Recipient of the 2020 CKA Lifetime Achievement Award

Honoring a Celebrated Leader Who Exemplifies Courage, Innovation, and Service Through Their Distinguished Career and Life Work
Miky Lee

Miky Lee

Vice Chairwoman
CJ Group

Miky Lee is vice chairwoman of South Korea’s CJ Group and is responsible for the overall strategic direction and management of the group’s entertainment and media subsidiary, CJ ENM. CJ ENM is the country’s foremost film and television studio, cable operator and music producer. As Korea’s definitive entertainment mogul, Miky is leading the global expansion of the Korean wave.

Miky was born in Knoxville, Tennessee as a grandchild of Lee Byung-Chul (the founder of CJ and the Samsung Group). She earned her B.A degree at Seoul National University and received her M.A in Asian Studies from Harvard. In1994, Miky founded the entertainment and media division of CJ and invested in DreamWorks SKG as one of the early investors. Since then, Miky has continued to strengthen CJ’s presence by leading the global phenomenon of the Korean wave.

Miky Lee was on the Forbes Asia list of Asia’s 50 Power Businesswomen in 2012 and 2014. In 2017, Miky was named one of the founding Leadership Champions of the World Bank affiliated Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi). In 2019, Miky was executive producer of “Parasite”, the first foreign language film in history to win the Best Picture Oscar. Miky serves as a Board Member for the Berklee College of Music in Boston and as vice chair of the board of trustees of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

Recipient of the 2020 CKA Inspire Award

Honoring a Trailblazing Leader Whose Achievements Advance the Culture, Image, and Reputation of the Korean American Community

David Chang (PRESS)

David Chang

Restauranteur & Founder
Momofuku

David Chang is the chef and founder of Momofuku, including restaurants across New York City, Washington DC, Sydney, Toronto, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. He has popularized the casual chicken concept Fuku and the bakery Milk Bar established by award-winning pastry chef Christina Tosi with multiple locations. 

Since opening Noodle Bar in 2004, David has been honored with five James Beard Foundation Awards (Rising Star Chef of the Year, Best Chef New York City, Best New Restaurant – Momofuku Ko, Outstanding Chef, and Who’s Who of Food and Beverage). David has also been featured on the covers of Forbes Life and New York Magazine along with being recognized as one of Time Magazine’s “TIME 100”, Fortune’s “40 Under 40”, Fast Company’s “1,000 Most Creative People in Business”, and Esquire’s “Most Influential People of the 21st Century”. 

David’s cookbook, Momofuku, is a New York Times bestseller. David has also influenced television as the creative force behind “Ugly Delicious,” an eight-part Netflix original documentary series about foods we love and the stories that shape them. The second season of Ugly Delicious is out now.

Recipient of the 2020 CKA Embrace Unity Award

Honoring a Bridge-Building Leader Whose Work Promotes Greater Understanding and Cooperation Across Ethnic and Racial Community Boundaries

SteveMary

Steve & Mary Park

Founders
Little Lights Urban Ministry

Steve Park and Mary Park are the Executive Director and Deputy Director of Little Lights Urban Ministries. For over 20 years, they have been working together to share God’s love with underserved children and families in Washington, DC.

In 1995, Steve founded Little Lights, a non-profit ministry serving low-income children and families in Washington, DC. Starting with no funds or experience, they have expanded the organization to 14 full-time, 40 part-time staff and over 600 volunteers per year, totaling over 9,000 volunteer hours annually while maintaining a Christ-centered focus. Since joining Little Lights, Mary has dedicated her life to helping vulnerable African American children and families living in poverty. Steve also teaches a Race Literacy 101 course to help Christians understand the history of racial ideology, systemic racism, and how they connect to our faith and God’s heart for justice. 

Steve won the Gelman, Rosenberg, and Freedman EXCEL award in 2010 for Non-profit Executive Management and the John Thompson Legacy of a Dream Award from Georgetown University in 2018. He currently serves on the board of the Christian Community Development Association. He is also one of the founders of DC Unity and Justice Fellowship, an all-volunteer organization dedicated to racial unity and justice in the Body of Christ. Mary was awarded the Capitol Hill Achievement Award in 2017. 

Recipient of the 2020 CKA Empower Award

Honoring an Accomplished Leader Who Displays Great Leadership and Service

The COVID-19 Heroes

For this year’s Empower Award, CKA has chosen to celebrate the Korean American leaders who have stepped forward to support the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic as a group.

These Korean American essential workers, healthcare providers, scientists, civic leaders, philanthropists, and business owners have served faithfully and humbly with a heart of service. In the eyes of their communities, they are heroes.

This year’s Empower Award recipients were nominated by CKA members, supporters, and community members for their heroic feats and achievements. These unsung heroes are only a small subset of the countless Korean Americans who are sacrificing and giving back in their neighborhoods across this country and the world.