WHEREAS, On January 13, 1903, the history of Korean immigration to America began as 102 courageous Korean men, women, and children ventured across the vast Pacific Ocean aboard the S.S. Gaelic to land in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, The hopes of these Koreans for the promised land of opportunity was quickly frustrated by social, economic, and language barriers of unforeseen magnitude; and

WHEREAS, They did not falter in their pursuit of the American dream, but through tenacious effort and sacrifice, established a new home in a new land and educated their Korean-American children; and

WHEREAS, While the first Korean immigrants fought for the freedom and independence of their motherland, their children grew up to be patriotic American citizens, served in the Armed Forces of the United States during World War II, and made other important contributions to mainstream America; and

WHEREAS, While the first wave of immigrants gradually made inroads into California society, a timely enactment of the federal Immigration Act of 1965 opened wide doors for a second wave of Korean immigration; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in the 1970s, in search of better opportunities for their children, a multitude of dynamic Koreans joined the increasing flow of immigration to California; and

WHEREAS, With diligence, fortitude, and a strong belief in the American dream, these immigrants turned emergent areas into thriving and respectable California communities while raising children as productive Korean-Americans; and

WHEREAS, Korean-Americans have become an integral part of the State of California, and have made important contributions to mainstream American society; and

WHEREAS, In a quarter century, young Korean-Americans joined mainstream society and began to make significant contributions as Californians in the fields of finance, technology, law, medicine, education, sports, media, the arts, the military, and government, as well as in other areas; and

WHEREAS, As the Korean-American community, with a population of nearly 2,000,000, prepares for a new era and creates new history, we must instill in the upcoming generations proper appreciation for the courage and value of their forefathers, a deep sense of their roots, and pride in their own cultural heritage so that they may better contribute to the great State of California, rich with ethnic and cultural diversity; now, therefore, be it