2017-02-07 "TNKR gave me my name"

I used to say, "Today was a special day," but these days, it seems that every day is special. Super special North Korean refugee Eunhee Park had class with one of her tutors. Then we talked about TNKR's upcoming activities and ways that she can be involved.

When we mentioned our new fundraising site, she immediately set one up before she left the office. I have been twisting the arms of our volunteers to set up fundraisers, but Eunhee didn't hesitate at all once she heard about what we were trying.

She is a thoughtful lady, we can be talking about something really simple, then suddenly she will hit you upside the head with a profound thought.

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Eunhee studied with Kaina using the Korea Times. It is the first time she has been reading an English-language newspaper on a regular basis. She is one of the TNKR students who received a free subscription to the Korea Times after competing in TNKR's 4th English speech contest August 2016. (Update: Eunhee later won TNKR's 9th English speech contest and gave a TEDx Talk)

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What could make a great day even better? Cherie Yang also came to the office! She had class with Jennifer Bowman. It turns out that they celebrate the same birthday!

Update: Cherie won TNKR's 5th English speech contest and later gave a TEDx Talk.

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I know that some of the volunteers think it is strange that I want to take photos with them. Years ago, I read about a football player who always wanted to be photographed with his teammates. when I was a sports reporter, one of the basketball players I interviewed told me that he felt uncomfortable with profiles being done on him, that he wanted his teammates to be mentioned by name. I always try to remember to thank volunteers.

This is Jennifer Bowman, an active volunteer with us--tutor, coach, fundraiser and donor!

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Cherie calls me an angel. She doesn't just say this directly to me--she will say it with other people around to witness it.

I don't argue the point, because there are many other things that North Koreans still in North Korea might call me.

Update: It was a fantastic day. Who would have ever guessed that the two students studying with us that day would later become TEDx speakers and that both would win a TNKR English speech contest?

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Park Jin welcoming remarks to FSI (and Casey Lartigue)

National Assembly member Park Jin makes the welcoming remarks at FSI's conference featuring North Korean diplomats. Park Jin | Greeting message to FSI and Casey Lartigue mention - YouTube

Helping North Koreans 'strike the blow' (Korea Times)

H ave you ever engaged in action not because you were sure it would change the world, but to satisfy your own heart? That, I emailed to an American friend, is why I have joined the effort to help North Koreans who are trying to escape from their homeland. I can’t change the direction of policy in North Korea or China but I can row the boat I am sitting in rather than lamenting that I can’t steer the yachts somewhere else. So I have tried to do what I can: Attending protests in front of the Chinese embassy in Seoul (and I plan to do so when I visit America in April); donating money to the Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights ( www.nkhumanrights.or.kr ); educating myself, writing articles and emailing friends; and, as a member of the board of trustees, I recently submitted a resolution to the Frederick Douglass Memorial and Historical Association (FDMHA) in Washington, D.C., to try to call attention to the plight of North Koreans. Our organization’s missi...

Still writing (Korea Times, 2023-12-19)

Still writing by Casey Lartigue Jr. The Korea Times December 19, 2023 https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/opinion/2023/12/626_365284.html

[Video] "Author Spotlight" by Harvard

On February 2nd from 2-3 a.m. (Korea time), I was the featured speaker at an "Author Spotlight" by the Harvard Division of Continuing Education (DCE) and the Harvard Extension Alumni Association (HEAA) . Watch, like, share, and comment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmRgP3q7rQg&list=PLn7xtnmarHFq6kVvq3PxOgC8nwjn8ioBO * * * I will be in the USA for two weeks in March, I will kick off the trip with a speech on the campus of the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HSGE) for its annual Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC). It will be a bit of a homecoming reunion, I was one of the speakers at the first HGSE AOCC in 2003. Stay tuned, this will be preparation for a larger event later this year. Thanks to everyone who has helped make FSI's work possible. ( Stripe ) ( PayPal ).

Forgery or conspiracy? Memorandum 46

Here's an article I co-wrote that will appear in the Sunday Outlook section of the Washington Post . We'll be updating this page over the coming days. So check back for updates. Memorandum 46 timeline , as compiled by us. Audio from our last show on XM 169 before we got fired. That audio is divided into segments, this one is one large MP3 . Who says Memorandum46 is true? Former rep. Cynthia McKinney presents Memo 46 to the United Nations and defends it in a speech . Joe Madison presents Memo 46 at the annual Congressional Black Caucus gathering. Former D.C. delegate Walter Fauntroy, on the Joe Madison show on XM 169 (audio available, upon request) and on Michael Fauntroy's site Boyd Graves (see Exhibit 10 of his lawsuit against the government) The Final Call, with Brzezinski's name misspelled . Len Horowitz Blackelectorate.com Millions for Reparations Various discussion forums or discussants, such as: Greekchat , Jahness , Who says Memorandum 46 is a forgery? Brzezi...

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