By Haley Kim
In Korean, the word “우리” (uri) means “we” or “our.” Korean people don’t just say “my family” but say, “우리 가족,” (Our family); not “my country,” but “우리 나라” (Our Country). This sense of shared belonging allowed KASA to reshape their identity into something far greater.
The KASA (Korean America Student Association) Club began with 15 members. But by the end of the 2024-2025 school year numbers boomed to over 80 strong! So how did they get there? KASA started off with simple slide presentations and lectures on Korea’s expansive culture. But soon members began losing interest and KASA co-presidents–Casey and Alexis Kim–quickly realized they needed a new game plan.
By utilizing the resources of social media, KASA began posting hilarious promotion skits that drew attention from not only Koreans, but other cultural groups, and soon became one of the most diverse culture clubs at school. Board members strived to create a more interactive club experience by hopping on to current trends like the “Buldak Ramen Challenge” or the infamous Squid Game activities. KASA welcomed not just Korean members but the whole Westmont school community to Korean culture by passionately performing traditional dances like spinning plates and ribbon art during rallies and multi-cultural nights.
Slowly, the club was learning what it meant to be “uri.” KASA nurtured one family. And ultimately, this is what makes the KASA club stand out from any other cultural club. It became a community where any student of any background was proudly able to call it “ours.”