Title
Recognizing and Honoring the Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia (KAAGP) on the Occasion of its 50th Anniversary.
Body
WHEREAS, The Korean American Association of Greater Philadelphia (KAAGP) was formed on October 3rd, 1970; and
WHEREAS, October 3rd is celebrated annually by Koreans as National Foundation Day in recognition of the first Korean state of Gojoseon in 2333 BC; and
WHEREAS, The formation of the KAAGP on this day was an intentional recognition of Philadelphia as the birthplace of American independence; and
WHEREAS, The KAAGP was created to support and advocate for the growing number of Korean immigrants with their cultural and economic assimilation into American life; and
WHEREAS, Kyu Hwan Lee, a doctor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, served as the KAAGP's first president; and
WHEREAS, Korean immigration to the United States can be traced back to 1903 with the arrival of 102 people in Honolulu, Hawaii; and
WHEREAS, Korean immigration to the United States rapidly increased in the 1960s and 1970s following the Vietnam war; and
WHEREAS, Today, there are an estimated 1.82 million people of Korean descent living in the United States, with over 80,000 Korean Americans residing in the greater Philadelphia region; and
WHEREAS, The KAAGP has worked tirelessly through the decades to serve as the go-to resource for the local Korean American community, whether it be by bridging language barriers, assisting with the formation and growth of Korean American businesses, or connecting Korean American students with scholarships and financial aid; and
WHEREAS, The KAAGP has also developed programs to connect Korean Americans with local civic centers to obtain driver's licenses or to vote in local elections; and
WHEREAS, The KAAGP has even purchased a local cemetery site for Korean Americans to be laid to rest; and
WHEREAS, During this difficult year, the KAAGP rose to the challenge to combat the various public health...
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