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About Us

바르게 살자, 뿌리를 알자, 더불어 살자
"LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY, KNOW YOUR ROOTS, LIVE IN HARMONY"

About MinKwon Center

The MinKwon Center for Community Action is a community-based organization founded in 1984 in Jackson Heights, Queens. At its founding, the organization (originally named the Young Korean American Service and Education Center, or YAKASEC) served an open space for Korean Americans to devote themselves to service, youth eduction, and cultural activities for the community. However in 2009, as it entered its 25th year, the organization was renamed to The MinKwon Center for Community Action. Our new name, which means “civil rights” in Korean, was chosen as it more closely reflects our history of service and organizing by and for the community. Over the decades, MinKwon Center has expanded its focus to encompass the Asian American and wider immigrant communities and broadened its services to include immigrant rights advocacy, civic engagement, education, social and legal services, and youth leadership programs.

 

Today, MinKwon Center is the premier immigrant rights and services community-based organization for Korean Americans in New York. 

MinKwon Center is an affiliate of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC), a nationwide network of grassroots-based organizations working to organize Korean and Asian Americans to achieve social, racial, and economic justice. 

Our Mission

The MinKwon Center for Community Action empowers the Korean American community and works with the wider Asian Pacific American (APA) and immigrant communities to achieve economic and social justice for all. 

Our Vision

The MinKwon Center for Community Action envisions a just and equitable society where all people can live in harmony, dream and achieve their full potential.

Our Areas of Work

The MinKwon Center for Community Action's work focuses on the following areas:

Timeline of MinKwon Center's History

2024

40th Anniversary

2023

Opened New Jersey office in Palisades Park

90,000 new voters milestone for New Immigrant Voter Registration Drive that began in 2004

2020

Launch of a series of special projects to provide relief to residents of underprivileged communities facing crisis due to the pandemic

2019

As one of the steering committee organizations, MinKwon led the Green Light Campaign for nearly 20 years to achieve equal access to driver's licenses in New York State

2014

Established a coalition (currently APA VOICE) with New York City APIA organizations and led comprehensive civic participation activities

2012

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) begins implementation. MinKwon has so far processed approximately 7% of Korean American DACA cases nationwide

2009

25th Anniversary relaunch as MinKwon Center for Community Action

2004

Start of New Immigrant Voter Registration Drive

1994

National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) established with sister organizations in other states. NAKASEC and its affiliate organizations lead and participate in immigration reform campaigns and against anti-immigrant legislations

1984

MinKwon is established as Young Korean American Service and Education Center on September 21, 1984

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