Since Nov. 15, the Korean Resource Center (KRC) in Los Angeles has hosted enrollment workshops on the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan, working with adult day care centers and faith-based organizations to conduct educational seminars, including two events sponsored by the Korea Daily.

Community Health Promoters, consisting of 24 Korean American senior advocates, conducted a Medicare Part D language access survey that assesses the lack of linguistically and culturally appropriate materials and services at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The findings will be used to recommend policy changes and advocate for more competent language services.

 

 

 

 

Exit Poll Results

 

YKASEC-Empowering the Korean American Community in New York held a press conference on Nov. 8 to announce results from exit polls conducted with AALDEF at five poll sites in Flushing with the highest concentration of Korean American registered voters. According to their research, the economy was the most important issue to Korean American voters. In addition, 80 percent of voters surveyed favored providing a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, compared to 53 percent of the general voting population. Finally, 89 percent of those surveyed opposed making undocumented status a crime.

Korean American workers receive back wages with the assistance of the Korean Immigrant Workers’ Rights Project.

 

 

Capital Visit

 

During the veto session of the Illinois State Assembly, KRCC and its supporters visited the state capital, Springfield, on Nov. 15 and Nov. 29. KRCC met with several state representatives to discuss driver’s certificates for undocumented immigrants; the We Learn English initiative, to increase funding for adult ESL programs for recent immigrants; and the New Americans Initiative, which assists legal permanent residents with naturalization applications, subsequent processing and active citizenship.

 

 

Workers Receive Back Wages

 

After a contentious struggle between workers and their former employers, two workers were able to receive back wages with the assistance of the Korean Immigrant Workers’ Rights Project, a joint-project of YKASEC and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF). At a press conference, YKASEC and AALDEF announced that one worker received $8,600 and another $13,500.

 

 

 

 

 

“Make The Road By Walking”.

 

 

KRC celebrated its 23rd anniversary at the Wilshire United Methodist Church on Dec. 8, with the theme, “Make the Road by Walking.” KRC and friends reflected on a year where immigrant communities brought themselves to the forefront of political agendas and raised their voices in unison. KRC also honored the following with the Standing Up for Justice Award: Courtni Pugh, the first Asian American political director of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor; Dolores Mission Church, a strong advocate and leader for humane immigration reform; and KRC’s Community Health Promoters, Korean American seniors advocating for language access to vital health benefits.

KRC celebrated its 23rd anniversary.