2018-11-03 TNKR in multiple time zones

* Yesterday I was one of the judges at an English Speech Contest for North Korean refugee youngsters hosted by the Hana Foundation. 11 TNKR volunteers helped with the preparation of the contest by coaching refugees. We were joined yesterday by other TNKR volunteers, donors and fundraisers.

* A few subway stops away, TNKR was managing another session of a Leadership Workshop for South Korean natives and North Korean refugees. With the TNKR co-directors busy, Youngmin Kwon was TNKR's representative. The participants are getting prepared for a trip to Germany, again hosted by the Hana Foundation.

* TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee has been in the USA the last few weeks, at the invitation of the US State Department. In addition to learning a lot about American history, and learning that I haven't been lying to her, she met with TNKR Super Crazy Love Us All the Time Eben Appleton, Charlie Appleton and Pam Davidson in South Carolina.

* TNKR Ambassador Eunsun Kim spoke at the TNKR office on October 6, quotes from her speech and interview were quoted at length this morning by NBC News.com
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/south-koreans-see-gamble-trusting-kim-jong-un-over-nuclear-n924816

* TNKR volunteer Eden Yeon was quoted by Radio Free Asia for an event she participated in the UK with @Connect Korea.
https://www.rfa.org/korean/weekly_program/eu_defector/eudefectors-11022018095210.html

Support TNKR:
https://www.paypal.me/loveTNKR

Fundraise for TNKR: https://give.lovetnkr.com/en/fundraisers

Three years ago when TNKR began growing beyond my desk at Freedom Factory, one of the volunteers politely suggested that I should not and that it would be possible for me to be involved in every aspect of TNKR. And then there are the usual Internet smart-alecks concerned that I'm in every photo.

I told her (as well as the smart-alecks) not to worry. TNKR was still small enough that I could be involved in every activity. If TNKR really did grow, that the day would come that I would be begging people to stop bothering me with every message. That day hasn't come, but we are getting closer!

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Hana Foundation Leadership Seminar

* A few subway stops away, TNKR was managing another session of a Leadership Workshop for South Korean natives and North Korean refugees. With the TNKR co-directors busy, Youngmin Kwon was TNKR's representative. The participants are getting prepared for a trip to Germany, again hosted by the Hana Foundation.

***

Eunkoo's Trip to the USA

* TNKR co-founder Eunkoo Lee has been in the USA the last few weeks, at the invitation of the US State Department. In addition to learning a lot about American history, and learning that I haven't been lying to her, she met with TNKR Super Crazy Love Us All the Time Eben Appleton, Charlie Appleton and Pam Davidson in South Carolina.

Tutoring

We had a skeleton staff at the office, but still had tutoring going on.

TNKR is growing, partnerships with more organizations around the world. We are getting busy enough that I can't be at every activity or in every photo. Thanks so much to TNKR donors, fundraisers and volunteers who have helped us grow.

Support TNKR:
https://www.paypal.me/loveTNKR

Fundraise for TNKR: https://give.lovetnkr.com/en/fundraisers

2019-09-06 Interesting Person of the Week

2019-09-06, I was the "Interesting Person of the Week" on TBSeFM, interviewed by former National Assembly member Jasmine Lee. We first met about six years ago when she was in the National Assembly, but we lost contact a few years ago when I changed jobs and went through a cell phone change. We were in-studio, live on the air, for the “Interesting Person of the Week” feature on Jasmine Lee’s show, 10 Everyday. Podcast: https://audioclip.naver.com/channels/106/clips/12008 The main thing I liked about it: The interview was interactive. She wasn’t just interviewing by going down a list of questions, then jabbing at me occasionally. She had her own thoughts and experiences and would mention them within the context of what I was saying. When she introduced me, I was tempted to say, “If I’m so interesting, why did you wait to interview me? I didn’t get interesting until this week???” Well, even Michael Jordan wasn't MVP every year even though he is one of the all-time greats!...

2019-02-18 TNKR media mentions coming soon

We had two media interviews at our office today. We also have some media outlets who will be covering our speech contest on Saturday, doing interviews before and after the contest. The two interviews today were with an international media outlet and a prominent Korean one. As usual, the international media outlet didn't want to commit to mentioning TNKR although 1) they had promised that when they first contacted us 2) we found an interviewee for them 3) organized it 4) hosted the interview. Update: Yes, NPR you are terrible, once again using non-profits for stories, then ignoring them when it is time for publication. NPR reporters blame their editors back at headquarters for choosing not to name organizations, I am now used to their process. So after this case, I decided when an NPR (or New York Times) reporter contacts me, I will ask the reporter if I can speak to their editor at the start. Perhaps I should also ask to speak to their mothers. www.lovetnkr.org/donate

Paperwork versus real work

Yes, we have fun at Freedom Speakers International! So much fun that some people seem to be surprised to learn that we are an official organization requiring an actual budget, are accountable to our donors and sponsors, and must keep accurate records of our activities. Freedom Speakers International (FSI) has been officially registered as a 501(c)3 tax-deductible organization with the IRS in the USA since mid-2017, and we have had similar status in South Korea since 2016 (tax deductions for individuals, not corporations). And being an official organization means we spend a lot of time on paperwork instead of real work! In the photo, you can see the mountain of paperwork that FSI co-founder Eunkoo Lee and FSI accountant Sharon Jang have kept track of and had me sign today. My role: being the rascal coming up with the projects and activities causing so much paperwork, then signing it all when they corner me. * * * Some people used to ask why we needed money because we had vol...

2015-11-12 Case Study of TNKR by Columbia Teachers College

--New York, New York-- If TNKR can make it here, it can make it anywhere... * Wanna know how good TNKR is? Even great people at Columbia University believe it is great. Teach North Korean Refugees is now being analyzed by graduate students at The Teachers College, Columbia University as part of a case study. TNKR wasn't even an official organization until May 2015, but we have already had many great things happen. With both the professor and students in the class analyzing us--yes, asking some pointed questions, too--then TNKR should be even stronger in 2016 in helping refugees find their way and tell their stories. * Have you ever told someone that you were honored by something they were doing, and they try to convince you that they are even more honored to collaborate with you! That's what happened tonight with the professor at Columbia University who opened her classroom to me. She and the students were asking me plenty of pointed questions about TNKR. Based on their respo...

Mock Epic

These folks are so impressed with themselves. I hope the rhymes are kept to minimum. Deval Patrick deserves credit for saving the introduction though.

The Casey Lartigue Show!

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