PRESIDENT’S NOTE

Happy Seollal! 

Where did January go? We had a busy month with two different events (check out our recap below). I enjoyed seeing many new faces and reconnecting with old friends. My hope is that you can find some community and belonging at our events. 

February 9 marks the start of Lunar New Year, or Seollal as it's known in Korea. I encourage you to support Jangmi Arts and come to their Seollal Lunar New Year Celebration on February 10. I, along with other board members, will be serving soup during the event so come on by and visit. The following week, on February 18, AK Connection will be holding our Seollal celebration. This will give us an opportunity to celebrate in our own way and to come together to enjoy our Korean culture among friends and family.

As we look ahead to March, we have postponed our Adoptee Panel event to April. Instead, we'd like to invite you to attend a show written and performed by Ed Pokropski about growing up as a Korean adoptee, finding identity and travelling back to Korea. I've seen his show twice and feel it's worthwhile, especially for those starting their journey into identity and belonging and thinking about going back to Korea. Come out to see the show and hang out with Ed and other KADs afterward! Full details about Ed's show and the Seollal celebrations are in the Upcoming Events section of our newsletter. 

In other March news, our March 1 deadline for the t-shirt design contest is approaching, and we'd love to see more submissions! Wouldn't it be cool to see your design being worn around town and other events? You don't need to be a professional artist or anything, just have a little creativity!

And lastly, Go Niners! 

-David Moschkau, AKC President

WHAT'S NEW

January Event Recap

Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Book Reading with Dr. Sara Docan-Morgan at Open Book and our January Social at Arbeiter Brewing! Around 90 people attended between the two events. We loved sharing food and celebrating the beginning of a new year with you. We have many exciting things in store this year, and we hope you can join us for more events soon! Check out our upcoming events lineup below for more information. 

Reminder: Submit your AK Connection T-Shirt Design By March 1

Calling all artists and graphic designers! Here’s your chance to create a design for our 2024 AK Connection t-shirt and other swag. The design requirements are simple: 

• Reflect our shared background as Minnesotans and Koreans 
• Include the words “AK Connection”
• Be easily adapted to t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, and tote bags 
• Be respectful (e.g., no profanity) 

In addition to bragging rights, the winning designer will receive a free 2024 membership to AK Connection worth $250, which includes our 2024 AKC t-shirt and waived entrance fees to our paid events, such as Korean cooking classes. 

Send your submission to [email protected] by March 1 at 5 p.m. CT. Your submission must include your full name and email address, a digital file of your design in JPG format, and a brief explanation of how your submission meets the design requirements. 

The AKC Board will then review all designs and select a winner, who will be notified by the end of March. We know we have a lot of talented artists in our community and we’re excited to see what you create! 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Feb. 10: Jangmi Arts Seollal Lunar New Year Celebration

Join Jangmi Arts for their Seollal Lunar New Year celebration at White Bear Lake Area High School - South Campus from 10:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. The event will feature cultural performances, Korean food, and fun activities for all ages and is presented in partnership with AK Connection and several other Twin Cities Korean cultural organizations. Keep an eye out for a few of our very own AK Connection board members who will be helping serve tteokguk! 

Feb. 18: AK Connection Seollal Celebration

You’re invited to celebrate Seollal with us on Sunday, Feb. 18 from 12-3 p.m. at the MLK Rec Center (4055 Nicollet Ave S, Minneapolis). This event is free and we’ll be serving manduguk, rice, kimchi and sweets. We will also have children's activities and more! 

Please be sure to RSVP so we can plan for food and beverages. Adoptees and their family and friends welcome! 새해 복 많이 받으세요! 

March 23: Ed Pokropski: Case 84: Adopted in the U.S.A.

Join us for Korean adoptee Ed Pokropski’s one-man show on March 23 from 3-5 p.m. at Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater in Minneapolis. There will also be an informal meetup afterward at Up-Down in Minneapolis, a three-minute walk from the theater. In his show, Ed – an Emmy-nominated senior writer/producer for NBC Universal – covers his first trip back to Korea to find answers about his origin and the misconceptions about adoption using pop culture and his personal experience. Note: Tickets are $12 each and this event is for ages 16+.