Grad student hopes to bring cultural exchange to West Phila.

It was in a conversation with a friend that 2007 alumnus Cho Kim, now a graduate student in the School of Social Policy and Practice, heard about the Davis Projects for Peace Foundation.

Kim took one day to formulate his idea to win the $10,000 grant and one more day to write the proposal for the foundation, which grants students funding for projects to be implemented this summer. He received the award on March 16.

Kim's idea was to promote interculturalism - what he defines as "the belief that exposure to cultural differences will lead to ... understanding dissimilar cultures through an exchange of questions and answers" - in Philadelphia schools.

Kim explained that in South Philadelphia, where he hopes to start his pilot program this summer, and across the city, the need to understand other cultures is paramount.

"Philadelphia has a large immigrant population," he said. "Ten percent of the city's residents are first generation."

"Students from other ethnic groups don't interact with other people except for going inside a restaurant, saying their hellos," he added, explaining that this interaction "helps students build a diverse social network."

Kim's program is composed of two parts: a summer program called Summer Student Cultural-Ambassador program and a class next spring on culture, leadership and communication in Philadelphia schools.

The Summer Student Cultural-Ambassador program is a seven-day program that would take rising high-school seniors into different communities, allowing them to speak to different leaders. They would gain an understanding of current challenges and successes in Philadelphia, as well as how to communicate with people from different cultures.

"At the end of the program," Kim said, "[students] are expected to return to their respective schools and act as school cultural ambassadors." The students can also use the program to fulfill their senior project, a requirement to graduate from the Philadelphia schools.

The cultural, leadership and communications class, which will be offered to seniors, will look at multiculturalism in what Kim called "a local context."

Kim said he understands the need to usher in and understand new immigrants and different cultures. As a first generation immigrant who arrived from South Korea in 1988, Kim said he could have used a program like the one he is working on.

"It took me several years to learn English, and I had many personal experiences with racism," he said. "When you realize where people are from and haven't had exposure to people unlike themselves, you realize there's a lack of knowledge about other people."

Kim said he hopes to create a sustainable program in Philadelphia schools by applying to other grants and is working toward creating an Academically Based Community Service course for undergraduates.

"If students are more aware of these differences, they're less likely to be as racist towards them," he said.

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