The Korean American Parents Association (KAPA) hosted an event for sophomore families to commemorate Korean Heritage Night, an annual celebration at Dodger Stadium dedicated to spreading Korean culture Sept. 29. K-Pop star AleXa, former Dodgers pitcher Chan Ho Park and American actor, voice actor and producer Daniel Dae Kim participated in the celebrations. Students and KAPA parents gathered to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers play the San Diego Padres while socializing and learning about Korean culture.

KAPA president Jennifer Kim (Sterling Kim ’21, Fiona Kim ’24, Sullivan Kim ’26) said given the success of this recent event, she is excited to organize more bonding experiences for students and parents.

“This is our second time celebrating Korean Heritage Night at Dodger Stadium, our first being before the pandemic, and it was a great experience,” Kim said. “We got to watch dancers perform a Korean-style fan dance, and Dodger Stadium handed out exclusive baseball caps for attendees. We look forward to hosting a wide variety of events, including one outdoors sometime in December. Of course, we will not be able to celebrate as we would have prior to the pandemic, but we remain optimistic that we can find ways to accommodate and continue our work.”

Luke Collins ’24, who attended the event with a friend’s family, said he enjoyed interacting with his friends and delving into his Korean American culture in greater depth. 

“The event was extremely well-organized given the fact that it was one of KAPA’s first in-person events since the pandemic hit,” Collins said. “It was great to be able to interact with my friends in person, without a computer screen. Since all of our seats were close together, it was easy to talk to both the students and adults in KAPA. The conversations, combined with the general atmosphere fostered by Korean Heritage Night, created a sense of belonging and respect for Korean American culture.”

 Claire Park ’24 said the event heightened her appreciation for her culture and that she looks forward to attending more events in the future. 

“I enjoyed going to Dodger Stadium and reconnecting with friends,” Park said. “I would absolutely love to attend a similar event in the future.”