Dear Community, Friends, and Family,
As we enjoy the final days of summer, eat our fill at the Great Minnesota Get-Together, and begin the transition into fall, we want to take a moment to reflect on what an incredible season it has been for our community. We are so grateful for all of our community members who help make the culture camps happen.
We want to thank everyone who joined us for our Annual Summer Picnic in August. Gathering together for food, conversation, and connection is one of our favorite traditions, and we loved spending the afternoon with so many members of our community. And many thanks to Suz Swanson Photography for helping us document the Summer Picnic!
We’re excited to share that filming for Through the Fog, a Korean American Story project highlighting the experiences of Korean Adoptees, has wrapped up. AK Connection was honored to help connect local community members with the project. Minneapolis served as the final stop after New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, and we’re grateful that some of our stories from our Minnesota community will be included alongside those from adoptees across the country.
Looking ahead, we’re preparing for an exciting fall season. Kira, Tara, and Kip are headed to IKAA in October, and it sounds like many of you will be there as well! Following tradition, we’re planning a casual meetup on September 18 for attendees coming from Minnesota and neighboring states, and we look forward to connecting with everyone!
Our Chuseok Celebration on September 26 is quickly approaching, and we’re looking forward to celebrating together with vendors, artists, performers, games, food, and a dance reception. The next day, September 27, we’ll also host our first DoKAD Meetupand partner with JangmiArts to bring two special minhwa painting workshops led by Youngmi Chang. We hope you’ll join us for a weekend of community, culture, and connection.
Chuseok, often referred to as the Korean harvest festival, is a time to celebrate family, community, gratitude, and abundance. Traditionally observed during the autumn harvest season, it remains one of the most important holidays in Korea. As a small community nonprofit run by volunteers, we have been so lucky to have the support of our community. None of these events, programs, or opportunities would be possible without you. Thank you for being part of this community. Your generosity, creativity, stories, and care continue to make AK Connection what it is. We’re excited for all that’s ahead this fall and hope to see you soon.
We’re grateful to be building this community together with all of you, and we always welcome your input and perspective. Send us an email anytime—we’d love to hear from you. We’re also always looking for volunteers to help with events, outreach, planning, and behind-the-scenes work. Volunteering at our Chuseok event would be a great place to start! Whether you have an hour to give or want to become more involved, there’s a place for you at AK Connection.
In Solidarity & Care,
Kira Siegler, Tara Tenhoff, Denis Jeong, Kip Hansen
The AK Connection Board