Dear Friends, 

The Board of Directors of the MinKwon Center for Community Action announces that Grace Shim will be stepping down as our Executive Director on June 30, 2016.  She will be moving to California with her daughter and husband in order to spend more time with her extended family, including her aging parents. 

 

Grace has been a vital part of our MinKwon family since 2005.  She first joined us as a legal intern, and has since served as a Staff Attorney, Deputy Director, and from 2013, our Executive Director.  

 

During her tenure, Grace helped to launch and then lead APA VOICE, a coalition of 18 organizations dedicated to increasing civic engagement in New York City’s Asian Pacific American communities.  Under her leadership, MinKwon has sought justice for our most vulnerable, to include a federal lawsuit against the City of New York on behalf of elderly tenants facing eviction, an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, and the expansion of MinKwon’s immigration legal services. Additionally, our organization played a key role in both the creation and implementation of IDNYC, the largest municipal ID program in the country. Finally, Grace initiated MinKwon’s recent strategic planning process, which has helped to strengthen our scope, our priorities, and our commitment to social justice through grassroots organizing.

 

We will miss Grace’s warmth, sense of humor, and the amazing sense of groundedness she brought to MinKwon. Through her selfless leadership and tireless advocacy, MinKwon is a stronger and more effective organization, and for that, we are truly grateful.

 

The Board of Directors of the MinKwon Center has appointed a Transition Committee to lead the search for a new Executive Director.

 

We look forward to working in close consultation with Grace, our fellow board members, staff, and allies to ensure a smooth transition.

 

Sincerely,

The MinKwon Board of Directors