Every January 13 is Korean American Day!

We at NWCU are excited to shine a light on our Korean American employees, members, and their culture.

On January 13, 1903, the first Korean Immigrants settled in Hawaii. In 2005, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives officially established Korean American Day. It came 13 years after Jay Kim became the first Korean American congressman by being elected to the House of Representatives for California's 41st District.

It'd be impossible to list every accomplishment Korean Americans have made. So, we'll start with just a few.

• John Cho, born in South Korea and raised in LA, is an award-winning actor with a career that spans almost three decades.

• Benjamin W. Lee was a theoretical physicist whose work is credited with advancing various scientific models and theories.

• Roy Choi is a chef and restauranteur and is considered one of the pioneers of the "gourmet food truck" movement.

• Victor Cha is a political scientist, author, and president of the Geopolitical Foreign Policy Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

• Chloe Kim, an Olympian famous for being the youngest woman to earn an Olympic gold medal. She was 17 at the time.

There are also some excellent books and movies that highlight the lives and experiences of Korean Americans. Here are a few:

• Skinship by Yoon Choi

• Minor Feelings: An Asian American Reckoning by Kathy Park Hong

• Minari (film) is an American drama film written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung.

• The Grace Lee Project (film) is a documentary film written and directed by Grace Lee.

We at NWCU want to wish all our members and employees of Korean descent a wonderful Korean American Day!