Dear CKA Partners and Donors,

We are excited to share with you our inaugural edition of the Katalyst: CKA’s Impact Stories, a newsletter specifically designed with our donors and supporters in mind. This will be a quarterly newsletter to share how CKA is making an impact on Korean American communities nationally and pushing forward on our new 5-Year Strategic Plan.

With this inaugural newsletter, we aim to strengthen our community bonds, share the tangible impact CKA is making, and highlight how your philanthropic support elevates our collective leadership. This regular communication will serve as a platform to keep you informed, inspired, and engaged in our shared mission.

The past six months have marked a significant milestone for CKA with the completion, board approval, and launch of our 5-Year Strategic Plan. Last October, at the 2023 Envision Gala and Summit, we offered a glimpse into CKA’s promising future. Since then, we’ve made remarkable progress. You can explore a summary of the plan in the side panel.

This year, we are currently implementing phase one of this long-term strategy. This year’s focus is on Leadership Representation, with an emphasis on increasing representation in corporate, media and political spheres. In order to uplift our community as a whole, it is crucial that we hold positions of influence where decisions are made, gain more visibility, and actively participate in grooming future leaders.

In this newsletter, you will find what progress we have made in the first half of 2024. As you read, I invite you to see yourself in these stories. Because this isn’t just CKA’s story – it’s yours.

We cannot make progress without your partnership to fuel these endeavors. Together, we are shaping a promising and impactful future for the Korean American community.

Let us know how we are doing and what more we should consider. We are always listening.

With gratitude and excitement for what lies ahead,

Abe's Signature with Background

Abraham Kim, Ph.D.
Executive Director

CKA’s Vision for the Future is to catalyze, empower, and mobilize the Korean American community as architects of an equitable, diverse, and inclusive American society. We are committed to championing equal opportunities for all, cultivating an environment where every individual can thrive and excel, and amplifying Korean American voices and perspectives.
Our first step is to dramatically increase Korean American leadership representation in three critical arenas: Corporate, Media, and Political.

To achieve this future, CKA launched in the first half of 2024 an ambitious Strategic Plan aimed to activate our community, amplify our voice, and own our narrative. This year, we launched the first phase of this ambitious plan focused on bolstering Leadership Representation in the corporate, media, and political world. Check out the overview of our plans:

This newsletter is a selected summary on the progress we have made implementing this plan this year.

Political Representation

Name: Connecting Emerging Leaders to Top Government Leaders: Emerging Fellows Field Trip</br>
Start: 2024-06-21
End: 2024-06-23
Location: Washington, D.C.

Empowering Political and Civic Leaders

Cultivating a generation of impactful Korean American political and civic leaders, while mobilizing our community to actively shape American democracy and public policy.

Political Representation

Empowering Political and Civic Leaders

Cultivating a generation of impactful Korean American political and civic leaders, while mobilizing our community to actively shape American democracy and public policy.

Representing Our Community in American National Security

In late June, Executive Director Abraham Kim represented CKA and the Korean American community at the Joint Civilian Outreach Conference (JCOC), sponsored by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Established in 1948, the JCOC is the Department of Defense’s oldest and most prestigious public liaison program, offering American business and community leaders an immersive military experience. Dr. Kim was one of only 31 civilian leaders selected from 400 applicants, and the sole Korean American representative. He engaged with military and civilian leaders, including those from Netflix, Microsoft, and the Atlanta Falcons. During the event, Dr. Kim highlighted the Korean American community’s contributions to America’s economy, culture, and politics. Moreover, participants discussed various topics with senior defense officials, such as homeland security, deterrence, defending allies in the Indo-Pacific region, and advanced warfighting technology.

Looking Ahead: Developing Sophisticated Political Donors

In the coming months, CKA will host nonpartisan forums designed to educate Korean American leaders from across the country about political giving, engagement, and influence. Participants will gain a clearer understanding of the processes involved in the U.S. political system, elections, and governance.

“CKA’s presence was crucial at the week-long event where senior officers and officials discussed the Indo-Pacific Region’s defense and security with American leaders. Hence, with the US-Korea alliance being a pivotal part of the Asia Pacific region, it was vital to express our gratitude to military leaders for their service and commitment to defending freedom and democracy. Our alliances are long-term relationships, not transactional ones.”

– Abraham Kim, Executive Director, Council of Korean Americans

2024 Empower Retreat Creating a National Trust Community of Korean American Civic Leaders

The CKA Empower Retreat for Nonprofit Leaders is quickly becoming a key driver of nationwide collaboration among Korean American nonprofit leaders, delivering significant community impact in just its second year. This multi-day event, themed “rest, rejuvenation, and reconnection,” provides a forum to discuss community challenges, exchange ideas, and build national relationships. Held annually by CKA, the retreat recently convened leaders at Montana’s Flathead Lake for four enriching days.

Notably, the retreat has sparked nationwide change. For instance, Katherine Yeom, Executive Director of Korean American Family Services (KFAM) in Los Angeles, formed a crucial partnership with Brennan Kang from the Korean American Community Foundation of New York (KACF-NY) at the first retreat in 2023. This connection led to vital board training for KFAM, new funding, and Katherine’s participation in KACF-NY’s national Giving Summit.

The retreat’s influence extends beyond the attendees, creating a ripple effect that benefits countless lives in the Korean American communities living in key cities. For example, the retreat participants who attended from Los Angeles formed closer friendships and a trust network at the retreat event, which led to greater coordination and collaboration among these leaders to engage the city government. This closer engagement ensured that Korean American community interests are represented in a coordinated way and local government resources are provided to support the largest Korean Diaspora community in the world.

Watch a Video with Dave Gibbons, Author of The Shape of My Eyes; Pastor of New Song Church; Executive Advisers, sharing about his Empower Retreat Experience

Corporate Representation

Creating opportunities and promoting leaders into top corporate leadership positions.

Corporate Representation

Creating opportunities and promoting leaders into top corporate leadership positions.

NetKAL Fellowship Program: Cultivating Impactful Korean American Executive Leaders

This year’s Network for Korean American Leaders (NetKAL) class, affectionately dubbed “Lucky 13,” brings together 11 remarkable fellows from diverse professional backgrounds, including the White House, corporate world, the military, and education. We gathered these promising leaders to develop leadership skills, provide a safe space to discuss with like-minded peers the various leadership challenges that Asian Americans face, and surround them with a network of professional mentors and sponsors so they can be even more impactful and civically engaged leaders. Moreover, the program aims to instill greater confidence in these leaders to navigate complex workplaces and enhance their communication capabilities to raise their visibility.

This year, we evolved the NetKAL curriculum, systematizing it into a more cohesive leadership learning experience under the guidance of NetKAL X alum and Executive Coach Jim Lee.

Looking ahead, CKA plans to expand the NetKAL platform to offer more executive-level leadership training through weekends, webinars, and seminars.

Looking Ahead: Promoting Korean American Representation on Corporate Boards

In the second half of 2024, CKA will actively explore opportunities and partner with companies to increase Korean American presence in corporate boardrooms. Stay tuned for updates on this transformative effort and how you can support it.

Media Representation

Transforming the media landscape by propelling Korean American stories and perspectives into the national spotlight, reshaping public narratives and cultural understanding.

Media Representation

Transforming the media landscape by propelling Korean American stories and perspectives into the national spotlight, reshaping public narratives and cultural understanding.

Promoting Korean American Stories Films and Perspectives Across the Country

Over the past six months, the CKA team has been actively organizing both in-person and online programs to spotlight fresh Korean American voices and viewpoints. Many of these initiatives have been in collaboration with esteemed, nationally acclaimed organizations such as the Public Broadcasting Station, Commonwealth Club, and Harvard University. From Cambridge, MA to Embarcadero in San Francisco, and in virtual forums, CKA has hosted discussions on a diverse range of topics led by Korean American thought leaders—from Mental Health to Affirmative Action, and from the Future of Korean Cuisine to AI Technology. CKA is at the forefront of showcasing pioneering Korean American thought leaders who are shaping the cultural, business, and political landscape.

Empowering Asian American Government and Civic Leaders with Media Training

On July 27, CKA united over twenty Korean American and AAPI leaders from various sectors, including the US Congress, the White House, government affairs offices, the US military, corporations, and civic organizations. These distinguished individuals participated in an intensive full-day training designed to enhance their media and public communication skills, particularly in crisis situations.

The primary objective was to equip these Asian American leaders to communicate and advocate effectively to their constituents, decision-makers, and media outlets when precision and clarity are crucial. One significant challenge AAPI leaders face is the ability to communicate and network proficiently. This training aimed to develop key skillsets for these influencers and overcome communication barriers, fostering professional growth opportunities, and strengthening active connections with the communities that they serve. The July session was a unique training opportunity and a crucial step in empowering these AAPI leaders to be more powerful and persuasive communicators.

Looking Ahead: Expanding our Media Training for Korean Civic Leaders

Building on two years of successful media training, CKA is excited to expand our educational forums to new cities.CKA will be bringing this valuable training sessions to civic leaders in such cities as Atlanta and San Francisco. These forums aim to empower leaders with the communication and executive presence skills they need to navigate the media landscape effectively.