiliates in Los Angeles (Korean Resource Center) and in Chicago (Korean American Resource & Cultural Center).

[DOWNLOAD] PDF – [ENG] 2010 To Be, We DREAM Fact Sheet (English)

[DOWNLOAD] PDF – [KOR] 2010 To Be, We DREAM Act Fact Sheet

Contact:
HyunJoo Lee, NAKASEC, 323-937-3703

NAKASEC Applauds Senator Durbin and Senator Lugar for their Leadership to Stop the Deportation of Undocumented Students

(Los Angeles, CA) NAKASEC and its affiliates, the Korean American Resource and Cultural Center and the Korean Resource Center, applaud Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) for their letter to Department of Homeland Security asking for deferred action of DREAM Act-eligible students facing deportation. The DREAM Act is a bipartisan legislation that is part of comprehensive immigration reform and would allow eligible undocumented students pathway to citizenship. It was introduced by Senator Durbin and Senator Lugar on March 26, 2009.

EunSook Lee, executive director of NAKASEC said, “The current system is unbearable and unacceptable. We welcome this letter from Senators Durbin and Lugar which shows that bipartisanship is possible. As we work towards urgent reforms that will change our immigration laws, we urge the DHS to take decisive action immediately to stop the deportation of DREAM-eligible students.”

Dream-eligible students were brought to the U.S. as young children, grew up and studied here, and have dreams of graduating, working, and fully participating in American society. Because of their undocumented status they face real challenges – they have no access to financial aid or employment and for some, deportation from the country they consider home.

Judy Kim, a college student from Chicago, stated on behalf of NAKASEC affiliate youth group members: “I hear about the deportation of students like Rigo Padilla, Laura Perez and Herta Llusho and I wonder when it will happen to me. I am a full-time college student in Chicago and was brought to the U.S. when I was 9 years old. I am also a DREAM student. The letter by Senator Durbin and Senator Lugar really gives me hope that there are people out there, including our elected officials, that see that we need to fix our broken immigration system and do something so that students, who grew up here and want to give back, are not deported. I truly hope DHS responds to their letter and grants deferred action to DREAM students. This will bring comfort to thousands of families who came here for their children, including my family.”

문의:
이은영, 한인교육문화마당집, 773-588-9158
이현주, 미주한인봉사교육단체협의회, 323-937-3703
이정희, 민족학교, 323-937-3718

드림 엽서가 모여 청소년들의 꿈을 지킬 수 있습니다.

(로스 앤젤레스) 지난 8년간, 미주한인봉사교육단체협의회(이하 미교협)와 가입단체-시카고 한인교육문화마당집, 로스 앤젤레스 민족학교- 및 전국의 코리안 아메리칸들은 드림 법안(Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act)의 통과를 위해 밤낮없이 일해왔다. 드림법안은 미국에서 자라난 이민자 학생 중 자격이 되는 이에 한해 신분 합법화의 기회를 제공하는 법안이다. 이 법안은 2009년 3월 26일에 상하원에 공동 상정되었고, 코리안 아메리칸 커뮤티니는 내부에서 에너지를 충전하고 커뮤니티 풀뿌리를 결집하고자 다시 한 번 열의를 불태우고 있다.

시카고와 로스 앤젤레스의 코리안 아메리칸 청소년들과 커뮤니티 구성원의 주도 하에, 미교협과 가입단체는 드림법안을 통과시키기 위해 코리안 아메리칸 커뮤니티를 교육하고 결집하는 전국 캠페인을 발족했다. 캠페인의 일환으로, 코리안 아메리칸이 하나되어 드림법안을 지지하고 있음을 보여주기 위해 전국적으로 12,500장의 드림 엽서를 모을 것이다. 드림 엽서 캠페인은 전국적으로 65,000장의 엽서를 상하원에게 전달하는 것으로, United We Dream 주관 캠페인의 일환이다.

민족학교의 이정희 이민자 권익옹호 코디네이터는 “미국의 서류미비자 커뮤니티는 한국을 포함한 세계 각국 출신의 다양한 사람들로 이루어져 있다. 통계에 따르면, 미국에 거주하고 있는 코리안 아메리칸 5명 중 1명은 서류미비자이고, 이 중 상당수가 18세 이하 청소년이다. 이에 미교협과 가입단체는 어둠 속에 살아가고 있는 사람들의 목소리를 높이는 일을 우선으로 하여, 학생 신분 합법화와 평등한 고등교육권 확보와 같이 진정으로 긍정적인 변화를 이루어낼 정책들을 관철시키기 위해 활동해 오고 있다.”며 서류미비자 커뮤니티의 현황을 소개했다.

시카고와 로스 앤젤레스의 학생 활동가들은 드림 법안 통과의 시급함을 알리고 최대한 많은 드림 엽서를 모은다는 목표 하에, 다양한 활동을 시작하였다.

민족학교의 고등학교 청소년 모임 RYSE(Rise of Youth to Serve and Empower )의 정재한 학생은 “우리는 교회, 마켓에서 책상을 놓고 최대한 많은 커뮤니티 사람들과 드림법안에 대해, 왜 드림법안이 반드시 통과되어야 하는지에 대해 이야기를 나눌 것이다. 또한 우리는 학교와 동아리를 대상으로 워크샵을 개최할 것이다. 이러한 활동을 통해 효과적으로 의원들에게 우리의 메시지를 전달하고 커뮤니티의 목소리를 높임으로써 모든 사람들이 드림법안에 대해 알고 법안의 통과를 위한 활동에 함께 할 수 있도록 하고 싶다.”며 향후 활동에 대한 강한 의지를 보였다.

한인교육문화마당집의 청소년 활동가 칸 사이탱 Karn Saetang “올해 드림법안이 통과될 것이라 생각하니 아주 기쁘다. 학생들과 커뮤니티 구성원의 활기찬 활동을 보니, 변화를 만들어 내는 것이 가능하다는 생각이 든다. 과거 지금과 같이 긍정적인 정치 지형에 드림법안이 상정된 적이 없다. 현재 드림법안을 지속적으로 지지해온 오바마 의원이 대통령이 되었고, 상원에서 20명, 하원에서 38명의 공동발의 의원이 있다. 이에 우리는 지속적으로 활동의 추진력을 쌓고 의원들에게 드림법안을 통과시킬 것을 촉구해야 한다. 이를 위해 우리가 할 수 있는 일은 커뮤니티 사람들과 이야기를 나누고 이들이 활동에 참여할 수 있게 하는 것이다. 한 사람의 드림엽서가 모여 드림법안의 통과를 이루어 낼 수 있다.”며 드림법안 통과를 위한 커뮤니티의 활동을 촉구했다.

언론 인터뷰
요청하시면 시카고와 로스 앤젤레스의 코리안 아메리칸 커뮤니티 구성원들을 인터뷰 하실 수 있습니다. 이들은 드림 법안이 통과되면 직접적으로 수혜 받을 학생들 또는 이들과 함께 활동하는 학생들입니다. 인터뷰를 원하시면, 이현주 323-937-3703/ hlee@nakasec.org에게 문의 하십시오.

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미주한인봉사교육단체협의회(NAKASEC, 이하 미교협)는 전국적인 사회 변화 운동의 건설이라는 목표의 일환으로 전국적인 진보의 목소리를 내고 코리안 아메리칸의 사회 참여를 증진시키기 위해 지역 커뮤니티 센터들에 의해 1994년에 설립되었습니다. 미교협의 전국 사무실은 로스엔젤레스에 위치해 있고 워싱턴 디씨에 지부가 있으며, 가입단체로는 로스엔젤레스의 민족학교와 시카고의 한인교육문화마당집이 있습니다. 이민자 청소년의 교육권 보장과 관련해, 미교협은 United We DREAM 연합체에서 함께 활동하고 있습니다.

This bipartisan legislation would provide undocumented students a chance to pursue higher education and obtain legal status.

Youth groups affiliated with NAKASEC have organized a series of actions, including postcard collection, legislative visits, and community workshops. To get more information about how you can get involved, please contact HyunJoo Lee at hlee@nakasec.org, 323.937.3703, ext. 202.

DREAM Act fact sheet – English
DREAM Act fact sheet – Korean

문의:
이정희, 민족학교, junghee@krcla.org
이은영, 한인교육문화마당집, eunyoung@chicagokrcc.org
이현주, 미주한인봉사교육단체협의회, hlee@nakasec.org

꿈을 이룰 수 있는 권리
코리안 아메리칸 청소년, 제 2회 드림 장학생 모집

(로스 앤젤레스) 미주한인봉사교육단체협의회(이하 미교협), 한인교육문화마당집, 민족학교는 제 2회 드림 장학생 모집을 공표하게 된 것을 자랑스럽게 생각한다. 지난 6년 동안 드림 법안의 통과를 위해 밤낮으로 캠페인을 펼쳐온 코리안 아메리칸 청소년들에 의해 창설된 이 기금은 어려움에 처해 재정보조를 필요로 하는 학생들에게 $1,000의 장학금을 제공하게 된다. 참고로 드림법안은 미국에서 자랐고, 자격 조건이 만족하는 학생들에게 신분 합법화의 기회를 제공하는 법안이다.

시카고의 청소년 그룹 피쉬(Fighting Youth Shouting Out for Humanity: FYSH)의 한 회원은 “올해 대학 입학원서를 낼 때, 친구 몇 명은 여러 가지 이유로 대부분의 재정 보조신청 자격이 되지 못했다. 이러한 이유로 드림 장학 기금이 시작된 것이다. 우리는 누구나 다른 여건에 구애받지 않고 대학에 갈 수 있어야 한다.”며 장학금 창설의 배경을 설명했다.

로스 앤젤레스의 청소년 그룹 라이스(Rise of Youth to Serve and Empower: RYSE)의 회원인 애슐리 박 양은 “청소년은 변화의 씨앗이다. 이는 로스 앤젤레스와 시카고의 청소년 모임인 라이스와 피쉬를 있게 하는 기본 원칙이기도 하다. 우리 청소년들의 꿈은 중요하며, 이것이 바로 드림 장학 기금이 시작된 이유이자 우리가 공부하여 꿈을 이루어 이 사회에 기여하고자 하는 우리의 친구들과 가족들을 지지하는 이유이다.”며 드림 장학 기금 참여 배경에 대해 설명했다.

미교협의 이현주 전국조직 코디네이터는 “이 장학 기금은 우리가 받은 것을 커뮤니티에 환원하는 하나의 방법이다. 드림법안은 우리에게 항상 최우선 과제일 것이며, 2009년에도 드림법안의 통과를 위해 조직 및 옹호 활동을 지속할 것이다. 이러한 우리의 활동을 통해, 드림 장학금이 대학에 가고자 하는 꿈을 향해 매진하는 청소년들의 용기를 북돋아줄 수 있기를 희망한다.”며 장학금의 의의를 설명했다.

더 자세한 정보를 원하시면 웹사이트 www.nakasec.org를 방문해 주시기 바랍니다. 이 웹사이트에서는 장학금 신청서를 다운로드 받으실 수 있고, 장학금을 기부하실 수 있습니다. 일리노이 주 신청자는 www.chicagokrcc.org, 캘리포니아 주 신청자는 www.krcla.org를 방문하셔도 됩니다. 신청서의 마감 기한은 2009년 5월 15일입니다.

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To download a copy in Korean: http://nakasec.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/youth-handbook-kor.pdf

Contact:
HyunJoo Lee, NAKASEC, 323.937.3703 ext 202
Sally Kinoshita, ILRC, 415.255.9499 ext 546

New Resource Available: Living in the United States – Guide for Immigrant Youth

The National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC) is excited to have partnered with the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) to make available the ILRC’s “Living in the United States: A Guide for Immigrant Youth” to the Korean American community. While it is difficult to state the exact number of undocumented Korean American youth, the Department of Homeland Security estimates that 1 in 5 Korean Americans are undocumented.

The guide includes critical information ranging from how to get a green card, knowing your rights as immigrants and what to do when your status is questioned, working in the United States, and how to attend college as an undocumented student.

“The undocumented Korean American youth that we work with through our youth groups in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Flushing have one thing in common – their dreams and futures are embedded in the United States. By translating and promoting this guide to the Korean American community, we continue our commitment to ensuring that our community does not feel alone and are empowered by knowledge of the system and their rights,” said HyunJoo Lee, National Organizing Coordinator.

“If immigrant youth do not know their immigration status and do not understand how immigration issues can impact them, they can jeopardize their future in the United States and stability forever. By creating this resource for the Korean community, we hope Korean immigrant youth will seek opportunities available to them while avoiding the pitfalls that may result in serious problems with the immigration authorities.” stated Sally Kinoshita, Deputy Director at ILRC.

To obtain a copy of the translated guide in Korean, please visit either www.ilrc.org or www.nakasec.org.

NAKASEC or the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium is a national consortium of non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. The centers sought to empower and improve the lives of Korean Americans as part of a greater goal of building a national movement for social change. NAKASEC is a multi-issue civil and human rights organization. We promote equitable changes to the political and legislative systems through a combination of education and policy advocacy with grassroots organizing and community mobilization. NAKASEC has actively worked for the passage of the DREAM Act since 2002 and is currently working to protect access to public education at K-12 and postsecondary levels. www.nakasec.org

ILRC or the Immigrant Legal Resource Center is a national non-profit resource center that provides legal trainings, educational materials, and advocacy to advance immigrant rights. The mission of the ILRC is to work with and educate immigrants, community organizations, and the legal sector to continue to build a democratic society that values diversity and the rights of all people. For more information about the ILRC, please visit www.ilrc.org.

For Immediate Release
June 4, 2008

Contacts: Jung Hee Lee, KRC, 323-937-3718
HyunJoo Lee, NAKASEC, 323-937-3703

Community Unites to Educate and Empower Undocumented Students and Their Right to Public Higher Education

(Anaheim, Orange County) On Tuesday, June 3, 2008, 70 students, parents, educators and community leaders came together at Loara High School to learn about the college admissions process for undocumented students, and AB540, a state law that allows eligible students to pay in-state tuition at California colleges and universities. The community education forum – “Access to Equal Education” – was organized by a coalition of community-based organizations and advocacy groups dedicated to educating the diverse immigrant communities of Orange County about their access to higher education.

The immigrant communities of Orange County are rapidly evolving. From 2000 to 2006, the Latino population grew 13% while the Asian American and Pacific Islander population has grown 24.6%.

As the face of Orange County changes and the immigrant communities continue to grow, it is critical that community–based organizations work to educate and organize community members so that their needs are met and issues are addressed. AB540 was signed into law in October 2001 and allows eligible immigrant students to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities. Undocumented students are eligible for AB540 if they: have attended a California high school for at least three years; graduated from a California high school, received a high school equivalency or received a Certificate of Proficiency; and filed the AB540 nonresident tuition exemption request form. In Orange County however, students have faced difficulty in being recognized as AB540 students, with college admissions officials challenging their registration to the schools and their right to in-state tuition.

“We have hundreds of cases of eligible AB540 students being rejected admissions in Orange County. It is critical that we educate administrators about AB540 and advocate for proper implementation of the law so that students and families are not put through an unnecessary trial of hardship and stress,” said Joann Lee, Directing Attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles.

“As we continue to wait for Congress to enact laws that fix the immigration problem, we are seeing cities and states misinterpreting existing policies and laws. These actions feed into an anti-immigrant sentiment which expresses the opinion of only a minority of Californians,” said Eun Sook Lee, Executive Director of NAKASEC.

“Korean Americans are part of the undocumented population and many are living in Orange County. Since 2000, the Korean American population of Orange Country has grown more than 43%. At the Korean Resource Center, we work to educate our community members on AB540 and tell them that they and their children can go to college and create a better future for themselves,” said Dae Joong Yoon, Executive Director of KRC.

Groups that helped organize the community education forum include: ACLU of Southern California, Korean Resource Center (KRC), Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA), Los Amigos, National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC), OC Dream Team, OC Korean U.S. Citizens League and the United Healthcare Workers.

The “Access to Equal Education” community forum was the first of a series of AB540 forums that the coalition is planning to organize in Orange County. The next one is scheduled for the fall of 2008.

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Eligibility

• Identify as Asian Pacific Islander American
• Demonstrate financial need
• Currently is a senior at a U.S. high school. Or will be entering or currently attending a U.S. accredited college or university as a full-time, degree-seeking student
• Have demonstrated achievement in the arts, community service, sports, or other activities

Deadline and Application

All Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2008.

Please email or mail your application to the appropriate organization, depending on your state of residence:

CALIFORINA
Korean Resource Center
900 S. Crenshaw Boulevard,Los Angeles, CA 90019
Yong Ho Kim at DSF@krcla.org

ILLINOIS
Korean American Resource & Cultural Center
2701A W. Peterson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60659
Eun Young Lee at eunyoung@chicagokrcc.org

NEW YORK
YKASEC – Empowering the Korean American Community
136-19 41st Avenue, 3rd Floor, Flushing, NY 11355
Kevin Kang at kkang@ykasec.org

ALL OTHER STATES
National Korean American Service and Education Consortium
906 S. Crenshaw Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
HyunJoo Lee at hlee@nakasec.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Note: Most questions are answered within the application itself. Please read the application carefully. For further questions, please contact the appropriate NAKASEC affiliate organization according to your state of residence.

Q: I will be using the scholarship for graduate/law/medical school. Can I apply?
A: Yes.

Q: What do you mean by “accredited college”?
A: When a college is “accredited,” it means that it has been reviewed and programs have been evaluated for quality. The accreditation is usually done by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDE). All public universities, community colleges and most private universities are accredited. Do not worry about whether or not your college or university is accredited or not – most likely they are and if there are any concerns we will contact you.

Q: How do I prove that I am Asian American or Pacific Islander?
A: You only need to identify yourself as Asian American or Pacific Islander.

Q. When are you going to announce the scholarship recipients?
A: Decisions will be made the last week of May, and you will be notified between June 2nd and June 6th of 2008.

Q: Do I have to send in my FAFSA and my parent’s tax returns?
A: Yes, only if you have your FAFSA and/or your parent’s tax returns. If you do not have your FAFSA or parent’s tax returns, just fill out the “Household Financial Information” worksheet in the application (page 4).

Q: I don’t know which college I want to go to. Do I have to send in the tuition information for all the colleges I got into?
A: No. Just choose one and send the tuition information for that college.

Q: Do I have to provide a copy of my SAT score?
A: Submitting your SAT score is optional.

Q: If I become the scholarship recipient, when will I receive the scholarship money?
A: Please consult with each individual center.

Q: Will the recipients’ list be made public?
A: We want to have some form of public announcement (press conference, awards ceremony, etc.) with the goal of encouraging next year’s applicants to apply, and ask the community to help fund the scholarship. Since the Dream Scholarship is supported by the community, we do the publicity in order to be transparent and accountable to those who helped fund the scholarship. However, we will respect your privacy and remove your name (or use a pseudonym) if you request it.

Contact

For more information, please contact according to region:

California Yong Ho Kim DSF@krcla.org
Illinois Eun Young Lee 773-506-9158 or eunyoung@chicagokrcc.org
New York Kevin Kang 718-460-5600 or kkang@ykasec.org
All Other States HyunJoo Lee at hlee@nakasec.org

“DREAM” – April 10, 2006

“DREAM” Speech by Eunice Lee
3/25/06 footage by sang hoon lee & mar elepano
4/10/06 fotoage by elizabeth heo

KRC/NAKASEC