WONDER WOMEN 2021 California Sen
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the accolade VOLUME LXI, ISSUE II // SUNNY HILLS HIGH SCHOOL 1801 LANCER WAY, FULLERTON, CA 92833 // DEC. 14, 2020 HANNAH KIM | theaccolade WONDER WOMEN 2021 California Sen. Kamala Harris will be sworn in Jan. 20, 2021, as the first female (and half-Asian) vice president of the United States, while two Korean-American women — Young Kim and Michelle Steel — are among the increase in Republicans taking House seats; see our election recap on pages 2-3. 2 December 14, 2020 WONDER WOMEN the accolade Q & A with congresswoman-elect Young Kim, one of 3 female Asian Republicans to win a House seat AALIYAH MAGANA American Dream is alive. News Editor I want to spend my time in Congress working to ensure that Young Kim will be sworn in the American dream I was able to Congress Jan. 3 after narrowly to achieve remains alive for all defeating Democratic incumbent Americans for generations to Gil Cisneros in last month’s elec- come. tions. Q: What are your forecasts When that for what could happen in the next happens, she election for House seats in two will be making years? history as one A: There is a lot that can hap- of three Asian pen before the next election, and I Republican don’t want to speculate. women to be However, if the 117th Con- Young Kim elected to the gress can work together on find- House of Rep- ing solutions for the problems resentatives in the same election that the American people are year. facing, get results and make our Young will represent the 65th government work for the people District, which includes Fuller- again, I trust that the American ton. The Accolade’s news edi- people will recognize that. tor got a chance to ask her some Q: What are some issues cur- questions about the elections. Image printed with permission from Young Kim rently affecting Orange County, Q: Do you think your achieve- GIVING BACK: After donating masks and hand sanitizers with Karat Packaging, Young Kim Fullerton or the local area that ment foreshadows the start of a (right) meets with firefighters from the Chino Valley Fire District on Nov. 25. you’re pushing to fix during your new wave of Republican women term? and/or Asian Republican women? be elected to Congress. This was I know we will all fight for the being a woman of color winning A: COVID-19 has upended Why or why not? especially meaningful because American people and our dis- this seat in the House of Repre- everyone’s lives, including in A: This was a groundbreak- this year was the centennial of the tricts. sentatives? Fullerton and the 39th District. ing year for women, especially passage of the 19th Amendment This is just the beginning, and A: I am very proud to be So my first focus in Congress Republican women. We have to the Constitution, which estab- I hope my election will inspire among three of the first Korean will be to fight for COVID-19-re- the record number of Republican lished women’s right to vote. many more women and especial- American women to be elected lated aid for our area, work on women serving in the history of We will bring much-needed ly Asian Republican women to to the United States Congress. I getting the economy back on Congress and I am among the perspective to Congress and to step forward. think this shows that, in America, track and fighting for affordable, first Korean American women to our national conversation, and Q: What are your thoughts on anything is possible and that the quality healthcare. SH alum first Korean American to I’m glad our leaders are win seat on Fullerton City Council becoming more diverse HANNA JUNG Kamala Harris makes his- Rather than focusing on Staff Reporter tory. Harris’ individual accomplish- In the weeks following Joe ments, I’m going to try viewing As a Seoul immigrant who Biden’s victory over Donald the bigger picture: the start of a moved to the U.S. at only five Trump for The White House, long-awaited movement. years old, Fred Jung faced bully- you’ve likely seen some form of Kim and Steel have joined ing and teasing for being the only this headline. the 3.8% of Asian Americans in Korean American attending his Biden’s Congress. school until sixth grade. pick is a Data from RepresentWom- “With loneliness, you become historic one en, a non-profit organization introverted,” Jung said. “But I — Harris is trying to achieve gender parity learned to develop a thick skin Image printed with permission from Fred Jung slated to be in political offices, shows that and a tenacity that has served me TOUCHDOWN: A then-volunteer coach, Fred Jung (middle) America’s women make up 51% of the with the Sunny Hills football team in August of 2009. well in my adult life.” tylerPak first female, U.S. population, yet they hold Through the years, Jung be- Editor-in-Chief Black and only 24% of the Senate and 27% came a father, coach and busi- “I am humbled to be the first work our hardest to get where South Asian of the House of Representatives. nessman. He eventually started [male] Korean American City we are now,” said cheer squad vice president. And obviously, 0% of U.S. immersing himself within Fuller- Council member in Fullerton’s captain senior Leala Jung, whose Though I may not agree with presidents. ton’s community and tossed his rich history,” Jung said. “I am ex- older brother, Alex, graduated in all of her policies, it’s great that But now we’re witnessing hat in the ring to run for office in cited to represent our values and 2018 and continues to hold the our nation finally has a female the start of a shift in the political the Fullerton City Council. our collective history and work Freeway League football rushing vice president. I’ve already landscape. The leaders whom And in the Nov. 3 gener- hard for the residents of Fuller- record. “There are nights that he heard stories about how she has we’ve elected to represent us al election, he accrued enough ton.” won’t sleep because he is work- inspired my generation, but with are actually beginning to look votes to win — the first Korean As a firm believer in support- ing around the clock to get every all the attention on her, it’s easy like us. American to be on the Fullerton ing his local schools, Jung has piece of work done, no matter to miss the bigger picture. This is just the start of some- City Council. (Julie Sa, who is enrolled three of his children at how big or small it is.” In this same election season, thing new. Who knows? Maybe Chinese but was raised in Korea, his alma mater — Sunny Hills — two Korean American women in four years, we’ll see a woman was the last Asian to be elected, with two having already graduat- For the full story, go to from our community — Young running the show in the Oval leaving office in 2000, according ed and one a senior. shhsaccolade.com/cate- Kim and Michelle Steel — have Office. I’m excited about that to the Orange County Register). “My father has inspired us to gory/feature joined the U.S. Congress. prospect. the accolade WONDER WOMEN December 14, 2020 3 My candidate lost, and I got very depressed I was depressed for a week. It wasn’t because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that I still can’t take an SAT exam (shameless plug for you to read my online column). It was because of the email that I read from my per- sonal email inbox: “Emailing you today with sad news. Unfortunate- danielKong ly, it does not look Assistant Business like David Ryu Manager won his re-election ANDREW (JUNGHYUN) LEE | theaccolade campaign [for Los Angeles City Council, District 4]. We are pretty devastated!” “It sucks to see an incredibly quali- Get rid of the Electoral College fied candidate lose. It sucks even more to have put in so many hours was you KRISHNA THAKER greater importance in the electoral process to the winner of the national popular vote. because their votes are more likely to sway Through this system, every vote casted all did to help this guy who many of Staff Reporter the outcome of the election. nationally would be counted to determine you never even met in real life.” In the 2020 presidential election, voters which of the two candidates will win the “If this was your first campaign ex- Without fail, every presidential election in states like Georgia and Arizona essen- popular vote and therefore, the presidency. perience, I hope a loss did not turn you season, the phrase “your vote counts,” gets tially determined the outcome. Their votes Some argue that this compact will dis- off to a future in campaigns or politics. thrown around by campaigners for the ex- were more impactful, giving them an un- enfranchise minority party voters who … Best, Madelynn Taras, community ecutive office, attempting to attract high fair advantage in swaying the election. know that the country is very unlikely to engagement deputy.” voter turnouts. Regions consisting of diverse ethnic elect their candidate. Yes, this was my first foray into However, this saying is inaccurate, to populations like the West Coast of Califor- However, this claim has very little mer- helping out with a political campaign. say the least.