Fairfax County school board member Ilryong Moon spoke as a guest speaker on Thursday, October 17th, at the World Affairs Club.
Moon spoke about the tension between North and South Korea, as well as the challenges Korean immigrants face, including the language barrier.
“I was afraid of going to a barber shop,” Moon said. “I didn’t think I could express myself to the barber of what sort of hairstyle I wanted.”
Moon also discussed his experience being an Asian American among the school board. He is currently serving his 6th year on the board and was the first Asian American to serve in a Fairfax County office when he was first elected.
“A lot of times students come in…and I see a surprised look on their faces when they see an Asian sitting among the 12 of us [school board members],” Moon said during the event. “I’m making a difference in this student’s perspective.”