Project Proposal!

Did you know that at a certain point in time, Koreans were the second-largest population of people of color in Baltimore? However, their history seems almost forgotten. For my project, I would like to shine a light on the stories of the Korean-American community: the struggles they have been through, the culture they embody, and the individual stories that all contribute to Baltimore as a whole. As a second-generation Korean-American, I have always been interested in the role Koreans play in contributing to overall cultural dynamics and race relations in America.

 The medium in which I would share these stories is through recorded conversation in an interview form. My grandmother and aunts have always been charismatic storytellers. Listening to their stories of what they went through as Korean immigrants have shaped who I am; I want to translate this impressionable experience into my project through interviews!

There are a few people I am considering interviewing. Small business owner, Jae Won Kim, owner of Seoul Rice Cake is somewhat of a local celebrity: his father has the biggest portrait mural painted on the East Coast located at Charles and 20th Street. More than that, however, his story of immigrating from Korea 38 years ago and opening up a small business resonates with many first-generation Korean immigrants. Other small businesses, including Jong Kak on 18 West 20th Street, Kong Pancha on 12 West 20th Street, and Brown Rice on 2404 North Charles Street, are other entities I would like to converse with. I would also like to include stories of other community members, including church members at Lovely Lane Church and senior citizens at the Historic Korean Senior Day Center. Also, possibly interviewing artists, like Mina Cheon at MICA, would bring a holistic perspective of the Korean-American experience in Baltimore by bringing in someone from younger generations.