Background
Mr. Kang was born in Korea on November 11, 1942. She is a daughter of Joo Han (in business) and Sok Won (a 0memaker; maiden name, Choe) Kang.
(”I am more American than Korean in my mind, but I am more...)
”I am more American than Korean in my mind, but I am more Korean than American in my soul.” In this poignant, bittersweet family memoir, K. Connie Kang tells the story of one of America's most recent, and successful, immigrant groups: the Korean-Americans.The author's tale is one of hardship, as wars twice force her family to flee their homes in Korea. It is also a story of heartbreak, as her new life in America, first as a student and then as a reporter, irreversibly separates her from her parents and their values. Ultimately, hers is a story of the lure of American freedom, and the wisdom offered up by a lifelong struggle to reconcile two vastly different cultures.Connie Kang, who came to the United States in 1961, interweaves her family's story with Korea's tempestuous recent history. Her grandfather, Myong-Hwan Kang, a nationalist organizer during the period of Japanese colonialism, is arrested and tortured for his activities. Only a few years after the victory over Japan, war breaks out with the Communists in the North. Connie and her mother escape on an all-night ride on top of a railroad car, and arrive as refugees in Pusam. Eventually they rejoin Connie's father in Tokyo, and then Okinawa.As a college student in America, the author meets other Korean students, and for the first time grapples with the question of her Korean identity. Though she is drawn to the personal freedom in America, her emotional ties to her family and country are equally strong, setting the stage for a conflict of identities which has yet to cease. She becomes one of the first Korean-American journalists in the U.S., but still her family breaks up her intended marriage to an American. When she tries living and working in Korea, she finds the role of women too restricted. Finally she decides to settle in America. Now, as a reporter, she covers the Asian-American communities around Los Angeles, helping to bring to light the issues that affect recent immigrants like herself.In a warm, sympathetic voice that is refreshingly candid but never sentimental, K. Connie Kang has written the book on the Korean-American experience. It is a story that will touch us all. ”I am more American than Korean in my mind, but I am more Korean than American in my soul.” In this poignant, bittersweet family memoir, K. Connie Kang tells the story of one of America's most recent, and successful, immigrant groups: the Korean-Americans.The author's tale is one of hardship, as wars twice force her family to flee their homes in Korea. It is also a story of heartbreak, as her new life in America, first as a student and then as a reporter, irreversibly separates her from her parents and their values. Ultimately, hers is a story of the lure of American freedom, and the wisdom offered up by a lifelong struggle to reconcile two vastly different cultures.Connie Kang, who came to the United States in 1961, interweaves her family's story with Korea's tempestuous recent history. Her grandfather, Myong-Hwan Kang, a nationalist organizer during the period of Japanese colonialism, is arrested and tortured for his activities. Only a few years after the victory over Japan, war breaks out with the Communists in the North. Connie and her mother escape on an all-night ride on top of a railroad car, and arrive as refugees in Pusam. Eventually they rejoin Connie's father in Tokyo, and then Okinawa.As a college student in America, the author meets other Korean students, and for the first time grapples with the question of her Korean identity. Though she is drawn to the personal freedom in America, her emotional ties to her family and country are equally strong, setting the stage for a conflict of identities which has yet to cease. She becomes one of the first Korean-American journalists in the U.S., but still her family breaks up her intended marriage to an American. When she tries living and working in Korea, she finds the role of women too restricted. Finally she decides to settle in America. Now, as a reporter, she covers the Asian-American communities around Los Angeles, helping to bring to light the issues that affect recent immigrants like herself.In a warm, sympathetic voice that is refreshingly candid but never sentimental, K. Connie Kang has written the book on the Korean-American experience. It is a story that will touch us all.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0201626845/?tag=2022091-20
Mr. Kang was born in Korea on November 11, 1942. She is a daughter of Joo Han (in business) and Sok Won (a 0memaker; maiden name, Choe) Kang.
K. Kang graduated from University of Missouri—Columbia, receiving her Bachelor of Journalism in 1963. In 1964 she finished Northwestern University with Master of Science in Jurisprudence.
Beginning in 1964 K. Kang served as a reporter for Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY. In 1967 she was appointed columnist for Korean Times, Seoul, Korea. During the period of 1975-1992 Mrs. Kang held the posts of editorial writer, assistant metropolitan editor, reporter, and foreign correspondent for San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco, CA.
Since 1976 she worked at San Francisco Chronicle, acting as a staff reporter. In 1992 she became a staff writer at Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, CA. From 1967-1970 K. Kang served as an assistant professor of foreign studies at Haukuk University.
(”I am more American than Korean in my mind, but I am more...)
Quotations:
K. Connie Kang told CA: "As one who grew up in three cultures (Korean, Japanese, and American) I feel compelled to tell what this means. The human condition is universal, but the way we experience it is not. As a journalist who has worked in the mainstream American news media for thirty years, I see how little is known about Asians. My challenge is to help cherished values of Asian cultures become part of the dominant culture. This can only happen through writing of our journeys. As an heir to a dual heritage (Asian American) I have uncommon opportunities to help advance cross-cultural understanding.
My career in journalism began in 1964, when there were hardly any Asians in the metropolitan newsrooms in the United States. I became an instant curiosity. Sometimes, I couldn’t even start my interview because the people I went to see had so many questions. I had so many dinner invitations during my first year in Rochester, New York, that I could have lived without cooking had I wanted.
In the ensuing years, I have covered countless assignments, from government and politics, law and justice and schools to social welfare. My investigative articles on the attorney disciplinary system in California led to major reforms, and my coverage of the State Supreme Court in the 1970s and 1980s had statewide impact.
While much of my career was devoted to covering high-profile assignments, I have always kept my hand in community journalism by contributing columns and articles to ethnic newspapers. My mission as a journalist is to give voice to the voiceless. People who have money and power have the connections to get their messages out, but people who are poor, disadvantaged, or don’t speak English need the help of sensitive reporters with cultural and linguistic training. Covering these types of stories is not easy. That’s why we need many reporters with caring hearts, clear knowledge, altruistic sensitivity, and non-divisive commitment in the news business. Journalism, after all, is about commitment."
