Amid the participation of prominent Korean American Democratic leaders, the “Korean Americans for Harris (KAH)” group was officially launched on the August 8, pledging to intensify volunteer and fundraising efforts leading up to Election Day.
The online event, attended by 250 participants from across the nation—including state officials and fashion industry leaders—successfully raised $20,000 within 90 minutes.
Notable figures from California included State Senator Dave Min, former LA City Councilman David Ryu, former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim, Irvine Vice Mayor Tammy Kim, and Steve Kang, Chair of the Korean American Democratic Association, all of whom offered their support.
Sylvia Luke, Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor and the highest-ranking Korean American elected official, emphasized the importance of unity and voting for what is right, stating, “America has been deeply wounded by Trump, a symbol of division and discrimination. Now is the time to reclaim the soul of the America we sought to protect. Let’s ensure this election is about voting for what is right, regardless of race, gender, or community background.”
Congressman Andy Kim of New Jersey, who is currently running for the U.S. Senate, shared a personal anecdote about Vice President Harris, recalling how she personally called to congratulate him after his primary victory and inquired about his father’s health, who was unwell at the time. “We spoke for 30 minutes about family and the role of a son protecting his loved ones. It reminded me of why we are in politics,” he said.
Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland of Washington, who recently secured a 54% victory in her primary, urged Korean Americans to vote, noting that “in the 2020 election, 80 million Americans did not vote. If many Korean Americans cast their ballots in states like Texas and Philadelphia, we will undoubtedly win. Especially, I encourage the second generation to motivate the first generation to participate in voting.”
Nadia Belkin, Director of AAPI outreach for key battleground states in the Harris campaign, highlighted that there are 350,000 Korean American voters across four key battleground states, stating, “If all these Korean Americans vote, it could change the outcome of the presidential election,” receiving enthusiastic applause.
Other notable speakers included Pennsylvania State Representative Patty Kim, Georgia State Representative Sam Park, and Woo Sung-hyun (Kevin), a member of the K-pop group U-KISS, who also voiced their support for Harris.
The event was lively, with discussions touching on topics such as the Korean language, K-dramas, and K-pop.
BY INSEONG CHOI, YOUNGNAM KIM [choi.inseong@koreadaily.com]
