I learned from a young age that honesty and authenticity are valuable in building relationships. My parents moved to the U.S. from Korea in the late 70s, and started a community in Virginia. They successfully led that community for over 30 years, which helped shape my love for people, relationships, and values.

My love for people and building relationships naturally led me to community building. Some of my greatest joys are seeing a group of people strive for a common goal and achieve it together, and learn about themselves along the way.

Wherever I see a possibility or an idea, I enjoy acting upon it.

At the age of 11, I moved from a small town in Trinidad & Tobago to Harlem, NY. Shortly after my arrival, I became involved with HarlemLive, a renowned youth journalism organization in 1996. Over the course of a decade, my peers and advisors at HL nurtured me into a leader and advocate for the voices within my community. With a press badge, I had the agency to ask questions and a platform to be seen and heard.

Today, I utilize my skills in design, research, and communication to build communities and lead teams in both the public and private sectors. A mentor of mine once said, "I am an artist who cares," and I take that sentiment to heart in everything I do.

An International Political Economist, Professor Okome’s expertise are wide-ranging, she has a regional specialization on the African continent. Educated at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, Long Island University, New York, and Columbia University, New York, Currently, Mrs. Okome is a Professor of Political Science at Brooklyn College, City University of New York and was previously the Women’s Studies Program Director as well as Deputy Chair for Graduate Studies in the Department of Political Science at Brooklyn College. She was the past President of the African Studies Research and Forum.

Eun-Joo is a long time community builder with her husband in Northern Virginia, for over 30 years. Their community started as a small group of people meeting regularly in their own home, to eventually growing in number and renting a space. Overtime, they bought several acres of land as a community, and continued to flourish and thrive. After many years of envisioning a newly constructed church, their vision came to life, with a beautiful church being constructed on the land, along with a youth educational building added on years after.

With Eun-Joo's experience in nurturing long-lasting relationships, resolving conflicts, modeling leadership, and showing continued compassion for others, she has developed a unique expertise in working with people. She exemplifies experiential learning and leans into challenge in the pursuit of growth.

Eun-Joo enjoys on an expert level, cooking, painting, production, gardening, and life hacks. She enjoys going on adventures with her husband while also tending to their vegetable garden, chickens and next door farm.

Richard is a graduate of New York University where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism, with a minor in Computer Science, and he also holds a Masters Degree in Education, as a Reading Specialist, from City College of New York. As a consultant with the Institute for Learning Technologies at Teachers College, Columbia University, Richard taught graduate level classes and assisted Harlem area schools with technology projects.

Prior to his position at Teacher’s College, Richard worked for New York City Public School System for 13 years—3 years at the district level managing the implementation of computer technology projects and providing professional development to teachers in the East Harlem school district, and 10 years as a teacher in East Harlem schools.
In 1996 Richard founded HarlemLIVE, Inc. as a way to enhance the education offered by New York City Public Schools by allowing students to explore journalism within the newly emerging Internet technologies.

Dr. Lee-Garland is a licensed marriage and family therapist with extensive years of clinical and supervisory experience. She came to the U.S. after graduating from college in Korea to study Music Therapy at NYU. After obtaining her Master’s degree, she pursued post-graduate training at the Blanton-Peale Institute in NY.

For 15 years, Dr. Lee-Garland worked at a community-based agency, serving underprivileged clients and families in Bridgeport, CT. As a racial minority female immigrant, her interest in understanding marginalized people’s experiences has been of critical importance. Her doctoral dissertation examined transnational activities and their impacts on the racial identity challenges and resilience of Asian Mixed-race individuals in the U.S.

Deepening her personal relationship with God through prayer and self-reflective spiritual practices are priorities in her life. She believes that strengthening families and building supportive communities at multi-levels is a social responsibility as a Christian. Additionally, she serves as a Music Director at the Korean United Methodist church.

Dr. Morris received his medical degree from the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. After completing both an internship in General Medicine and a residency in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospital of New Jersey, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, in Newark, New Jersey, Dr. Morris became a Fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Pediatricians.

Dr. Morris has served as a staff physician at Children's Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey. He is the senior physician at New Jersey Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Morris is unique in today’s world of medicine. Most specialists look at one area of the body, whereas Dr. Morris takes the time to consider the entire landscape of symptoms and conditions. He uses a patient’s history, comprehensive intake interview, and a comprehensive complete physical exam to determine what treatment is needed. Rather than just treat symptoms, he works to understand the origin of the problem, and uses that as a pathway toward resolution. Dr. Morris devotes 100% of his practice to his specialty in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) and Cranial Osteopathy. He uses manual manipulations to diagnose and treat patients noninvasively. He is currently the only traditional osteopath in New Jersey with Board Certification in Pediatrics. OMM is beneficial for people of all ages from newborns to mature adults.

Dr. Morris has two sons, Ethan and Julian.