Faith Kim
Faith Kim was born and raised in Deerfield, Illinois. She went to a predominantly white school, and struggled with the concept of being both Korean and American. She began to connect with her heritage in middle school when she began watching K-dramas with her mother and learning Korean through Rosetta Stone.
Her father and brother both served in the military; though she originally had no intention of joining, she liked the opportunities it presented in terms of both education and serving her country and followed her family’s footsteps. It was scary to be in a completely new environment but she was able to meet other Korean Americans with similar backgrounds to her and she learned a lot about herself and her identity as a Korean American.
Now, she is an officer in the Air Force and in the cyber career field. For Faith Kim, being Korean American means embracing both sides of her culture and being able to appreciate her parents’ journeys in relation to her own. Her experiences in the Air Force have taught her not to underestimate herself, but to have confidence because if she works hard, she can be capable of amazing things.