UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

March 30: Roots & Reflections: A Support Circle for Korean Adoptees 

AK Connection is partnering with Korean Adoptee counselors Lynn Woo Yeong Sando, MA, LADCC, LPCC of Sando Wellness and Megan Nyberg, MA, LPCC, to create a supportive space for Korean Adoptees to come together and discuss the personal impact of recent and ongoing developments regarding South Korean adoption and adoption records. 

Registration closes today! 

When: Sunday, March 30 
Time: 2-4 p.m.
Where: Aspen Room in the Interpretive Center @ Westwood Hills Nature Center
(8300 W Franklin Ave, St Louis Park, MN 55426)
 

April 19: Spring Social! 

Join us for a Korean Adoptee 18+ social dinner at Hoban in Eagan on Saturday, April 19, at 6:30 p.m.! Many of us have fond memories of connecting over a delicious meal at Hoban. Whether you're new to the community or a longtime member, we’d love to see you there! AK Connection will provide a selection of appetizers. Attendees are responsible for their own beverages and meals. 

When: Saturday, April 19, 2025
Time: 6:30 - 9:30 PM
Where: Hoban (1989 Silver Bell Rd, Eagan, MN 55122)

RSVPs are required, so be sure to reserve your spot! One 18+ guest is welcome to accompany you as space is limited. Please let us know as soon as possible of any changes or cancellations.

May 3: Children's Day (Save the Date)

Join us to celebrate Children’s Day (어린이날), a Korean national holiday. We’ll share more details soon!

COMMUNITY EVENTS

March 14-30: When You Trap A Tiger at Stages Theater Company
March 27: Adoptees for Justice Monthly Community Call
By April 1: Register for Camp Choson For Early Bird Pricing
April 20: Adoptee Hub Bake N’ Chill
April 21: Adoption Mosaic: Adoptees with Physical Disabilities Zoom
By April 30: Participate in Omma Poom Art Exhibit (background on the exhibit)
June 20-22: KAAN Conference 
June 21 - July 1: Bridge to Korea - Birthland Tour

WHAT'S NEW

Seeking AK Connection Board Members and Volunteers

Since 2000, AK Connection has served as a resource for adult Korean Adoptees, their families, and communities in Minnesota. As a non-profit organization led by all Korean Adoptees, we provide cultural, educational, and social programming for our Korean Adoptee community. 

This work would not be possible without community members donating their time, resources, and skills to AK Connection. If you are interested in serving on our board or volunteering, please fill out an interest form - we’re looking forward to hearing from you!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

Navigating the Adoption File Transfer Together

Summary: If you’re interested in accessing your Korean adoption file prior to it being transferred from your adoption agency to NCRC, but don't know where to start, check out this resource guide.

As many of you know, the Korean government is transferring Korean adoption files from individual adoption agencies to the National Center for the Rights of the Child (NCRC) - a subset of the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare. This file transfer is set to take place July 19, 2025. 

There are many unknowns about what this transfer means for Korean adoptees and our records. Here’s what we know right now (note that the situation is evolving and additional changes are likely coming): 

• In preparation for the file transfer, many individual U.S. and Korean adoption agencies are ending or winding down their own post-adoption services (e.g., birth family search, file reviews). 
• Korean adoptees have raised concerns about the way the file transfer is being facilitated in terms of what content is being transferred, records management, etc. This MBC video covers these concerns and has English subtitles (note: this content may be upsetting to watch). 
• After the files are transferred, Korean adoptees will work directly with NCRC for all adoption file-related requests and post-adoption services (e.g., birth family search; file review; adoption certificates - which are needed for applying for the F-4 visa, dual citizenship, Korean police DNA tests, etc.). After July 19, 2025, birth family search requests must be filed via NCRC’s website: https://www.kadoption.or.kr/en/ 

Because of these uncertainties, many Korean adoptees are interested in accessing their adoption file and beginning or continuing a birth family search prior to the file transfer. However, it can feel overwhelming to understand the steps to take. That's why AK Connection has put together a resource guide to support you in whatever step of the journey you’re on. This list is not exhaustive but should give you a solid place to start. 

Korean adoptees all over the world are searching for answers about what the process and access to our adoption files will look like after the transfer. Whatever you may be thinking and feeling, you are not alone. If you’re looking for a place to connect with other Korean adoptees in-person, we encourage you to join our support circle event in March (info and registration). 

We will all process this in our own way, and the change will bring experiences unique to each of us. Right now, it’s especially important to meet each other with extra care and compassion. Whether you’ve already looked into your files, are diving in headfirst, taking a step back to process, or feeling unsure of what to do next—we see you, and we’re in this together.

With care,
The AK Connection Board
 

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

March 30: Roots & Reflections: A Support Circle for Korean Adoptees 

AK Connection is partnering with Korean Adoptee counselors Lynn Woo Yeong Sando, MA, LADCC, LPCC of Sando Wellness and Megan Nyberg, MA, LPCC, to create a supportive space for Korean Adoptees to come together and discuss the personal impact of recent and ongoing developments regarding South Korean adoption and adoption records. The event will be held on Sunday, March 30 from 2-4 p.m.

To ensure this event meets the community’s needs, please fill out our interest form. We will share more details – including location – on our Instagram and Facebook soon. 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

March 5: Adoptees United Workshop For Intercountry Adoptees: Applying For Your Own Certificate of Citizenship
Starting March 5: KAAN Webinars on the Frontline Documentary South Korea’s Adoption Reckoning
March 14-30: When You Trap A Tiger at Stages Theater Company
March 22: Adoptee Literary Festival
By April 1: Register for Camp Choson For Early Bird Pricing
June 20-22: KAAN Conference 

WHAT'S NEW

Looking Ahead: What's Next For AK Connection (Leadership Update)

As AK Connection continues to grow and evolve, we’d like to share a planned leadership transition that reflects our ongoing commitment to serving the Korean adoptee community. It is with mixed emotions that we announce that AK Connection President David Moschkau has transitioned into an advisory role for our organization as of February. We are incredibly grateful for David’s work to create a foundation for AK Connection’s relaunch in 2023 and his steadfast commitment to the Korean adoptee community throughout the years.

In light of this change, we’re excited to announce that Kira Siegler, who previously served as our organization’s Secretary, is now the new President of AK Connection! Kira and David have been working closely on the transition to ensure a seamless handover. Additionally, we plan to open applications for new board members soon with an emphasis on those with grant writing and event management experience to help us take AK Connection into the future. Stay tuned for more details soon! 

Please join us in thanking David for his many contributions to AK Connection and congratulating Kira on her new role! Here are a few words from David and Kira on this transition:
 

"I am deeply honored to step into the role of President for AK Connection, and I am excited to continue collaborating and connecting with all of you as we continue our work to serve Korean Adoptees, our loved ones, and our amazing community. I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible team that David Moschkau assembled, as well as all of his contributions and leadership through the years. 

As we approach AK Connection’s 25th anniversary, I encourage each of you to explore new ways of staying engaged. Whether you are a long-time supporter or new to our community, there will always be opportunities to contribute, learn, and grow alongside us. Your involvement enables AK Connection to serve our community.

감사합니다! Thank you all for your continued support and for being a part of AK Connection!"
--Kira Siegler

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

Happy Seollal!

Thank you to everyone who joined AK Connection’s Seollal Celebration on February 15! It was an unforgettable afternoon as we welcomed the Year of the Snake together. We especially appreciate the donations we received to help offset the cost of this event for our community. As a nonprofit, we rely on community support and contributions of all kinds to keep events free or affordable—your generosity makes this all possible. Please consider donating, if you can. 


I had a lot of fun trying out a new approach to making tteokguk this year. Special thanks to David Moschkau, Kira Siegler, Myonghee Kimchi, and bb.q Chicken for helping make our meal a special one. And thank you to all of our board members and volunteers for their part in making this event possible. I’d also like to extend our great appreciation to Eva for her special gayageum performance! 

Thank you for Celebrating Seollal with AK Connection!
새해 복 많이 받으세요!

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

Feb. 15: AK Connection Seollal Celebration!

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with us at our AK Connection Seollal Celebration! Enjoy a delicious meal of tteokguk, japchae, rice, kimchi from Myonghee Kimchi, chicken mu from bb.q Chicken and more! For activities, we’ll have traditional Korean games, crafts, and 세배 (sebae) - the Lunar New Year tradition of bowing to elders.

Korean adoptees and their loved ones welcomed! Please RSVP to reserve your spot - seats are already going fast, and will be limited to the first 90 people who sign up. Looking forward to celebrating with you! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! 

Date: Saturday, Feb. 15
Time: 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Location: Northeast Rec Center (1530 Johnson St. NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413)
Cost: Pay what you can 

• $5 / person helps us cover a portion of event costs
• $10 / person helps us break even
• $20+ / person helps the community by covering the costs for someone who may not be able to contribute at this time

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Jan. 25: Arbeiter Brewing Lunar New Year Celebration 
Jan. 25: Lunar New Year at Midtown Global Market
Jan. 25-26: Asia Mall Lunar New Year Festival
By Jan. 30: Apply for 2025 Bridge to Korea Scholarship
Feb. 1: Korean Adoptees Ministry Center Korean Lunar New Year Celebration
Feb. 1: Korean Cultural Association Seollal Lunar New Year Celebration
By Feb. 5: Register for Me & Korean online courses
Feb. 6-8: Cuckoo at the Walker Art Center
March 14-30: When You Trap A Tiger at Stages Theater Company
June 16-20: 2025 Hana Summer Camp
June 20-22: KAAN Conference

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

Celebrating a Milestone Year

Happy New Year, everyone! We kicked off 2025 with our Winter Social at Malcolm Yards. It was wonderful to see old friends and new faces brave the Minnesota cold and join us for warm conversations and camaraderie. We are thrilled to be able to continue offering socials like this, along with educational and cultural events and programming on a monthly basis throughout the year.



For our next event, we will be continuing to welcome in the New Year. You and your loved ones are cordially invited to our Seollal celebration which will be full of Korean performances, crafts, games, prizes, and of course, food. Please RSVP to participate in the festivities as it will be limited to the first 90 people to reply.

2025 is an auspicious year for us as it marks AK Connection’s 25th anniversary! To honor this milestone, we will be holding a special gala to reflect on and celebrate our beautiful KAD community. We hope you'll join us - stay tuned for details.

Continued thanks to all who have been a part of this community. We are grateful to serve and it does our hearts good to share this KAD journey with you. Whether you have known us for decades, been to a few of our events, or have yet to attend, we hope our paths cross soon and so look forward to seeing you this year!

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

Jan. 11: AK Connection January Social!

We’re kicking off 2025 with a 21+ social night! Come grab a drink, catch up with old friends and make new ones. Korean adoptees and their loved ones are welcome! AK Connection will provide appetizers, and there will be additional drinks and food available to purchase. No RSVP needed, just show up! 

When: Saturday, Jan. 11 
Time: 6-9 p.m. 
Where: Malcolm Yards (501 30th Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414) - look for AK Connection signs on tables when you arrive
Cost: Free! 

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Now - Jan. 15: Apply for the 2025 Korean Cultural Tour with Chicago Arirang Lions
Jan. 11: Free Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic for AAPI People in Minnesota
Jan. 25 - April 14: Korean Institute of MN Korean Classes
Jan. 26 - May 4: KAAM Korean Language & Culture Program
Feb. 1: Korean Cultural Association Seollal (Lunar New Year) Celebration
Feb. 6-8: Cuckoo at the Walker Art Center
March 14-30: When You Trap A Tiger at Stages Theater Company
June 20-22: KAAN Conference 

WHAT'S NEW

Updates to AK Connection Board

We’d like to share that Vice President Ashley Holmes and Treasurer SoYoung Park will be retiring from the AK Connection board effective at the end of this year. 

We are deeply grateful for Ashley’s mentorship and leadership and for SoYoung’s hard work to establish a solid financial foundation for AK Connection. They both leave a strong legacy of care and dedication to our community that will continue to inspire us as we move forward.

We are happy to share that Jenny Ries – an existing board member – will be stepping into the role of Treasurer. Jenny has been an invaluable part of our board and we are excited for her leadership in this new capacity. Please join us in thanking Ashley and SoYoung for their service and welcoming Jenny to this important role!

Share Your Winter Market Feedback!

If you attended our first-ever AK Connection Winter Market on Dec. 8, we’d love your feedback! Please take this short survey - it should take no more than 1-2 minutes to complete. As a small non-profit run entirely by volunteers, we rely on your feedback to guide our efforts to create events for our community.

New Legal Resources Page for Intercountry Adoptees

Adoptees United – a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the rights of adopted persons – recently launched a new resource page that provides general information for intercountry adoptees. It provides guides and FAQs around topics like requesting immigration records, applying for or getting reissued citizenship certificates and more.

By Jan. 31, 2025: Submit Essays, Poetry, Stories, and Art About Transnational Adoption

Transnational adoptees are encouraged to submit their stories about origins and family for use in a book proposal about adoptee origins edited by Dr. Sarah Docan Morgan, Dr. Kimberly McKee, Ansley Moon, and Alessia Petrolito. Forms accepted include personal essay, poetry/hybrid work/lyric essay, short story, visual arts, graphic memoir, and research. Learn more about the project and submit your proposal. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

Celebrating Community, Connection, and Collaboration

We are so grateful to everyone who supported our first-ever AK Connection Winter Market earlier this month. We were blown away by the response – we had more than 250 attendees and news outlets like KSTP and AsAmNews covered the event.

We especially appreciate our vendors and performers, all of whom are Korean adoptees (check out the full list and support and follow them!). Because of the market’s success, we’re excited to announce that the Winter Market will return next year!



This event was truly a labor of love and we walked away feeling proud of and inspired by the talent, entrepreneurship and sense of community we saw. As we reflect on 2024 and look forward to next year, we’re committed to fostering that spirit of solidarity and creating ways that we can lift each other higher and go further together. 

That commitment feels especially meaningful as we enter 2025 because it’s also AK Connection’s 25th anniversary! Our 2025 programming will include our signature events like Seollal, Children’s Day, the summer picnic, Chuseok, and social nights. Thanks to your feedback, we’re also adding new educational events, including a Korean cooking class. Plus, we’ll be celebrating our anniversary with a special gala in November that you won’t want to miss. We’ll share more details soon! 

Thank you again to everyone who supported AK Connection throughout 2024. Whether you attended events, volunteered, or donated, your involvement means the world to us. We’re so grateful to be part of this community with you.

UPCOMING AK CONNECTION EVENTS

Dec. 8: AK Connection Winter Market!

Tis the season to check out our first-ever Winter Market where all of the vendors and performers will be Korean adoptees! We have so many amazingly talented people in our community, and we’re excited to feature their music, crafts, treats, books and much more! There will also be food and beverages available to purchase and we’ll have a special door prize featuring a gift basket made up of items from our awesome vendors. All are welcome to attend! Contact [email protected] with any questions.

Date: Sunday, Dec. 8
Time: 2-5 p.m. 
Location: St. Louis Park Rec Center’s Banquet Room (3700 Monterey Dr, St Louis Park, MN 55416)

COMMUNITY NEWS & EVENTS

November 2: Adoptee Hub Cultural Identity and Self Care Workshop
November 2: KAM Adult Traditional Folk Painting Class
November 9: KAAM Korean History and Culture One Day Class
November 9: Moshi Jogakbo Coaster Class
November 15: Building Bridges: Uniting Transracial Adoptees in Conversation Around Community and Belonging Workshop
Now - December 20: Apply for the 2025 Mosaic Tour to Korea

WHAT'S NEW

Share Your Thoughts: Take Our AK Connection Events Survey by Nov. 15 

We want to make sure our monthly events for Korean adoptees are meaningful, enjoyable, and meet your needs. To do that, we need your feedback! Whether you've joined us once or attend every month, your insights are invaluable. Take a moment to complete our quick, anonymous survey which should take 2-3 minutes to complete. The board will review the results of the survey at our annual planning meeting in mid-November and will use your feedback to shape our 2025 events and programming lineup.

November is Give to the Max Month: Consider Donating to AK Connection

Many of us grew up in environments where we didn’t have strong ties to Korean culture or other adoptees. That’s why AK Connection is focused on helping adult Korean adoptees reconnect to our birth culture and each other.

We do that by providing monthly events, most of which are no cost to our community – whether that’s celebrating traditional Korean holidays, holding discussions focused on adoption issues, or hosting socials so you can meet fellow KADs. 

As a non-profit organization with an all-volunteer board, we rely primarily on donations to help fund these events. If you’re able, please consider making a donation to support our 2025 programming - no donation is too small! Each time you make a gift during Give to the Max, you can help AK Connection win additional grants. Thank you in advance for your support! 

News Roundup: Associated Press Investigation Into Korean Adoption

The Associated Press has continued to publish additional articles covering their investigation of widespread fraud and abuse in South Korean adoption. You can find a full summary of coverage, including all news articles and the documentary on this PBS page. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOTE

Strengthening Our Community 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for AK Connection’s Halloween event on October 26! It was a night to remember—filled with laughter, trivia challenges, karaoke hits, and some seriously amazing costumes that brought out everyone’s creativity.

A huge shout-out to Eat Street Crossing for letting us transform their “Sewing Room” into our Halloween hangout. Mia McGill, you rocked as our MC, keeping the vibe fun and lively all night long! And of course, we couldn’t have done karaoke without Denis and Kira, who brought their setup and made sure we had a blast singing our hearts out.


At AK Connection, bringing people together is what we’re all about. We’re here for each other, wherever we are on our journeys, with events for everyone—whether family-focused or adult-only. This community grows stronger with every event, and we’re so grateful to all the adult Korean Adoptees, friends, and families who make it feel like home.

Our volunteer Board of Directors puts in a ton of time and energy to create spaces like this. And as a nonprofit, we’re able to keep these events free or affordable thanks to the generous support of our amazing community. Every donation fuels moments like these, bringing us closer together. Thank you for being part of AK Connection, for making it all possible, and for helping us keep the fun going—together!
 

Ashley Holmes
AK Connection Vice President