I Am Korean American Blog

"I AM KOREAN AMERICAN" by Edward Hong

I wrote and performed this poem because I want Korean Americans across the nation to think about what their identity means to them. While it's specific to that particular identity, this poem is ultimately about the human nature and the struggles we all face when it comes to the self-hatred that can live inside all of us. It is a reminder to accept the flaws and ugliness within ourselves and turn it into something beautiful. This is what I wish to accomplish with this poem.

What They're Doing Now: Aimee Lee

Note: What They're Doing Now is a new series on our blog that shares updates from participants who have submitted to us in the past. If you were featured on I Am Korean American at least six months ago, we'd love to hear from you! Please email info@iamkoreanamerican.com.

Aimee Lee was featured on January 18, 2010. Click here to read her original profile.

Aimee writes:

After doing a couple lectures and an international residency program in Northern Ireland, I returned to the USA to start a big summer project in Cleveland and a personal dream: building the very first Korean papermaking studio in this country. It took a huge team of staff, interns, and volunteers at the Morgan Conservatory and I am proud of their efforts to bring hanji to America. Here is a video that describes the whole process: . I taught a workshop in the brand-new studio and then took the Cleveland hanji to Ithaca to make art at Saltonstall Arts Colony.

I taught another successful hanji workshop at the Center for Book Arts in Manhattan, and am preparing to move to the East Bay for the spring 2011 semester to teach a course in book arts at Mills College. I was also published in Fiberarts (Nov/Dec 2010) and Interweave Knits (Winter 2010) and have written articles about my hanji research for Hand Papermaking, Book Arts arts du livre, and Bull & Branch (for the Friends of Dard Hunter). More hanji lectures and workshops to come in February in Denver and Philly! See my site for more info: http://aimeelee.net/updates/.