Park Eun-mi, second from left, celebrates her birthday with Freedom Audio system Worldwide (FSI) staffers in 2018. Courtesy of FSI
Earlier than she grew to become a public speaker, creator, influencer, political commentator, podcast co-host with me and Ivy League graduate, I obtained an unforgettable cellphone name from North Korean refugee Park Yeon-mi in late 2013 or early 2014. It was the primary and solely time in 13 years of realizing her that I’ve heard her yell.
Her voice rang out with an emotional mixture of pleasure and disbelief: “THEY FOUND MY SISTER!” As if I had not heard her the primary time, she repeated it, simply as loudly. After greater than six years of separation and uncertainty if Eun-mi was even alive, Yeon-mi had been knowledgeable by South Korean authorities officers that her older sister had safely escaped to South Korea.
I’ve recognized Eun-mi for 11 years however knew about her earlier than assembly her. Yeon-mi had even gone on a South Korean TV present speaking about her sister asking individuals for assist to search out her. Once I met Eun-mi, it was like assembly Bigfoot or one other legendary legend. I had heard about her however had no concept I might ever meet her.
Eun-mi joined Freedom Audio system Worldwide (FSI) in Might 2014 earlier than we have been even an official group. At the moment, she had no want to observe in her youthful sister’s footsteps as a public speaker and later as an creator. As a substitute, her coronary heart was set on changing into a trainer.
On the time, Eun-mi was on the ABC stage of English so she wanted to enhance that first. It will have been simple for Eun-mi to journey on Yeon-mi’s coattails, leveraging her sister’s fame for her personal alternatives. As a substitute, she targeted on her dream of instructing, buying new abilities, and constructing a brand new life in South Korea. In early 2020, each Park sisters graduated from school, Yeon-mi within the USA and Eun-mi in South Korea.
Jan. 16 is the birthday of Eun-mi and FSI co-founder Lee Eun-koo, and I met her for dinner to have fun.
Over time, Eun-mi’s story has been intertwined with FSI’s journey. Some moments stand out vividly.
In one in every of our early tutoring periods, Eun-mi stunned me by requesting to be taught “Airport English.” Once I lastly found out what she meant, we role-played situations like misplaced baggage and navigating safety. It was a pleasant and sensible lesson that mirrored her enthusiasm and willpower to be taught. She wasn’t simply curious. She was going to go to the U.S. once more to see Yeon-mi. She had been confused about many issues about navigating her approach by the airport and understanding instructions from airplane employees. It had been solely the second flight of her life – her first was to freedom in South Korea. It was a studying lesson for me concerning the significance of tutors making examine periods related to the lives of North Korean refugees finding out with us.
Eun-mi has celebrated her birthday with us a number of occasions, together with bringing a cake to our workplace in 2018. It was a touching second as a result of she wished to share her birthday with us. Her gesture of gratitude and pleasure reminded us of the deep bonds we’ve constructed over time.
Now we have had different touching and hilarious moments over time. For instance, she complains that I’m too tall and that makes her look quick in pictures. So she started stepping on my toes whereas standing on her tippy-toes within the effort to make herself look taller.
Park Eun-mi giving a speech on the seventeenth FSI “I’m from North Korea” English Speech in Seoul in February 2023 / Courtesy of FSI
In 2021, after graduating from school and getting employed as a trainer, she got here to us and mentioned she was able to turn into a public speaker. In 2023, on her third attempt, Eun-mi gained the Grand Prize at FSI’s seventeenth North Korean Refugee English Speech Contest. This victory was not handed to her due to her connections however was earned by preparation, apply, and perseverance. She sought suggestions from me and requested me to be her mentor for the speech contest, she embraced critiques, and honed her craft to ship an award-winning speech.
Right now, Eun-mi is a university graduate and an elementary faculty trainer. Her success represents the end result of years of exhausting work and the achievement of her objective. Watching her obtain this milestone has been one of the crucial rewarding experiences for all of us at FSI. Eun-mi’s gratitude usually humbles me — she’s shared numerous occasions how a lot FSI has meant to her and her household. As we celebrated her birthday a couple of weeks in the past, she mirrored on the teachings she’s discovered from us over time. Listening to her converse so warmly about our affect jogged my memory why we do what we do.
She additionally jogged my memory of issues I had mentioned to her in mentoring periods way back, once we labored collectively on her YouTube channel not too long ago, and labored on an early draft of her memoir. Some I didn’t keep in mind, however they gave the impression of issues I might say. Her potential to internalize and apply these classes speaks to her dedication and self-awareness.
Eun-mi’s story is a reminder that each North Korean refugee’s journey is exclusive and never all are prepared from the begin to open up about their experiences. Of the about 30 memoirs printed by North Korean refugees in English that I’m conscious of, it took them on common about 11 years to publish books. That’s regardless of individuals round them encouraging them.
Eun-mi’s option to deal with instructing as an alternative of public advocacy underscores the variety of paths that North Korean refugees can take as soon as they’re given the liberty to decide on. After she settled down, she started contemplating different choices, and a kind of has been public talking.
Her journey from a brand new arrival in South Korea to a assured and completed trainer and public speaker exemplifies the transformative energy of training and mentorship. Tales like hers are why FSI exists—to empower people to attain their desires and contribute meaningfully to society.
We first met Eunmi in Might 2014 after listening to about her from her sister Yeon-mi. We used to satisfy fairly often earlier than Yeon-mi went viral with a speech in late 2014 and moved to the USA. We have been lastly all collectively once more in June 2024 when Yeon-mi, Eun-mi and their mom all spoke at an FSI occasion.
Park Eun-mi, seated on the left, Park Yeon-mi, seated on the appropriate, with their mother, seated on the heart, at an FSI occasion moderated by Casey Lartigue in Seoul, June 2024 / Courtesy of FSI
As we celebrated Eun-mi’s birthday final week, we additionally appeared forward to the longer term. Over dinner, slices of cake and champagne, we talked concerning the initiatives we’re engaged on and the objectives we hope to attain collectively. We parted, all feeling grateful to know each other.
Casey Lartigue Jr. (CJL@alumni.harvard.edu) is the chairman and co-founder of Freedom Audio system Worldwide with Lee Eun-koo, and co-author with Han Music-mi of her memoir „Greenlight to Freedom: A North Korean Daughter’s Seek for Her Mom and Herself.”
