Grace Kyung
One Doctor’s Journey: Starting Over and Giving Back
“I’m happy to be in America because what I need is freedom.”
GRACE’S VIDEO INTERVIEW
GRACE’S video INTERVIEW
To learn how Grace celebrates her Korean heritage within a broader multicultural space while finding purpose in making St. Louis a more inclusive city, read her special feature.
Grace as a baby with her father at their family-owned restaurant.
Grace wears a traditional hanbok to celebrate Korean culture with family and friends.
GRACE KYUNG
Raised in the Chicago suburbs, Grace Kyung’s parents owned a Chinese Korean restaurant where she often helped out, and her family was active in the local Korean church. This upbringing deeply connected her to her heritage—an identity that goes beyond simply being Asian and instead embraces Asian Americans as part of a strong, multicultural community where everyone belongs. Grace also finds a strong sense of self through her work for Mayor Tishaura O. Jones of St. Louis, which has led her to tackle inequities related to housing, public health, transportation and more.