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Honoring Hwa Jeong Kim for her years of service to the City of Saint Paul and the Ward 5 Council Office and proclaiming Wednesday, June 23 as Hwa Jeong Kim day in the City.
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WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong Kim is from Geumcheon-ri, Gyeongbuk, South Korea and was born in Daegu to TaeKwon Kim and SangOk Lee, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong was raised in Independence Minnesota, attended Hamline University in Saint Paul, and graduated in 2008 with a BA in English, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong moved to Ward 5 in the North End in 2011 with Steven Carlson and Kepler & Zora, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong began her career working to advance affordable housing options at both Habitat for Humanity and at the Minnesota Homeownership Center, and was part of the 2016-2017 cohort of the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute at Nexus Community Partners, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong was elected to serve on the North End Neighborhood Organization (NENO) in 2016 and worked creatively and authentically on community engagement and, among other things, planned the Youth Summit at McDonough which was the kick-off for NENO’s first Youth Advisory Committee, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong was appointed to the Saint Paul Planning Commission in October of 2017 and also served on its Zoning Committee, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong brought her vast experience and joyful energy to Saint Paul’s Ward 5 Council office as legislative aide to Council President Amy Brendmoen in July 2018, and,
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong has been a leader in engaging North End neighbors and stakeholders in advancing the future North End Community Center from the early stage of site design, and then partnering with the Saint Paul Youth Commission to lobby for funds at the Minnesota Legislature, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong co-chaired the North End Community Development Team which serves as the de facto Community Development Center for the North End and which has delivered over $1,000,000 in economic development funds to local businesses, with an emphasis on BIPOC-owned and women-owned shops, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong is a steadfast champion for women and girls of color and has sought out any and all opportunities to support programs, events and activities that support these future leaders, including with Saint Paul Parks and Rec, the Karen Football Association, and InProgress, and
WHEREAS, Hwa Jeong played a central role in key Citywide equity initiatives, including leading district council system reform, helping create and administer the City Council’s first-ever Community-First Public Safety Fund, promoting greater equity and inclusion for Asian American community members, and more, and
WHEREAS, through her tireless efforts and can-do attitude, Hwa Jeong has become a valued and respected public servant by countless staff, community partners, and elected leaders throughout her career at the City of Saint Paul, and
WHEREAS, now, also as a result of her hard work and demonstrated talent, Hwa Jeong has been hired as the next Executive Director for Minnesota Voice where she will take her skills and passion to the next level on a statewide stage, now
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, in honor of her outstanding leadership and her commitment to equity throughout her years of service to the City, the Saint Paul City Council recognizes June 23, 2021 as Hwa Jeong Kim Day in Saint Paul and wishes her the best in all of her future endeavors.