Going to Korea to support a friend

325kamra is a 501(c)3 non-profit and our mission is to reunite Korean families separated by war, adoption, death, and tragedy by DNA testing Korean adoptees, armed forces personnel who served in Korea, and anyone of Korean descent to expand the worldwide database.

On March 17th, I will run slightly over 42.2km with a long-time friend of mine, Park, Joo Young — but growing up, I knew her as Robyn Schultz. I’ll explain. Starting (I believe) in the late 80’s in St. Louis Park, MN, I became classmates and ultimately friends with Robyn. Obviously, as I child I knew adoption was a thing but I didn’t really have a concept of what that meant.

As a kid you just look at things for how they are and I just thought kids who were adopted — didn’t look like their parents. No big deal.

Side note: It was also around this time that I became exposed to the aesthetically pleasing South Korean flag (which has a very interesting history).

As the years have progressed, while living in a diverse community, I became quickly aware of the circumstances to which my friends became adopted or immigrated as refugees. Usually, as a result of war, violence, death, etc.

Unfortunately, that is a major reason why Minneapolis, MN has such a beautifully vibrant international community. But this harsh reality has given me some of my best friends, including Joo Young/Robyn. A friendship which, is leading me to visiting Seoul, Korea for the first time.

But for what purpose besides spending quality time with a friend? Well, I will join Robyn in running the Seoul Marathon as a part of raising awareness and donations for a cause she is deeply passionate about — 325kamra, whose mission is to reunite Korean families separated by war, adoption, death, and tragedy via DNA testing.

It took me a few additional years to then grasp the questions one must ask oneself as an adoptee to racially different parents. Obviously, the same unconditional love exists as with biological parents — but when I try to place myself in the same situation, I can’t help myself but to wonder — Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my culture? My language? My people? This is also true for most Americans who seek to understand their colonial heritage.

But especially true (maybe I’m wrong) under the circumstances I’ve outlined above. So much so, that Korea is well known for offering services dedicated to reuniting their displaced populous after the Korean War. But up until recently, this honorable work has been predominantly done via paperwork.

In Joo Young/Robyn’s case, this ended up adding a deeper wound (my interpretation) to the reflective questions she must have been asking herself over the past few decades (yeah, we’re old now!). Using one of these services, Joo Young/Robyn had been reunited with her birth family or so she thought. After six years of bonding with the people she thought were her direct link to Korea, she discovered via DNA that they in fact—were not a match.

I can’t imagine the difficulty she endured as a result — but in this, I 100% understand why DNA matching for reuniting families (think US/Mexico border) is absolutely necessary—and why Joo Young/Robyn is so passionate in supporting 325kamra.

For me, this is ultimately why I booked my flight. I’ve been privileged to have shared so many memories with Joo Young/Robyn and to support a technology and organization, which seeks to make the world whole again after our self-inflicted injuries, is something I can get behind and take action toward.

• If you’re Korean please submit your DNA (more info)
• If you’re a Korean adoptee, learn more about 325kamra (more info)
• If you have the means and desire to help, consider donating.

Let’s do this!!!