Chairperson's Message

INTERNATIONAL CHAIRPERSON'S MESSAGE

The Hwarang Youth Foundation is a volunteer service organization established with the goal to create future leaders for the betterment of society. Qualities of leadership are valued greatly, and how this foundation encourages individuals to achieve their leadership is what truly puts Hwarang above other volunteer service organizations. As our members continue to serve the community, I have observed that many individuals change and find themselves closer to becoming a true leader. Our foundation goes beyond the local communities and has passionate members in Korea, Philippines, Ukraine, Guatemala, El Salvador, Hawaii, Boston, and Northern California. Having the opportunity to connect and reach out to our members globally is a great honor, as I get to witness so many individuals passionately helping each other and to reach the ultimate goal: the betterment of our society.

Yuna Lee

SUMMIT CHAIRPERSON'S MESSAGE

Hello, my name is Eileen Lee and as the Summit Chairperson of the Hwarang Youth Foundation for the year 2022~2023, I would like to welcome you all to the Hwarang website. Having been a member of Hwarang for the past four years, I have been able to work hard alongside all my fellow members in helping the community through our various events. Hwarang has always emphasized that it is a volunteer organization dedicated to helping the youth find their leadership through various acts of volunteering. When I first joined Hwarang, I was incredibly introverted and had a lot of trouble with speaking out in front of many people. However, throughout my years in this volunteer organization, I have been able to grow my leadership skills and my confidence. I am honored to now be able to serve as this year’s Summit Chairperson in continuously giving back to our community.

Over the years, our Hwarang members have worked tirelessly in events such as: park restorations, city restoration campaigns, political internships, monthly leadership meetings, vaccine advocations, world peace advocations, and more. Now that the world is beginning to come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, our members have also participated in advocating for the spread of COVID-19 vaccines, worked in testing booths, and more. We also work to allow our members to be able to connect to their Korean heritage through Comfort Women Peace Statue restorations, movie nights where we watch documentaries on Korean History, and seminars for the Saigu Riots and Yugioh.

As the Summit Chairperson this year, I hope to relay my experience as a leader to all of my fellow members and provide them with the opportunities to learn more about the issues present in our community. I hope that, through our work, we can inspire other members within our community to join us and help turn our local and global communities into a better place.

Eileen Lee