Founded with the intent of eliminating stereotypes that surround Asian American political participation, Korean American Young Leaders (KAYL) strives to socially empower Asian American youth and foster compassion within the community. 

Members from Portola High include juniors Stella Park, Donna Kim, Grace Hong, Eunjae Pyun, Jiyou Lee, Skye Lee and freshman Emily Park. 

KAYL has been recognized by the Los Angeles Times for its initiative in creating a petition for Asian American studies to be added to the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) curriculum. Their recent project, the “KAYL Diaries”, counters xenophobia and racism through journaling and has been acknowledged by the notable Korea Daily. 

KAYL originally began as a volunteer organization in 2017 but has vastly expanded into a resource for many young Asian Americans looking to engage in the community through empowering the Korean diaspora with an emphasis on social justice. 

“The existence of KAYL is important as it inspires a new generation of Asian Americans to think about their identity and role more complexly,” core council director and Westminster High senior Alex Lam said. “Asian Americans are constantly viewed as apolitical, docile and perpetually foreign. In reality, it is quite the opposite.” 

The Korean American Center, a non-profit organization serving the Korean American Center, supports the youth-led, non-governmental organization. Through this partnership, KAYL offers a wide variety of opportunities for young Korean Americans to cultivate leadership skills while also delving deeper into their Asian American roots. 

KAYL members take part in community outreach projects, including volunteering at the Korean Community Services (KCS) food bank and participating in the Korean American Grassroots Conference Regional Seminar.

“KAYL Diaries” was created to spread awareness of personal obstacles in light of the resurgence of racism targeted toward the Asian American population. Their project invites KAYL members to compose daily reflections, similar to those of a personal diary. These entries are then posted onto their social media page to encourage an environment that embraces vulnerability among young Asian Americans. 

“It was this confrontation that prompted me to find a way for Asian American students like me to voice their concerns and thoughts about COVID-19,” co-director of the media team and Orange County School of Arts sophomore Katelyn Jo said. “I wanted to put the focus on their feelings in correspondence to such a dynamic shift in thinking.” 

Social media projects like KAYL Diaries distinguish KAYL from other cultural clubs on school campuses as the organization focuses on giving young students a creative outlet to write their narratives while also collaborating with other passionate advocates for Asian American representation. 

“KAYL also provides a community, but takes a further step by providing unique opportunities for youth by empowering students through leadership development, civic engagement, community service events and career exploration,” co-director of the media team and junior Stella Park said. “Simply more than just educating students about culture, KAYL asks ‘Why does this matter to you?’ connecting culture to the society it is a part of.”