Portraits

Jose and Celeste

Jose and his mother Celeste own Paseo Chapin, a Guatemalan restaurant in MacArthur Park, since 1982. Paseo Chapin was part of KYCC’s Emergency Hot Meal Delivery Program at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Whose restaurant is this? …

Angela

Angela works at a Korean newspaper in Koreatown, where she oversees the website and other media. She has several years of media experience, having worked at MBC and other newspaper agencies. She is a resident at KYCC’s Menlo Family Apartments, …

Jane Doe

Jane Doe is a mother of two children. She currently runs a clothing business in Koreatown. She was born in South Korea and moved to the United States with her brothers when she was twenty years old. She studied Biochemistry …

Jennifer

Jennifer Lopez is a 66-year-old woman who immigrated to the United States in 1979 when she was 20 years old. As a single mom in the United States, Jennifer worked extremely hard to support her and her daughter. She worked …

Jong

Jong P. is a 75-year-old senior who is currently living in the Menlo Family Apartments with her husband in Koreatown. She was born in Masan, South Korea and studied Theology at a small college in Seoul, South Korea. Jong and …

Sung

Sung L. is a 65-year-old senior who is currently residing in the Menlo Family Apartments with her husband. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and worked as a Seoul city official until she immigrated to the U.S. with her …

Andrew

Andrew C. is 25 years old and was previously in several homeless shelters until he found a permanent home at KYCC’s Menlo Family Apartments. He was adopted in Germany by Italian parents and lived most of his life in Long …

Sean

Sean is a volunteer with KYCC’s Youth Services, where he tutors students one-on-one with homework help. He is an elder participant in the Koreatown Storytelling Project, an intergenerational oral history program, for which we conducted this interview. Sean is a …

Gilbert

Gilbert K. is an elder resident at Menlo Family Apartments, as well as a father to three children and grandfather to two grandchildren. Working as a teacher (for elementary, middle, and high school) in Korea during the 1970s, he has …

Tae Mi K.

Jane Doe is a 51-year-old woman who has lived in Koreatown for 19 years. She immigrated to the United States from Seoul, Korea in 2001. In order to assimilate into the new culture and adjust into a new lifestyle, Jane …

P. Joe

P. Joe is the senior pastor at Holy Gospel Church* and the academic chief officer at New Life School*. Joe immigrated to Koreatown in 1989, and having lived in Koreatown for over 30+ years, Joe has both seen it all: …

Hannah Haein Kim

Hannah Kim is a senior at CalState LA majoring in Computer Information Systems. She is also a Graphic Design Intern at KYCC, where she has worked since November 2019. She has lived in Koreatown for the past decade. In March, …

Catherine C.

After living most of her life in the Philippines and working nearly a decade in Singapore, Catherine C. decided to move to the U.S. in 2003 to keep her family together. Later that year, her family moved with her to …

Sara S.

Sara S. is a 42-year-old mother of two daughters: a high school freshman and a high school senior. In 2002, she immigrated to Honolulu, Hawaii from South Korea with her husband to continue her studies at Brigham Young University. After …

Marilyn

Marilyn is the Elementary Program Lead Teacher at KYCC’s Menlo Family Center. She was raised in Mid-City by a single mom and went to high school in Santa Monica. She was introduced to KYCC when she was a high school …

Mia Giambalvo

Mia Giambalvo is a highschool sophomore at Larchmont Charter School. She’s been going to school in Koreatown for about 4 years. She has taken an active role in improving the community. She is very involved in her school’s Community Service …

Gina Kim

Gina Kim was born and raised in Koreatown. She is a recent high school graduate and was planning on going to Yale in the fall to study English, but due to COVID-19, has been forced to take a gap year. …

On Hee

On Hee Hwang is a 49 year old mother of a UCLA college-graduate son and a daughter who is a senior. She is the co-owner and works as a hairstylist at Tiji Hair Salon, which is located in Koreatown. She …

Chaerin

Chaerin is a junior at New Covenant Academy in Koreatown. She was born in Ulsan, Korea, but came to Koreatown, Los Angeles when she was three years old. She has been living in Koreatown for 13-14 years, but she does …

Abigail

Abigail is a rising senior at LACES in Mid-City, Los Angeles. She has been a staff writer for her school paper for three years now and is now the copy editor and page editor for the paper. Abigail has lived …

Sally

Sally is a sophomore at the Larchmont Charter School in Los Angeles. She is currently the head of the first Journalism club at her school and the editor of the yearbook. She has taken many classes involving photography and filmmaking. …

Cailey

Cailey Beck is a rising senior at New Covenant Academy and lives in Little Bangladesh, Koreatown. As an extremely introspective girl, she loves to read, study the world, and learn about global issues. She’s involved in a wide array of …

Hewan

Hewan is a first-year student at UC Merced majoring in Bioengineering. After emigrating to the U.S. from Ethiopia, she attended Los Angeles High School for two-and-a-half years, graduating in June 2019. She participated in the RFX1 mural for her Leadership …

Justin

Justin is a former KYCC youth program participant who volunteered at TEAM and LEAD—two Youth Services program that eventually merged to become BRIDGE. A recipient of the four-year JUMP Scholarship offered by a generous Korean American donor who prefers to …

Martin

Martin Carpio is a rising high school junior at Larchmont Charter School and a participant in the Koreatown Storytelling Project, where he is the Design Editor He lives in and attends school in Koreatown. Martin is the Copy Editor at …

Crystal

Crystal is a junior attending New Covenant Academy and a participant in the Koreatown Storytelling Project. She was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but moved to Koreatown when she was very young. She has been part of the girls’ volleyball team …

Yushin

Yushin is a junior at New Covenant Academy in Los Angeles and a participant in the Koreatown Storytelling Project, where he is a web designer. He is an international student from South Korea. He attended the St. Gregory Nazianzen School …

Sam

Sam is a second-generation small business owner in Koreatown. His parents have owned and operated Arado Japanese Restaurant at a Wilshire Boulevard strip mall since 1995. Sam spoke about the devastating impact that the Covid-19 shutdown has had on his …

Jin

Jin was the longtime owner of A&B Motors Group, Inc., a car dealership in Koreatown that was in business for almost 20 years. Jin consulted with KYCC’s Small Business Program in 2017. Since this interview, the business—like many in the …

Soweto

Soweto has been a resident at the Menlo Family Apartments since the building opened in 2013. She is a first-year student in the Culinary Arts at Los Angeles Trade Technical College, and has been teaching cooking to middle school youth …

RFX1

RFX1 is the designer and artist behind the mental health awareness mural at Los Angeles High School, which was created in partnership with the Korean Integrated Mental Health Services Program (KISM) at KYCC’s Clinical Services, L.A. High School, and the …

Harrison

Harrison was raised—and still resides—in Los Angeles’s Koreatown. He graduated in 2018 from the University of California, San Diego with a degree in Communications. He was a KYCC Communications Intern in the spring of 2018, and contributed to the K-Town …

Blanca

Blanca has been the KYCC Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Site Manager since 2018. Additionally, she has been a part of KYCC since 2006, when she was a participant in the KYCC Drop-In Center at Los Angeles High School, and …

Moon

Moon is the Human Resources Generalist in KYCC’s administrative office. Born and raised in Koreatown, she was an active member of KYCC’s youth programs as an Elementary Tutorial Program volunteer, TEAM high school program participant and Summer Day Camp counselor. Where is your …

Esther

Esther is the Co-Senior Officer for KYCC”s Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program, a 10-month weekly program where high school students engage their community and peers through substance use prevention. She is a senior at the Humanities Magnet at Hamilton High …

David

David left El Salvador during the civil conflict in 1990 and moved to Los Angeles, where he moved from city to city, before financial difficulties brought his family to a homeless shelter. After a social worker informed him that there was …

Gennesis

Gennesis is the Manager of KYCC’s Prevention Education, a program that trains youth to become health advocates, helps parents establish a safe and drug-free neighborhood, and supports leaders and politicians in policy enforcement. She was raised in Koreatown, where she …

James

James has been the owner and head chef at Piper’s Restaurant, a Los Angeles establishment that has been in operation on Western Avenue in Koreatown since 1964. His family took over the American-style diner since 1997, adding Korean-fusion entrées to …

Manuel

Manuel has lived in Koreatown since the 1970s. He used to run a bus service that brought visitors from Koreatown to the Nevada state line casinos. After he was audited by the IRS, Manuel came to KYCC’s Low Income Taxpayer …

Oswaldo

Oswaldo is a third-generation barber from Sinaloa, Mexico who opened his own business, Classic Barbershop, on Western Avenue in Koreatown in 2014. Classic Barbershop is known as a community hub, a place where regulars come to sit, talk, watch a …

Sue Ann

Sue Ann owns and operates Mesón Café, a beloved neighborhood spot on Western Avenue. I was told about her place by a local who said Mesón was his favorite place in Koreatown. The K-Umami bowl—farro, soy-sauce chicken à la 장조림, with …

Chihyun

Chihyun was raised in Koreatown and was the Media Director of KYCC’s YDAPP—Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program—a leadership program that trains youth advocates to raise substance abuse awareness among their peers in Koreatown and neighboring communities. He was also a K-Town …

Damaris

Damaris was raised in Koreatown and was an active participant in KYCC’s YDAPP—Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program—a leadership program that trains youth advocates to raise substance abuse awareness among their peers in Koreatown and neighboring communities. She was also a …

Francisco

Francisco is a longtime resident of Koreatown. He works at El Centro Del Pueblo in Echo Park as a behavioral health educator. He has been a free tax prep and community beautification volunteer with KYCC, and recently came to us …

Eric

Eric is a third-year student at CalPoly Pomona, studying biotechnology. He has been a longtime KYCC volunteer, in our free tax prep program, high school leadership group and our Environmental Services Summer Youth Program. Where is your hometown? I was …

Heather Jun

Heather is the KYCC Lead Elementary Instructor and BRIDGE Coordinator—essentially, she is the point person for our Youth Services programs, from elementary afterschool tutoring to our high school leadership group. Heather was raised in Koreatown and works in the community. Where …

Elizabeth

Elizabeth is the President of the Korean American Women’s Association. Founded in 2004, KAWA is a membership-driven organization committed to serving Korean communities by developing leadership skills and empowering women. KAWA is comprised of 216 members—mainly first-generation Korean American women ranging …

Youngnam

Youngnam is the owner of Kaju Kimbap, a restaurant located in the back corner of California Marketplace on 5th and Western. She frequently consults with KYCC’s Small Business Counselor—part of our Community Economic Development outreach—on entrepreneurial and business matters. Where …

Jessica

Jessica was a case manager with the Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) program at KYCC. GRYD was established as part of an intensive effort to foster youth development and reduce the influence of street gangs in the lives of youth …

Jane

Jane was the program coordinator for KYCC Clinical Service’s KISM—the Korean Integrated Service Management—program, a collaborative effort among six Korean service providers to identify and treat individuals with mental health needs and secondary physical health and/or substance abuse concerns. KYCC is …

Andy

Myung «Andy» Kim is the KYCC Small Business Counselor. As part of KYCC’s Community Economic Development’s Small Business Program, Mr. Kim hits the streets of Koreatown three times a week, reaching up to 10 businesses a day. He knocks on doors and …

Adaly

On the board of Clínica Romero for the past five years, Adaly is a community leader, organizer, educator and promotora. She works at Accion Westlake, a grassroots effort by and for residents in the Westlake District of Los Angeles, home …

Joy

Joy was a 유학생 (international student) who majored in Asian American Studies at UCLA, where she was introduced to KYCC through a service learning class. She has been a Communications Intern from 2015 to 2017. Currently, Joy is studying for …

E.J.

E.J. runs Fundamentals Eagle Rock, a musical education program for preschoolers. Since 2015, he has been the Music and Me instructor in Koreatown at KYCC’s preschool, Kids Town, which serves children ages 2.5 to 5 years. Where is your hometown? …

Natalya

An active member of the Menlo Family Apartments community, Natalya is a promotora with the Universal Dream Team, one of the eight Neighborhood Leadership Groups (NLG), under the Best Start Metro L.A. Partnership, and is led by our partner agency Para …

Jeannie

Jeannie was a member of KYCC’s Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program (YDAPP) when she was a high school student. Where is your hometown? I was born and raised in Koreatown. I’ve lived here my whole life. Do you live or …

Ruben

Ruben was a part of KYCC’s Environmental Services unit, where he was the Clean Streets LA Beautification Coordinator. In 2015, Mayor Eric Garcetti signed Executive Directive 8 launching the Clean Streets LA initiative, which «aims at improving livability and cleanliness in …

Tommy

Tommy is an Environmental Specialist in KYCC’s Environmental Services unit, where he has been working for the past 24 years. Tommy has personally planted over 15,000 trees (!!) for KYCC, many of them in Koreatown. Where is your hometown? Koreatown. I’ve …

Eliza

Eliza has lived in Koreatown for over 15 years. I met her when she was assigned to be my mentee when she was a senior at Marshall High School in Silverlake. We’ve kept in touch over the years. She studied …

Robert

When he was a senior in high school, Robert joined KYCC as a member of the Youth Drug Abuse Prevention Program (YDAPP). Currently, he is attending the University of California, Irvine where he is a junior majoring in Political Science. …

Johng Ho

Johng Ho has been the Executive Director of KYCC since 1999. He started his career at KYCC as a counselor after graduating from UCLA with a degree in Psychology in 1985. Under Johng Ho’s leadership, KYCC’s programs have expanded to six different …

Jenny

Ms. Soon, or «Teacher Jenny» as she was known to the kids, was a National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) volunteer for KYCC’s Elementary Tutorial Program for nearly four years. Inspired by the children’s art, she recently illustrated a Korean …

Nayon

Nayon is the KYCC Director of Children and Family Services. Prior to this position, she was the Clinical Services Manager, providing support and guiding clinicians, case managers and interns. Nayon has been with KYCC for 30+ years; when her family …

Josh

Since 2006, Josh has worked as a Senior Human Relations Staff at the Los Angeles County Human Relations Commission, whose mission is «to transform prejudice into acceptance, inequity into justice, and hostility into peace.» Although his work takes him from Pomona …

Charles

Charles was a volunteer with KYCC’s Prevention Education unit with the Neighborhood Taking Action (NTA) Task Force, comprised of Korean American elders in the community who helped with merchant outreach and neighborhood surveys to reduce underage drinking and youth substance …

Yong Hak

Yong Hak was introduced to KYCC through his friend Charles, whom he met at the McDonald’s on Western Avenue in Koreatown, a local hangout for many Korean American seniors. He was a volunteer with KYCC’s Prevention Education unit with the Neighborhood Taking …