Mission Statement
KRCC's mission is to empower the Korean American community through education, social service, organizing/advocacy and culture. KRCC serves the Korean American community of greater Chicago, now estimated at 100,000.
Locally, KRCC is a member of the Korean Human Service Providers Council, the Korean American Vote Coalition, the Coalition of Asian, African, Arab, European and Latino Immigrants of Illinois and the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
KRCC is the Chicago affiliate of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (www.nakasec.org) and has affiliate center in Los Angeles (www.krcla.org).
Description
Immigrant and Human Rights Project
Since its inception, one of the centerpieces of the Center's work has been its Immigrant and Human Rights Project. The Center is the leading immigrant rights organization in the Korean American community of greater Chicago and often works in collaboration with the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium and its affiliates.
Electoral Work
Since 1996, KRCC has been the main Korean American organization in Chicago to coordinate non-partisn effort which includes voter registration, voter education, Get Out The Vote (GOTV), voter assistance and voter research. In preparation for Presidential election in November, the Center has collaborated with other Asian American organizations to collect and publish candidate survey in other Asian languages and to register and to educate more immigrant voters. In particular, the Center targets northwest suburban congressional districts and college campuses in the city this year.
Workplace Justice Campaign
In 2008, the Center launched Workplace Justice Campaign with following three goals in mind; 1) to educate business owners and employees in the community regarding workplace issues and labor regulations, 2) to promote better working relationship between Korean American owners and other immigrant employees of color, and 3) to organize and advocate for immigrant workers' rights. At its first phase of 3-year period, the workplace surveys of 100 Korean employers and 200 employees are under process.
Fighting Youth Shouting Out for Humanity (FYSH)
The Center's Youth Council, FYSH empowers youth to work on issues facing themselves, their peers and other communities of color. Every year, members choose an issue, then plan and organize around it to educate the community and gain support for the cause.
Poongmul Class
The Center provides regular poongmul classes for interested adults and youth in the community. Since last year, the advanced Chango class meets once every week from 7 to 9 p.m. and thirteen students are learning to improve their drumming skills from Mr. Kim Byungsug, Il Kwa Nori director.
English as a Second Language/Civics Classes
To accommodate working community members, the Center offers English as a Second Language Classes in the evenings. In addition to offering basic English skills, the curriculum also has a civics component to improve community members' understanding of American government. To create a culturally sensitive environment, the Center strives to provide teachers who are bilingual and knowledgeable of Korean culture.
Korean language class for adoptees & multi-racial Korean Americans meets every Tue 7pm
