Food For Thought: Asian American Experiences

Join us for a presentation by a diverse panel of Asian Americans as they share their sense of belonging in this community.

Jean So, Ph.D.

Jean So was born in Buffalo, New York to South Korean immigrants, moving six times before arriving to the small, rural city of Rome, Georgia. After graduating from Georgia State University in Atlanta with a B.S. in psychology, she continued her studies and completed her M.Ed. in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia. Her passion is working with college students and her career spans over 20 years, specifically in university recruitment, admissions, orientation, and retention.

Dr. So received her doctorate in Counseling and Student Personnel Services from the University of Georgia. Her dissertation titled You’re Not Korean. You’re White Just Like Us: A Phenomenological Exploration of Korean American Women’s Experiences in Historically White Greek-Letter Organizations, focused on identity and belonging. She resides in Waxhaw with her husband and two children and stays active within the community and her family’s poultry services business.

Nimish Bhatt

A grassroots organizer, community leader, and civil engineer, currently serves as Executive Director for Universal Institute for Successful Aging of Carolinas (UISAC), a non-profit organization in since 2011. Nimish, an Asian-American born in Uganda, Africa to Indian missionaries/ educator parents, immigrated to USA in 1993. His life’s work and UISAC’s mission/ vision is to improve lives through advocacy, assistance and increase of access for community’s marginalized and under-served members. Nimish’s innovative actions for work in minority and community empowerment through UISAC initiatives, as founder of Carolinas International School and as Vice- Chair of Carolinas Asian-American Chamber of Commerce to advance his core beliefs that all people regardless of creed, color, or background should have every opportunity to grow, thrive and succeed. Nimish’s humble beginnings and childhood were spent immersed in Africa’s expansive cultural values giving him first-hand insight on common struggles of refugees and deepening his love of one community. He appreciates and enjoys exchange of  music, cultural, innovative ideas and process of resettlement of humans at every level of life to be successful, COVID-19 has offered this opportunities and made us thankful to be more stronger that is how he takes this crisis and learns new approach with team work and partnering with private/public organizations.

Stephanie Wu

Originally from Taiwan, Stephanie Wu graduated with a Masters degree in Criminal Justice at University of New Haven. She lived and worked in New York City before moving to North Carolina with her husband and son in 2008. She and her husband created Oboe Galaxy Management, a consulting firm that works primarily with small businesses. She also hosts a radio show to reach small business communities around the world.

*Given the continued presence of Covid-19 in our community and our desire to protect one another, this will be a virtual event.

MeckMIN promotes interfaith collaboration to foster understanding, compassion and justice. We envision a community that lives by the highest values and core virtues of its rich faith traditions and respects the dignity of every person. We live out these values by bringing together people from different faith perspectives and promoting congregational engagement through dialogue and fellowship. 

CLICK HERE to register.  Please feel free to contact LeDayne Mcleese Polaski, Executive Director of MeckMIN, with any additional questions.