Hey! It's time for another Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Paulina Hong.Who are you?
My name is Paulina Hong. I'm a 26-year old who still struggles with identity and finding where I belong. I love food. I'm also privileged to be working at a nonprofit called the Asian American Drug Abuse Program otherwise known as AADAP (pronounced AY-DAHP - we're very particular about that).
What are you?
2nd generation Korean-American gal trying to navigate this vast world of opportunities and temptations - trying to live for something greater than myself.
Where are you?
Holed up in my office, typing through a pile of papers and empty McDonald's Fruit Smoothie cups (those things are goooood), frantically sending emails and making calls as we prep for Showtime 2011, AADAP's 18th Annual Benefit Concert. This year we're featuring a line up that includes Clara Chung, David Choi, Jennifer Chung, Feats In Inches and introducing The Bricks - all coming together to support AADAP's mission to change lives and save families. The concert will be on Saturday, August 27th at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center. We're inviting everyone to join us in celebrating AADAP's 39th year of serving the community - check out www.showtime-aadap.org for more information and to buy tickets. I am also currently residing in "Ktown" or Koreatown, Los Angeles, mecca of some of the best food in the world.
Where are you from?
Was born in the North Hollywood Kaiser Permanente to 1.5 immigrant Korean parents, then was moved to Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific where I grew up attending missionary school from the ages of 2-18 earning me nicknames such as "jungle girl," and finally moved back to the States for college and now work in the great city of Los Angeles.
What do you do?
Currently I am AADAP's development director. AADAP was established in 1972 and grew out of a community in crisis in the late '60s and early '70s. Scores of Asian American youth across the city were dying of drug overdose. In response community leaders advocated for services and as a result, a proposal to provide substance abuse services targeting Asian American youth was submitted to the Federal Government and AADAP was born. Although AADAP strives to meet the needs of the underserved Asian Pacific Islander (API) community, it is committed to providing services to everyone, without regard to race, ethnicity or religion. Our services include substance abuse prevention and treatment, perinatal programs for pregnant and nursing mothers, youth leadership and advocacy, community organizing, anti-gang services, and workforce development (please visit www.aadapinc.org to find out more).
Part of my responsibilities include coordinating Showtime 2011, AADAP's 18th Annual Ben..... oh wait, did I already mention that? Well you get the idea people, this event has consumed my life at this moment. So help out a great cause, come see some even greater performers and check to see if I'm still sane by buying your tickets to Showtime 2011 at www.showtime-aadap.org.
What are you all about?
Good question - I'm all about helping people! How many of y'all are gagging right now... but seriously I am. And good food.
What makes you angry?
LA traffic, when people take my parking spot, getting lost, being late and knowing it's my fault, bad internet routers and being on the phone with tech support for hours...
On a more serious note, I get frustrated when I see the marginalized - I'm frustrated at both the world and humanity for creating this injustice and at myself for oftentimes not helping or doing as much as I should. I appreciate blogs like Angry Asian Man and the people I get to meet through my work and church life who demonstrate, sometimes beyond belief, an incredible capacity to "do something about it."