By Eun Byoul Oh
I am writing this editor’s note upon hearing of the new mayor in NYC. I moved to New York when I was nine years old, and moved back to Korea briefly in my teen years before finally settling in New York when I was in high school. I feel like New York is my home and I believe  New York will forever be my home 🗽

By Jon Oaks
At the core of everything I do, including teaching, writing, traveling, and volunteering, is a desire to create connection. As an adoptee, I have learned that belonging does not have to come from one place or one story. It can be something you build piece by piece through curiosity and shared experience. NAAM is a reminder of that truth, that each of our stories matters, and that understanding who we are often begins with the courage to explore what connects us.

By Marci Defrancesco
I was adopted from Seoul, South Korea, in May 1984, when I was just four and a half months old. My new family was from a city in upstate NY, Troy. That’s where my life as Marci DeFranceso begins. A Korean girl with an Italian name. My story has always been a blend of cultures: the mystery of where I came from and the love and craziness of where I grew up.

By Rylee Kennedy
Like many adoptees, I knew I was adopted from a very young age. When the infamous “where do babies come from?” came out my mouth, my parents were quick to inform me that my story had a few extra chapters tacked onto the end. In addition to coming out of my mother’s “stomach”, I also got to take a long plane ride across the whole world, after my birth mother (who loved me very much, of course) decided I needed to live with other parents who wanted a child.  My brother, as well as two of my cousins, are also adopted, so understanding this was easy…

By Jon Oaks
National Adoptee Awareness Month offers an opportunity for adoptees to claim space, share narratives, and connect with peers who understand the layered experience of adoption. For many adoptees, especially those of transracial, transnational, or culturally divergent adoption experiences, NAAM is a reminder that they are seen not just as someone’s “success story,” but as whole people with complex histories, feelings, and identities.

By Sharon Stern
On November 29, 1987, Korean Air Flight 858 exploded in mid-air over the Andaman Sea, off the coastline of Myanmar, killing 115 people.  But the details leave us with questions and mysteries.

By Casey Eckersley
For our October meeting, the Dosan Hakdang Book Club met to discuss Park Seolyeon’s A Magical Girl Retires, translated by Anton Hur. For a book on the shorter side, it certainly brought a large discussion!

By Wolf Robert Stratmann
We thank Wolf Robert Stratmann for putting an incredibly thoughtful and history-teaching playlist, as well as informative music notes, for us this month!

By Sharon Stern
Keep digging into October dramas, because there are some pretty good ones, as you get ready for dramas releasing in November!

By Josh Kim
This month’s myth is called “The Blind Mouse” but not the one you may think! This story offers a lesson in filial piety.

By Jon Oaks, Marci DeFrancesco, and Rylee Kennedy

For National Adoption Awareness Month, KCCNYC asked members of our community to share their personal essays about their experience as Korean American Adoptees. We hope you will spend time with each story, helping us to more deeply understand the experiences of adoptees. We are profoundly honored to share these with our readers.

By Eun Byoul Oh
KCCNYC participated in Korea Fest hosted by KAAGNY and we were able to come together as a community and play some traditional Chuseok games. As you may have seen on our Instagram, families gathered around to play Yootnori, Jegi-Chagi, Ttakji, Gong-gi, and many other games during the bountiful holiday.

By Nicolette Shin
It takes a village to raise (and run) a tent for a festival.  This year KCCNYC took part in the Korean Festival and Parade hosted by KAAGNY on October 4, 2025.

By Justine Valesquez
For a few years now, I have loved experimenting on plant-based versions of classic Korean dishes at home.  Ever since I got into Korean cuisine, I have thought about preparing my very own 추석 (Chuseok) holiday feast. I decided to take on the challenge for this year’s 추석.

By Sharon Stern
Hangeul is the unique alphabet used to write the Korean language.  Its creation is celebrated as a major accomplishment in Korean history.  October 9 in South Korea is the public holiday Hangeul Day.  We will take a look at where Hangeul came from and why it is significant for representing the Korean language.