MEET AIMEE SUE AASE
Adoption details: "I was adopted through Lutheran Social Services at the age of 8 months. My adoption papers stated that my parents worked at the same company, were not married, and that my Father left my mother after finding out she was pregnant. This was not true. My parents were married. My Father had been in a construction accident which left him paralyzed from the waist down around the time of my birth. My older brother was taken to foster care & I was taken to the orphanage (by my grandfather, I believe). It was supposed to be a temporary situation, but when my Mother returned to get me I was gone. My younger brother was born five years later. We were all reunited in 1995 after my mother had letters forwarded through the agency to me!"
My Korean name is Pyun MiRa. Pyun means sculptor/engraver and MiRa means beautiful rock.
Current city: Northfield, MN
Thoughts on the local KAD community?
I really value the MN KAD community! Growing up in the 70s/80s in a town of 1500, I wasn’t exposed to any Korean/Asian culture other than Chun King chow mein and yearly field trips to the Festival of Nations. There were a handful of KADs in my town, but we were mostly different ages and were trying so hard to blend in that we rarely associated with each other. I wasn’t involved with the MN KAD community until I signed up to take Korean language classes through AK Connection circa 2007. I never felt like I was missing anything while I was growing up, but I really appreciate and value it in my life now! I am very excited about what is happening within the MN KAD community! Publications are educating us, social media & e-newsletters are keeping us informed, organizations are providing services & networking opportunities, and performances are inspiring us! I feel like we are really blazing a trail for all transracial adoptees! We are adoptees, but we are also individuals with varying experiences & opinions. Subsequently, we need to remember that it’s not important that we all have the same politics when it comes to adoptee issues. What is important is that we are having the conversations in the first place! In the past we haven’t had a voice or a forum to openly discuss issues concerning birth mothers, adoption policy, post-adoption services, identity; etc. Because of that I feel that the more we can support each other, even if we respectfully disagree, the better! It’s awesome to be a part of an adoption community that is truly making a difference!
How has being a KAD influenced your personal life?:
"Being a KAD hasn’t had a large impact on my career. My adoptive dad owns a hardware store where I worked growing up and returned to after dropping out of college. The postmaster in my hometown of Kenyon, MN, informed my dad about testing to get into USPS. I have been a Distribution Clerk, a Letter Carrier, a Payroll Technician, and I have recently started training as a TACS (Time & Attendance Collection System) Support Analyst. While being a KAD hasn’t directly shaped my career, I can say that as a transracial adoptee raised in a small Scandinavian farming community I really appreciate working in a racially/culturally diverse workplace! I do sell Pampered Chef products in addition to my full time job. I haven’t really exploited my KAD networking group for kitchen parties, but maybe I should LOL! No, I’m a pretty low pressure sales person. I just do it for fun and for the perks and discounts I get as a Pampered Chef Consultant. But if anyone is interested in a party or joining my team I would be more than happy to chat with you about it!"
Favorite K-Dramas: "This is where I fail as a KAD LOL! I don’t watch dramas or listen to K-pop or anything. I do have KBS on my satellite TV and I like to have it on in the background when I’m on the computer or cleaning from time to time. I also have a Korean station on my satellite radio in my car, but I forget that it’s there!"
Favorite Korean food: "Mmmmm I love kalbi, pork bulgogi, chap chae, samgyupsal, and Korean fried chicken!!! I wish we had a Bonchon Chicken place here in MN and that we could do the in-table BBQ’ing. That would be heaven!"
Websites: www.pamperedchef.biz/aimeesue
My Korean name is Pyun MiRa. Pyun means sculptor/engraver and MiRa means beautiful rock.
Current city: Northfield, MN
Thoughts on the local KAD community?
I really value the MN KAD community! Growing up in the 70s/80s in a town of 1500, I wasn’t exposed to any Korean/Asian culture other than Chun King chow mein and yearly field trips to the Festival of Nations. There were a handful of KADs in my town, but we were mostly different ages and were trying so hard to blend in that we rarely associated with each other. I wasn’t involved with the MN KAD community until I signed up to take Korean language classes through AK Connection circa 2007. I never felt like I was missing anything while I was growing up, but I really appreciate and value it in my life now! I am very excited about what is happening within the MN KAD community! Publications are educating us, social media & e-newsletters are keeping us informed, organizations are providing services & networking opportunities, and performances are inspiring us! I feel like we are really blazing a trail for all transracial adoptees! We are adoptees, but we are also individuals with varying experiences & opinions. Subsequently, we need to remember that it’s not important that we all have the same politics when it comes to adoptee issues. What is important is that we are having the conversations in the first place! In the past we haven’t had a voice or a forum to openly discuss issues concerning birth mothers, adoption policy, post-adoption services, identity; etc. Because of that I feel that the more we can support each other, even if we respectfully disagree, the better! It’s awesome to be a part of an adoption community that is truly making a difference!
How has being a KAD influenced your personal life?:
"Being a KAD hasn’t had a large impact on my career. My adoptive dad owns a hardware store where I worked growing up and returned to after dropping out of college. The postmaster in my hometown of Kenyon, MN, informed my dad about testing to get into USPS. I have been a Distribution Clerk, a Letter Carrier, a Payroll Technician, and I have recently started training as a TACS (Time & Attendance Collection System) Support Analyst. While being a KAD hasn’t directly shaped my career, I can say that as a transracial adoptee raised in a small Scandinavian farming community I really appreciate working in a racially/culturally diverse workplace! I do sell Pampered Chef products in addition to my full time job. I haven’t really exploited my KAD networking group for kitchen parties, but maybe I should LOL! No, I’m a pretty low pressure sales person. I just do it for fun and for the perks and discounts I get as a Pampered Chef Consultant. But if anyone is interested in a party or joining my team I would be more than happy to chat with you about it!"
Favorite K-Dramas: "This is where I fail as a KAD LOL! I don’t watch dramas or listen to K-pop or anything. I do have KBS on my satellite TV and I like to have it on in the background when I’m on the computer or cleaning from time to time. I also have a Korean station on my satellite radio in my car, but I forget that it’s there!"
Favorite Korean food: "Mmmmm I love kalbi, pork bulgogi, chap chae, samgyupsal, and Korean fried chicken!!! I wish we had a Bonchon Chicken place here in MN and that we could do the in-table BBQ’ing. That would be heaven!"
Websites: www.pamperedchef.biz/aimeesue
