February 2025

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.  COMPLETE INTEREST FORM COMMUNITY EVENTS

Highlighting Korean-American and adoptee 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:   "A year and a half ago, I set out to attempt to revive our community after a long, pandemic-caused hiatus. I didn’t know if I would succeed or who I would find to help, if anyone. To my surprise, you all showed up and an amazing set of humans raised their hands to help me organize and rebuild. But it has now come time for me to rest and let others take the reins.  To the community, I want to thank you for always supporting our cause and showing us you care. Your presence and enjoyment at our events is what makes it worthwhile for the board to continue to bring opportunities for you to come together and support each other. Be assured that you are in good hands with the current board.    To the board, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your dedication, hard work, and unwavering support. And most of all, for putting up with me. Your commitment to our mission and vision has been instrumental in driving our success, and I am confident that AK Connection will continue to thrive under your capable leadership." --David Moschkau "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 In each newsletter, you'll hear from the board members who organized that month's event. Learn more about our all-volunteer board.  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! DONATE TO AK CONNECTION