Ellen Hwang
10th grade / Sunny Hills High School
Swish. Swoosh. The sound of our giant white Korean fans with flower patterns and hot pink feathers entered my ears along with the beating of the drums in a traditional Korean song. As a dancer with almost a decade of experience, I was intrigued when my mom informed me about a Korean dance team at PAVA World, a non-profit organization dedicated to contributing to society through community, education, and environmental services. Let’s just say, it has changed my life. Ultimately, PAVA allowed me to gain a sense of identity and pride as a Korean, share this cultural tradition with other individuals in the nation, and create unforgettable bonds with the Korean community in Southern California.
Excited but clueless, I took my first step into this new journey of connecting with my heritage, something I never resonated with as a Korean-American who lived in the US my whole life. Because of my background, I never had the chance to wear a hanbok or even learn about the culture of my ancestors. Hence, I felt a deep sense of honor and achievement when the dance teacher bestowed on me my silky blue and pink hanbok and I stepped out on stage for the first time after months upon months of perfecting my moves. Put simply, I felt appreciation for my Korean heritage with this simple yet complex dance which, when performed with everyone, looked grandeur: moves that were direct and easy to follow became a challenge that the team had to overcome when coming together for parts like the wave and the flowers. Still, the outcome was rewarding and made the practices each week worth it.
Overall, my proudest and most blissful memories can be attributed to the Hollywood Parade. So far, I have participated in the Hollywood Parade, which PAVA attends annually as a marching band composed of three dance teams and a traditional band, for three years. I view those three events as priceless moments when I spread the awareness of my culture to those watching the Hollywood Parade. It’s astounding how our presence in the parade recognizes the more uninformed aspects of Korean culture — aside from the globally acknowledged K-pop, K-dramas, and Korean food. Ultimately, I’m overfilled with joy and appreciation for PAVA World, empowering the assiduous Korean immigrants and Americans to feel dignified in their ancestries.
That being said, PAVA World as a group wholeheartedly changed my perspective on the impact of helping our community. While I first gained interest through buchaechum, PAVA’s diverse range of services aimed toward enhancing our quality of living is what truly amazed me. With different weekly events that reoccur every month, the schedule is neatly organized so that we, as PAVA volunteers, can maintain a groomed appearance all year. Furthermore, each event impacts our city for the better: just to name a few, in Amigos de Los Rios, we create and sustain green spaces throughout schools and parks; in Bird Sanctuary, we rake fallen leaves off of the walking pathways to ensure a safe hiking route for visitors; and in Midnight Mission, we prepare warm, freshly-cooked meals for unsheltered individuals and Los Angeles citizens who require some assistance. All these events helped me build empathy toward the less fortunate people and appreciate the importance of the environment.
Therefore, I would like to extend my utmost gratitude to President Myung for his unwavering support and leadership in guiding the younger generations and arranging these opportunities for us PAVA members to blossom and all of our PAVA World members who work behind the scenes to turn this vision into reality.
