August 2020

A Message from our Director

Hello KYCC,

I hope you’re all doing well and staying safe.

I’d like you to help me in welcoming a new member to our team, Francesca LeRúe.

Francesca will be working with Nayon and the Children and Family Services division to help guide our services through this uncertain time.

Francesca has led teams in the LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services and most recently headed up Santa Clara County’s department.

Along with a wealth of experience, she brings a new energy and passion that will help us meet the growing needs in our community. Please give her a warm (and socially distanced) welcome when you get to meet her.

I miss seeing you all and look forward to the next time we can come together.

Best,

Johng Ho

What’s New

Table Top Campaign Tackles Drunk Driving on Fourth of July

The Coalition for Prevention and Awareness in LA Metro (CoPALM) collaborated with seven small businesses to launch the Table Top Campaign for this year’s July 4 weekend. CoPALM’s Table Top Campaign disseminated approximately 900 coasters and 54 table tops with anti-drunk driving messaging in English and Spanish. Read more…

Koreatown News

Ms. Hee-Sook Lee, CEO and Founder of BCD Tofu House has passed away at the age of 61 after battling cancer for the past 5 years. After arriving in Los Angeles with her family in 1989, Lee opened the first BCD Tofu House in 1996 on Vermont and 7th Street, located on the eastern edge of Koreatown. Since then BCD Tofu House has expanded across the United States to include locations in California, New York, Texas, and New Jersey.

• Classic Koreatown Restaurant Dong Il Jang Is Closing After 41 Years of Business
• Unsung gem Jun Won closes in Koreatown

Census Bureau To End All Counting Efforts On Sept. 30

As you may have heard, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that September 30, 2020, is the new deadline to respond to the 2020 Census, which is a month sooner than previously planned. A shortened window for census participation drastically increases the risk of fewer L.A. County residents being counted.

Central LA is again the lowest-responding region in the county. Most communities in the region are responding at a rate that is lower than the county rate and Koreatown is one of the urgent outreach priorities with the greatest number of uncounted households. For more info, visit https://2020census.gov/.

On July 17, we lost 2 Iconic Civil Rights Leaders

John Lewis inspired many in the ongoing battle for civil rights.  He was a man that was never deterred by how he was treated (arrested over 40 times), beaten, ridiculed, and yet he preserved and continue to fight for the rights of all.  His passing is just such a deep deep loss for many.  To gain additional insight, I would encourage you to read one of his books.

• Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement (1998)
• Across that Bridge: Life Lessons and a Vision for Change (2012)
• Across that Bridge: A Vision for Change and the Future of America (2017)
• March: Book One (2013), Book Two (2015), Book Three (2016)

“You are a light. You are the light. Never let anyone—any person or any force—dampen, dim or diminish your light. Study the path of others to make your way easier and more abundant. Lean toward the whispers of your own heart, discover the universal truth, and follow its dictates. […] Release the need to hate, to harbor division, and the enticement of revenge. Release all bitterness. Hold only love, only peace in your heart, knowing that the battle of good to overcome evil is already won. Choose confrontation wisely, but when it is your time don’t be afraid to stand up, speak up, and speak out against injustice. And if you follow your truth down the road to peace and the affirmation of love, if you shine like a beacon for all to see, then the poetry of all the great dreamers and philosophers is yours to manifest in a nation, a world community, and a Beloved Community that is finally at peace with itself.” – John Lewis

Reverend C. T. Vivian helped to establish, and served on the board of Capitol City Bank and Trust Co., a black-owned Atlanta bank, in 1994. Vivian continued to speak publicly and offer workshops, and did so at many conferences around the country and the world. A leader in the Civil Rights Movement and friend to Martin Luther King, Jr., he participated in Freedom Rides and sit-ins across our country. Vivian also helped found numerous civil rights organizations and he began a program in Alabama that put 702 students in college with scholarships…this program became the National Upward Bound Program.

“Leadership is found in the action to defeat that which would defeat you… You are made by the struggles you choose.” – C. T. Vivian

August is National Eye Month

7 Things You Can Do Right Now to Protect Your Vision

As you get older, your risk for some eye diseases may increase. But there’s a lot you can do to keep your eyes healthy — and it all starts with taking care of your overall health. Set yourself up for a lifetime of seeing your best with these 7 tips!

1. Find an eye doctor you trust.
   Many eye diseases don’t have any early symptoms, so you could have a problem and not know it. The good news is that an eye doctor can help you stay on top of your eye health! Find an eye doctor you trust by asking friends and family if they like their doctor. You can also check with your health insurance plan to find eye doctors near you.
   
2. Ask how often you need a dilated eye exam.
   Getting a dilated eye exam is the single best thing you can do for your eye health. It’s the only way to find eye diseases early, when they’re easier to treat — and before they cause vision loss. Your eye doctor will decide how often you need an exam based on your risk for eye diseases. Ask your eye doctor what’s right for you.
   
3. Add more movement to your day.
   Physical activity can lower your risk for health conditions that can affect your vision, like diabetes and high blood pressure. And bonus: it can help you feel your best. If you have trouble finding time for physical activity (normal!), try building it into other activities. Walk around while you’re on the phone, do push-ups or stretch while you watch TV, dance while you’re doing chores. Anything that gets your heart pumping counts!
   
4. Get your family talking… about eye health history!
   Some eye diseases — like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration — can run in families. While it may not be the most exciting topic of conversation, talking about your family health history can help everyone stay healthy. The next time you’re chatting with relatives, ask if anyone knows about eye problems in your family. Be sure to share what you learn with your eye doctor to see if you need to take steps to lower your risk.
   
5. Step up your healthy eating game.
   Eating healthy foods helps prevent health conditions — like diabetes or high blood pressure — that can put you at risk for eye problems. Eat right for your sight by adding more eye-healthy foods to your plate! Try dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens. And pick up some fish high in omega-3 fatty acids like halibut, salmon, and tuna.
   
6. Make a habit of wearing your sunglasses — even on cloudy days.
   You know the sun’s UV rays can harm your skin, but did you know the same goes for your eyes? It’s true. But wearing sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of both UVA and UVB radiation can protect your eyes and lower your risk for cataracts. So be sure to add sunglasses to your must-have list before you leave the house. Sunglasses? Check! Healthy eyes? Check!
   
7. Stay on top of long-term health conditions — like diabetes and high blood pressure.
   Diabetes and high blood pressure can increase your risk for some eye diseases, like glaucoma. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, ask your doctor about steps you can take to manage your condition and lower your risk of vision loss.

Check Your Mailbox at Home (Month of August Fun Days)

August 7 was National Clown Day

Take a picture with your red nose. Send it to Moon.

August 26 is National Pet Day

Take a picture with you and your pet.  Send it to Moon.

August 31 is Trail Mix Day

A special treat.

Birthdays and KYCC Anniversaries

Did you know…

Good internet connections are more important than ever.

If you’re experiencing slowness while using a remote session or even while at the office check out these tips;

When you open your browser, do all of your previous tabs open? If so, many of the sites may automatically update even when you’re not viewing it. Try starting fresh each day.

Consider running large downloads or big programs near the end of the day when usage is down.

If you’re at home and have family or friends sharing your WiFi, consider plugging directly into the modem. Some WiFi routers don’t distribute the full available bandwidth.

If your sessions are still slow, please let me know. Running a speed test and screen printing it for me is the best way to start finding a solution.

Now you know!

Stealing from Comfort

When you experience someone else’s genius work, a little part of you feels, “That’s what I could have, would have, and should have done!”

Someone else did it. You didn’t.

They fought the resistance. You gave in to distractions.

They made it top priority. You said you’d get to it someday.

They took the time. You meant to.

When this happens, you can take it two ways:

You could let that part of you give up. “Oh well. Now I don’t need to make that anymore.”

Or you could do something about that jealous pain. Shut off your phone, kill the distractions, make it top priority, and spend the time.

It takes many hours to make what you want to make. The hours don’t suddenly appear. You have to steal them from comfort.

Whatever you were doing before was comfortable. This is not. This will be really uncomfortable.

And in the end, you can say you did it.