First off, I did not expect to be accepted to this conference because it seemed like something for very extroverted, talented, and special students. But, I wanted more than anything to be part of it and something told me that it would end up being a very special experience. I had no previous knowledge about the Korean community before, and knew nothing about Korean-American history. Listening to so many active Korean-Americans and their stories not only to success but a happy, fulfilling life were both inspirational and motivating, and encouraged me to be more mindful by reflecting on my own life and how I envision my future. I reminded myself to be grateful for what I have and everything that earlier generations of Koreans have gone through to allow me to get to this point. I did not have any Korean-American friends previously, so to suddenly be surrounded by nineteen of them was really something. I had hoped to leave Portland one person, and return a different one. Not only was this the case, I also went home with a support group of students just like me! I can safely say that NCLC has been a heart-warming, unforgettable, life-changing experience.
Mindy Kim is currently a sophomore at Lewis and Clark college and plans to double major in International Affairs and Foreign Languages. She was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in Singapore, Taiwan, the US, and Japan. She attended KAC's National College Leadership Conference (NCLC) in Los Angeles along with students from all across the US.