Wool. Cotton. Mohair. Alpaca. Silk. Linen. A sea of yarn that reflects the colorful nature of planet Earth and the beautiful fibers it provides for us. My apparel brand would explore the full creative potential of fiber arts. From knitwear and crochet to embroidery and weaving, my apparel brand would specialize in creating one-of-a-kind handmade garments that are inspired by the natural world surrounding us. My grandmother taught me how to knit when I was 7 years old. Since I first learned how to knit, it was connected to the relationship I have with my grandmother. She would show me pictures from fashion magazines and update me on all the new trends. The reason I’ve continued to knit is to give back to her for teaching me how to knit when I was younger. With every piece that I give to her and every smile that follows, I am spurred on to continue creating what I love. As I’ve gotten older, knitting has transformed from a connection to my grandmother to also become a connection to the environment. Sustainability has become increasingly important as climate change only continues to accelerate. Garment production is one of the leading polluters in the world today and I want to make sure that I contribute as little to that number as possible. My apparel brand would center on the use of sustainably collected fibers ranging from ethically raised animal fibers to harvested natural fibers. I love the storytelling that can be done when color is utilized creatively, but I also recognize that dyes can be very harmful to the environment. As a result, I would focus on the use of natural dyes to hand-dyed fibers and create unique garments that can’t be found elsewhere. I am inspired to create clothing that connects to my complex cultural heritage stemming from Korea, America, and Canada. The colors of a sunset over the Hollywood hills, the lush vegetation of Vancouver, and the radiant silks of the Korean hanbok never fail to inspire the unique color stories and textiles I create with my knitting. I enjoy straying from the traditional ideas of what knitwear is supposed to look like, utilizing unconventional colors, mixtures of mohair and thick wool, and silhouettes that push the boundaries of what most people think of when they think “knitwear”. My apparel brand would be an extension of myself. My values of my cultural heritage and the environment would be at the forefront of my brand which focuses on individuality, sustainability, and creative liberty. Knitting has been a central part of my life since childhood and I intend to foster it into a brand that I can continue to grow to share my love for knitting with those around me.

During a time when the world has been through so much in so little time, people are in need of healing. For over a year now, socialization and human contact have become much harder to come by. My goal during the pandemic has been to help those around me find a community. Community can be an abstract concept and difficult to define. To me, community is not just those that live around us or those that have been conveniently placed near us. Community is a group of people that have shared experiences and identities. Even before the pandemic, I had always been interested in journalism. I continue to apply my journalism and writing skills as a board member of Leaders With PoTEENtial (Co-Director of Blog). This organization originally attracted me because of its message of believing in and empowering the voice of youth. As a board member of PoTEENtial, I published articles/blogs to highlight the accomplishments of youth. I also created and hosted events like Adopt a Career that featured people from different backgrounds that spoke on how they got into their field, what their regular work day is like, and the benefits and downsides of such a career. Being a part of this organization has been a way for me to help provide other youth in my community with the college and career opportunities that they need. Another way I have used writing and journalism to give back to my community during COVID is through the J Student Board. The J Student Board is a group of student reporters that write articles for publication to the Korea Daily Newspaper, the largest Korean language newspaper in the United States. Through the J Student Board, I have given back to my community by writing about ways to deal with quarantine boredom, coping with anxiety and stress, and promoting different organizations and clubs. Being part of a community is especially important during times of hardship. As a board member of the San Fernando Valley chapter of Dear Asian Youth (DAY), I have worked tirelessly to create a platform to facilitate discussion among not just Asians but people of all different backgrounds. Being a part of DAY has allowed me to create and be part of a community of teens that understand each others’ struggles as it pertains to our Asian American identity. Especially during times where hate crimes against Asians have been at an all time high, DAY has been a place for Asian youth to empathize and understand. In a way, my way of giving back to my community has been to strengthen the bonds that we already have in place with each other. As part of giving back to not just my community but children living all across the United States, I have been an active member of the Covid Nineteen (C19) Project. As a volunteer for the C19 Project, I tutor disadvantaged elementary students, lead virtual activities for them, and even help teach students English as their second language. Through this project, I have also had the opportunity to learn more about the students I work with and their backgrounds. The children I have worked with have given me a broader world view and offered me insight into those living across the United States and how the pandemic has been affecting their lives. To be able to help these children through a time of hardship and uncertainty has been an opportunity I have been blessed with. Another unique way I have been giving back to the community is through music. Since I was in seventh grade (2018) I have been a part of the Valley Youth Philharmonic Orchestra (VYPO) as a flute player. As the largest youth orchestra in the San Fernando Valley, VYPO offered semi-annual concerts for free to anyone in the community to enjoy an evening of classical music with their families. This past year, rather than cancelling the concerts, VYPO creatively shifted to an online concert, available to anyone in the world through YouTube. VYPO has been a way for me to give back to my community by providing people a reprieve from their everyday quarantine routines As my time at Granada increases, my efforts to give back to the community will continue. As COVID-19 conditions improve, I plan to be more active in giving back to my community by physically going out and working alongside the organizations listed above and volunteering more in the fields and causes that I am passionate about.