PAST EVENTS & PROGRAMS
Woori Center recognizes the huge value of arts and culture to individuals and society. Woori Center’s Arts & Culture programs and projects that will not only expand access to artistic and cultural experiences for our community members, but also help them better understand and acknowledge the diversity of our community and put in daily practices that echo Woori Center and NAKASEC’s founding values: Live Right, Live Strong, Know Your Roots, and Live Together.
Gather Together In Their Name
Woori Center invited the community to join in a celebration of music that has sustained and uplifted us, individually and collectively, during the past three years of the pandemic. Performances by community members will be accompanied by our spirited community band STUMP and norae-bang (karaoke).
All proceeds from this event will go to Woori Center's scholarship program for Asian American undocumented students and youth in Delaware Valley and other parts of PA.
This event is part of Gather Together in their Name, an arts-driven community engagement project led by artists Jungwoong Kim and Shavon Norris with support from ARTisPHL, a public art initiative of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation.
What is Gather Together?
Gather Together In Their Name is an arts-driven community engagement project led by artists Jungwoong Kim and Shavon Norris. The pandemic disrupted the ways families and communities grieved and honored people they lost. The project aims to create community-based recognitions and tributes to those people and to reflect on things---rituals, customs, pastimes----that went missing from community life as a result of the restrictions and losses following spring 2020.
The project is funded by ARTisPHL, a recently established arts funding program administered by the Public Art Committee of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC) through financial support from the Knight Foundation. The Asian Arts Initiative has been a supportive partner and the project works with Young Playwrights and Philadelphia Asian Performing Artists (PAPA) as "hubs" of workshops and activities. Woori Center is a third "hub" for the project.
Community BBQ Party: Summer 2022
On August 21st of 2022, Woori Center hosted our first in-person summer event. In sharing food and stories and through crafts and power building exercises, we invited participants to consider the importance of building collective power. We were happy to see and spend time with all who came out and extend our deepest gratitude for all who participated, contributed and volunteered for the event!
Keep an eye out for additional virtual meditation and yoga sessions, concerts, and a Korean Percussion Band (사물놀이 samulnori) class!
Know Your Roots: Explore Korean Music Through Danso
Woori Center provides a virtual ten-week Korean music class with master Korean musician, gamin. Through the hands-on experience of playing Danso, students learn about topics such as vocal music, instrumental music, and ritual music; get an introduction to Korean folk songs, jangdan (rhythm), traditional children’s songs, and Korean music; and learn the lyrics of Arirang folk songs. Our 40-minute classes generally consist of 20-minute lectures and 20-minute practical lessons.
Gamin Kang, simply known as “gamin,” is a distinguished NYC soloist who tours the world performing both traditional Korean music and cross-disciplinary collaborations. Gamin plays piri (double reed Korean oboe), taepyeonso (double-reed horn), and saenghwang (mouth organ). She is a designated Yisuja, an official holder of Important Intangible Cultural Asset No. 46 for Court and Royal Military music.
Woori Center offers this space as an opportunity for us to take care of ourselves, as playing Danso and learning about calming music can reduce stress and strengthen your immune system. Moreover, Gamin will help you explore different types of Korean music and learn about the songs our parents and their parents have sung for centuries.
Lunar New Year Concert for Healing
Woori Center hosted its first virtual Lunar New Year Concert for Healing on Sunday, February 14, 2021.
Recognizing the negative impact of COVID-19 on maintaining our community connections and mental wellbeing, Woori Center created a space wherein community members could collectively seek healing through music. Throughout the ages, music has been a key resource for promoting healing and encouraging feelings of peace and serenity. The concert was led by Minsun Lee, a clinical psychologist, and Gamin, a distinguished NYC soloist.
Breathing Body: Activating and Releasing from the Inside Out
Movement artist Jungwoong Kim led a six-week virtual self-care program using self-care movement meditation to help release stress, calm the body, and reset our flows.
We did breathing exercises, stretching, gentle muscle toning, and voice explorations. This weekly practice helped community members develop healthy habits for their nightly routines and promote restful sleep and body-mind renewal.
Though we do not have a Breathing Body class at this time, if you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact us at info@wooricenterpa.org.
COVID-19 Response
To aid our community members during the unprecedented times brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, Woori Center provides financial assistance and accessible information.
Check out some of our highlights from 2020 below:
-
From July to December, Woori Center summarized and translated 82 different articles focused on news about COVID-19. We shared news updates about government relief programs and safety regulations, local resources, and school districts and business policies via Woori Center’s KakaoTalk and Facebook platforms.
-
In August, Woori Center hosted three webinar sessions on mental wellness during COVID-19 and handed out 1,500 copies of its mental wellness brochure.
-
Woori Center handed out 5,500 masks and 1,300 hand sanitizer bottles for community members and small businesses.
-
In July and August, Woori Center assisted application for the Philadelphia Worker Relief Fund and 28 workers received $800.
-
Woori Center provided 16 families with $500 each for Emergency Cash Assistance.
2023 Open House
On March 3rd, Woori Center invited the community members to come and visits our office. The 2023 Open House was a casual event for community members to drop in and have Korean snacks, conversation, and do activities like pin button making, a hanji care card craft, and jaegi-chagi (Korean hacky sack) with prizes!
Our office were filled with fun conversations and laughter that day. What a fun day! We want to thank everyone for coming to our open house and get to know our team. We hope you enjoyed your time at Woori Center's 2023 Open House, cause we sure did!