BKA: “SPEAKING THE UNSPOKEN”
SPEAKING THE UNSPOKEN
Boston Korean Adoptees, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a focus on building a community of adult adoptees with a connection to Korea in the greater Boston and New England area. BKA works to educate the larger community about the issues surrounding international and transracial adoption. November is Adoption Awareness Month, and BKA is partnering with Boston Progress to raise awareness surrounding adoption from the perspectives of adult adoptees.
MEET THE FEATURED ARTISTS!
Susan Harris O’Connor is a graduate of the Boston University School of Social Work. She is currently employed as Director of Quality Assurance at Children’s Services of Roxbury. Ms. O’Connor is a transracial adoptee who has spoken out about adoption related issues since the early 90’s. She is known nationally and internationally for her narrative writing and presentations.
Christina Seong was born in Korea and moved to Washington as an infant, Christina has been in Washington the majority of her life. She’s a true Seattleite to the soul, enjoying the cold to the hot, even in the summer. Christina’s currently a graduate student at the University of Washington in Human Centered Design and Engineering (HCDE) concentrating in user-centered design.
Identifying as a Korean American Adoptee, she finds inspiration in her connection, or rather, her disconnect from Korea. Drawing from experiences to influence her work. Primarily, Christina concentrates on visual art and design, but writes poetry in her free time and enjoys performing when we can. She’s an artist, designer, poet, and craft enthusiast inspired by simplistic lines and vibrant colors.
JooYoung Choi is an acrylic painter from Somerville, Massachusetts. She was born in Seoul, South Korea and was raised in Concord, New Hampshire. Her work draws from her experience as a Korean adoptee and her reunion with her birth family. Childhood nostalgia, American animation, comic books, Korean imagery and fantasy inspire her work. Through the use of collage, a variety of faux textures, patterns and colors Choi weaves together a collection of work that explores identity, reality, parallel worlds, time travel, systemic oppression, and mystical landscapes.JooYoung met her birth father in 2007, she found her birthmother in 2008 family includes: her parents who still reside in Concord, New Hampshire, her older sister Kelly, her birth father, birth mother, her birth father’s wife, her sister Sooji, her step-sister Hiyana and her brothers Joo-Han and Soo-Han.In 2009, Korea completed an artist in residency at Ko-Root inSeoul Korea. Also, she created and donated baby portrait paintings to nine single mothers who live at Ae Ran Won, a home and support organization for Korean single mothers.
