Koreatown : Student Wins $1,000 for Essay on Korea
Three Korean American organizations and a church pitched in last week to give a $1,000 scholarship to an 18-year-old Los Angeles resident who wrote an essay about how her image of Koreans changed after a visit to South Korea.
Kaia Niambi Shivers, who is majoring in psychology at Florida A&M; University, received the award from the Koreatown Assn., the Korean Ministers’ Assn. of Southern California, the Council of Korean Churches of Southern California and Bethel Presbyterian Church.
Shivers, a 1993 graduate of Washington Preparatory High School, visited South Korea in October, 1992, with a group of 10 African American students. Her essay revealed a newfound sensitivity to cultural differences as well as an appreciation of common values shared by Koreans and African Americans.
The essay was selected as a grand-prize winner in a contest sponsored by The Korea Society/Los Angeles.
“Her essay was a real contribution toward racial harmony and she is the kind of student that we’d like to help,” said Gene Kim, president of the Koreatown Assn.
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