2020-01-23 Special Guest at a North Korea Freedom Coalition meeting

I had a delightful time participating in the North Korea Freedom Coalition's first meeting of 2020. Even better, I was able to introduce TNKR to the attendees.

They informed me that they already talk about TNKR very often! There are many difficult issues involved with rescues, disappointment with politicians and so-called leaders, and numerous other challenges that come with operating in the North Korea human rights sphere. So our kind of activity apparently can be a bright spot when dealing with issues related to the criminals running North Korea.

Thanks to Suzanne Scholte (chairman) and Jason West (Vice Chairman) for highlighting TNKR so often.

There were many great moments from the night.

* Meeting a North Korean refugee who was the winner of an English speech contest at which I was one of the judges. He whispered to his mentor, "Hey! There's the judge of the contest I won."

* And also thanks to Rachel Park, she joined last night so she could see me, and she is also responsible for all of the photos. I am still someone more used to enemies rather than fans, but I think I am getting better at embracing them!

* Hearing from a South Korean colleague who has published a paper documenting how South Korea's president has undermined the human rights of North Korean refugees as well as North Koreans. People say that South Koreans don't care, but for some reason those South Koreans who are engaged get ignored.

* Two other North Korean refugees came over to introduce themselves to me. One said that she has heard about me so many times, she couldn't believe she was meeting me. I invited her to visit TNKR, I have the feeling she could end up applying to join TNKR.

* It was great hearing the extended presentation from the Gallos about their refugee school. TNKR is focused on adults, so I was able to hear about their experience. They came to visit us at TNKR a while ago, we think it was in 2018.

* Suzanne Scholte has been at this activism for a few decades now. She focuses on action items. She is one of the first people that I met after I started getting more deeply involved. Prof. Park Sun-young's hunger strike in Seoul was the key moment at which I committed to make a difference. A month later, I was at a conference in Seoul, Prof. Park introduced me to Suzanne, then we were protesting in front of the Chinese embassy in D.C., in April 2012.

* Jason West was the main person I coordinated with. We first met back in 2014 when Yeonmi Park spoke at Georgetown University back in 2014, almost every time I come into town he hosts a fundraiser for TNKR. Yes, I was too busy this trip to even have a fundraiser, so the folks angry at me should realize that I had to get some other things done during this trip.

* The one surprise is that I didn't realize until about 45 minutes before the meeting that I would be speaking, and that I should speak for about 10 minutes. I tried a completely different speech. This morning I was talking to a colleague, he was saying that he would have panicked if he hadn't been giving notice of at least 1 day about giving a speech. I would have been fine even without notice, I probably give speeches about TNKR in my sleep.

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It is an honor to be a special guest at a NKFC meeting. There are many people and organizations doing great work, so hopefully more of their members will know more about us now.

People still get it wrong when they say I like taking selfies. I will JOIN selfies, but you won't see me taking any on my own.

Because people often jump to conclusions, I will also make it clear that I have no problem with people taking selfies. Life is short, I am always happy when people find their own kind of joy, regardless of what social critics and alleged know-it-alls think about it.

Rachel Park joined the meeting to see me. And she brought me this toy, which I have the feeling that one of the kids visiting TNKR will claim.

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