Our Founders

We started KoreanAmericanStory.org in 2010 with the goal of documenting the Korean American experience through personal stories.

The Legacy Project was our first effort to document the stories from the first-generation Korean Americans who immigrated during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Specifically, it started with a video of HJ’s parents in our basement. We asked them what their lives were like when they were children back in Korea, about their favorite memory, their biggest regret, and the outcome is something my children and their children will have forever.

I’m sure you have amazing stories from your own families also. By sharing our stories, we affirm our common experiences as Korean Americans. By intentionally exploring what it means to be Korean Americans, we broaden our understanding of our own identity which allows us to be more inclusive and to celebrate the diversity of our community.

We are proud that all of the stories we create will be archived at the Korean Heritage Library of the University of Southern California. These stories will be a valuable resource for future generations of students, scholars, researchers, historians and anyone who wants to learn about our experiences thus our history, in our own voice.

As we celebrate 10 years of being our community’s storyteller, we are grateful for the support we have received from many of you. We also ask for your continued support as we expand our programs to help preserve the stories of our community, foster appreciation for our history and heritage, and empower ourselves to change our community, the nation and the world.

KoreanAmericanStory.org Co-Founders
HJ Lee & Theresa Choh-Lee