Korean American

Rocky Chin Papers

APA Staff
Date Range: 1969 – 2008
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2011-12-13
Creator: Chin, Rocky

History: Rocky Chin is a civil rights attorney who has been an active community leader advocating for labor and human rights. An Asian American born in Washington D.C., Chin completed his BA at Lehigh University, his MA at Yale University, and his JD at the University of Southern California. As an attorney, Chin has represented marginalized groups including immigrant and working-class families. He is married to May Y. Chen, former vice president of UNITE HERE and a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA).

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Peeling Records

APA Staff
Peeling logoDate Range: 1995 – 2003
Survey Conducted: Sun, 2012-11-04 and Thu, 2009-09-17
Creator: Peeling

History: Peeling was a New York City based collective (1995-2005) of writers, performers, directors and producers. Using autobiography as a departure point, their collaborations were an exploration of contemporary Asian American identities through the development of original theater work. Originally founded in 1995 as “Peeling the Banana” by director/performer Gary San Angel at the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, the group developed many of its pieces through physical theater and improvisation work, which were later transcribed; others were written and further developed through group workshops. At the time, no other such group existed on the East Coast and many talented artists got their start in or had at one time been members of the group. With sold out performances at the Joseph Papp Public Theater, Second Stage, Highways Performance Space (Los Angeles), the Desh Pardesh Festival (Toronto), as well as numerous colleges and universities, Peeling the Banana presented its poignant blend of poetry, theater, dance, and music to audiences across the country.

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Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Exposure & Education Program and Korea Exposure & Education Program Records

APA Staff
Date Range: 1999 – 2009
Survey Conducted: Sat, 2010-04-10
Creator: Nodutdol for Korean Community Development

History: Founded in New York City in April 1999 by a group of first- and second-generation Korean Americans inspired by social democratic movements in Korea, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development is a non-profit Korean American community advocacy organization that seeks to promote the unity and self-determination of the Korean people through grassroots organizing and community development. Read more →

Center for Student Life Records

APA Staff
Date Range: 1831 – 1997
Survey Conducted: Fri, 2008-11-14
Creator: New York University

History: The Center for Student Life Records documents student life from the founding of the University up to present day. Material covers official school functions, including classes, conferences, and dances; extracurricular activities, including plays, student publications, and sporting teams; and informal occasions, such as concerts in the park and “down time” in dorm rooms and Loeb Student Center.

Summary: The collection contains annual reports, minutes, promotional materials, directories, handbooks, reports and yearbooks documenting student life at New York University. A large collection of photographs supplements the textual material on student life. Of particular significance are records and publications of Student Organizations which reflect the activities of Asian Pacific American students. These include, but are not limited to, the Computer Club (1983-1984), Oriental Culture Club*/Asian Cultural Union (1982-1997), Chinese Student Society (1972-1983), Hong Kong Student Association, Chinese Mei Society (1988), Chinese Christian Fellowship (1988), Martial Arts Society (1988), Tae Kwon Do Karate Club (1988), Asian Initiative at NYU (1995), Korean Studies Association (1991-1995), relizAsian (1996-1997) and South Asian Student Association (1992-1993). They include issues of publications from these organizations, including “Asian Voices” (Asian Cultural Union), “Asian American Journal” (Chinese Student Society), “Han Mah Dang” (Korean Student Association), as well as flyers for events including the South Asia Fest.

*Materials in the collection, which comprise a part of the cultural and historical record, may depict offensive and objectionable perspectives, language, and norms. While we have control over the survey descriptions, we cannot alter the content.

APA-related Size: 1.5 linear feet, 6 boxes
Languages of materials: English
Arrangement: other
Location: New York University Archives, New York University
Bibliographic Control: other
Finding Aid Link: http://dlib.nyu.edu/findingaids/html/archives/rg_12_16/
Conditions Governing Access: Some materials may be restricted. Contact the University Archivist for further information.

New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health Records

APA Staff
Date Range: 1993 – 2010
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2010-03-16
Creator: New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health Records

History: The New York Coalition for Asian American Mental Health (NYCAAMH) is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) organization founded in 1989 by a group of concerned individuals including health and mental health professionals and organizations. Our mission is to improve the quality of mental health services for Asian Americans in the New York City metropolitan area. The Coalition offers mental health educational workshops and training, and a forum for mental health service providers and concerned individuals to network, share resources, and collaborate on culturally competent models of treatment for Asian Americans. Read more →

Womankind

APA Staff
Date Range: 1982 – 2009
Survey Conducted: Wed, 2009-12-09
Creator: New York Asian Women’s Center

History: One of the first organizations in the United States to address the linguistic, social, and economic barriers that prevent many Asian immigrant women from accessing domestic violence services, Womankind (formerly and at the time of the survey known as the New York Asian Women’s Center, NYAWC) aims to empower Asian women to experience their lives free from violence. Founded in 1982 by a group of volunteers led by Pat Eng, Womankind began as community awareness project to educate communities in Chinatown about domestic violence issues. Recognizing the need for an advocacy organization that engaged in direct service, Womankind set up a single-line, volunteer-run emergency hotline for abused women seeking help. Today, the emergency hotline (1-888-888-7702) operates 24-hours a day/seven days a week, provides services in 18+ different languages and dialects including Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Bengali, and receives over 3,000 calls each year. Read more →

MinKwon Center for Community Action Records, The

APA Staff
Date Range: 1984 – 2010
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2010-11-16
Creator: MinKwon Center for Community Action, The
History: The MinKwon Center for Community Action is a grassroots, community-action non-profit organization based in Flushing, New York, serving the Korean and Asian American communities. MinKwon, which means “civil rights” in Korean, engages in advocacy and community organizing, provides social services, encourages civic participation, fosters youth empowerment, and supports cultural expression among the Korean community in New York City. Read more →

Robert Lee and Eleanor Yung Papers, Asian American Arts Centre Collection

APA Staff
Date Range: 1968 – 2001
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2011-01-25
Creator: Lee, Robert (b.1944) and Yung, Eleanor (b.1946); Asian American Arts Centre

History: Partners Robert Lee, an author and curator, and Eleanor Yung, a choreographer and acupuncturist, were both involved in establishing the Asian American Arts Centre (AAAC). In addition to the AAAC, Lee and Yung have held leadership roles in national and New York City-based Asian American cultural and political organizations, dedicating their careers to supporting Asian American artists and their work. Read more →

Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS) Records

APA Staff
Date Range: 1973 – 2010
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2010-10-26
Creator: Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS)

History: A community-based social service agency, the Korean Community Services of Metropolitan New York, Inc. (KCS) was founded in 1973 to serve New York’s Korean population. Focused on addressing the needs of immigrant and low-income individuals and families, KCS provides aging, community, and public health services. Read more →

Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) Records

APA Staff
Date Range: 1990 – 2010
Survey Conducted: Tue, 2010-09-28
Creator: Korean American Family Service Center, The

History: Located in Flushing, Queens, the Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC) is a community-based, non-profit organization that assists individuals impacted or potentially impacted by domestic violence, and, more generally, “supports and empowers adults, youth and children to lead safe and healthy lives based on dignity, compassion and mutual respect.” Established in 1989 by Sookja Bang, Elizabeth Jo, Heung Soon Kang, Kwanghee Kim, Kyung Hee Na and Sun Sook Oh, the organization was modeled after the Legal Aid Center for Women in Korea, which was founded by Dr. Tai Young Lee. KAFSC was first located in office space donated by the Korean Methodist Church & Institute on West 115th Street in Manhattan.

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