Cindy Hwang’s Photos on the Korean Diaspora

The Korean American Chamber of Commerce of the North Pacific Coast cordially invites you to a presentation of the “The KYOPO Project” by Cindy Hwang, a Photographic and Textual Project on Identity and Immigration through the Lens of the Korean Diaspora.

The event is on Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m., at Shanghai 1930 Restaurant, 133 Steuart St., San Francisco (between Mission and Howard; phone, 415-896-5600). Cost is $30 per person (covers a very nice lunch — please send check payable to the Korean American Chamber of Commerce to the address below). Parking: Valet parking available at the restaurant ($12).

RSVP by April 24 to Margie Colin, Morrison & Foerster LLP, 425 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94105 (415-268-7660; email, mcolin@mofo.com).

Cindy Hwang (CYJO), a photographer from NYC began “The KYOPO Project” in 2004. She has photographed and interviewed over 220 kyopo (overseas Koreans) who have grown up around the world, mainly from America. Those profiled include Juju Chang, Elaine Kim, Yul Kwon, Bobby Lee, Corey Lee and the Ahn Sisters. The KYOPO Project aims to explore and encapsulate KYOPO history by creating a photographic and textual book to educate the public. What had initially started as a project on Koreans or Korean Americans became a project that encompassed the world.

Cindy was born in Seoul, S. Korea and immigrated to Chicago at 1 ½ years old. After graduating from FIT with a fashion design background and working in the fashion industry, she moved on to photography using the camera as a tool to capture important issues. In June, she will move to Beijing, China to continue her pursuit and journey of documenting the human race.

The KYOPO Project will also be introduced through a major fundraiser on May 6th at Vessel in San Francisco to help self publish the book. Keynote speeches will be made by Yul Kwon and James Sun, and performances will be given by singer songwriters Susie Suh, Maggie Kim and Bobby Choy (Big Phony). For more information, feel free to email kyopo.project@gmail.com.