My Journey from Destitute to Freedom in America!

Dear sisters and brothers,

Here is why I dedicate my life to service. I'm grateful to the American people for an opportunity that was given to me to serve and pursue my dreams.

Svetlana Kim, Speaker, Author of White Pearl and I: A Memoir of a Political Refugee, a columnist for ALIST magazine, Yahoo! Contributors Network, entrepreneur, Hypnotherapist, and Community Advocate.
Svetlana is a host of the Radio Show called "To The Stars Trough Adversity." http://www.blogtalkradio.com/svetlanakim.

Svetlana Kim is the author of White Pearl and I: A Memoir of a Political Refugee, which chronicles her journey from Russia to the United States, where she arrived with only one dollar in her pocket and not a single word of English at her disposal; today, she is a leader among her peers in the business world, and has been honored with numerous awards citing her commitment, skill, and integrity.

Svetlana Kim's remarkable story opens in Leningrad, Russia, on a frigid winter afternoon. Standing in the bread line for the third day in a row, she listens as her neighbors discuss the impending fall of the Berlin Wall. Life as a student in a crumbling country offered few possibilities for the ambitious young woman, so when a former classmate offers her a plane ticket to the US., she jumps at the opportunity.

She arrives in New York speaking no English, with only a dollar in her pocket. With the help of a Good Samaritan, she travels by bus to California, hoping to connect with an acquaintance from home. Yet when she mistakenly disembarks in San Francisco instead of Sacramento, she finds herself penniless and alone. What unfolds is a miraculous story of survival as Svetlana encounters kind strangers while she struggles to cobble together a meager existence working as a cleaning lady. Determined to succeed, she lands a job selling cosmetics. Within a few years, her hard work carries her up the corporate ladder. She earns American citizenship after living ten years as a political refugee on August 18, 2001.

Through it all, when her nerve threatens to fail her, she returns to memories of her grandmother, White Pearl, whose parents immigrated to Russia from Korea. As a girl, White Pearl was among 200,000 Soviet Koreans deported to central Asia by Joseph Stalin, who feared they would spy on behalf of the Japanese. Svetlana reflects often on her grandmother's tales of that hard time, drawing on the strength of her beloved babushka to enable her to make the very best of her own life. White Pearl and I is a modern and uplifting account of Svetlana's tireless search for the American dream.

Svetlana’s workshops and seminars to help your organization achieve the ultimate results; love and trust all of who you are, and live happy and fulfilled life. Now she has impacted the lives of thousands people from all walks of life with her memoir, public speaking, and workshops.

A signature program and personalized system developed by Svetlana. She is an inspirational force incorporating the study of Hypnosis with master hypnotherapy Randal Churchill at Hypnotherapy Training Institute, one of the leading licensed hypnotherapy schools in the world, meditation, compassion, and her own life experience. Svetlana has been studying “Vibrational Meditation” under the guidance of Spiritual Guru Manjulanand (Dr. Manjul Kant Dwivedi).

Svetlana believes that productivity and happiness has a high correlation. The happier you are, the more productive you are.
Svetlana Kim was selected to be a Spokesperson for the 2011 Macy's Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
She was honored for her tremendous accomplishments and outstanding contribution to the community with the 2012 Asian American Women of High Achievements Award by the National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW).
For more than a century, Asians have overcome obstacles to make significant contributions in both the United States and Canada. Their contributions have added tremendously to the success and prosperity of North America. The National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) is a leadership development organization that provides a broad range of professional and educational services. Svetlana Kim is also a recipient of the NAAAP 100 Award and was honored in 2010 with the Orphan International Worldwide Global Citizenship Award for her contribution to saving the lives of children in Haiti.

Kim's stellar leadership, ethical business practices, and community service was recognized when the Euro-American Women's Council bestowed her with the Goddess Artemis Award. The EAWC brings together women of diverse backgrounds and accomplishments to work together toward the advancement of women's access to positions of leadership and to pave the way for the next generation of leaders.

On May 11, 2009, Svetlana was recognized with the the Daily Point of Light Award (Award Number: 3983) by Points of Light Institute created by the administration of President George H.B. Bush to honor individuals creating meaningful change in communities across America.

In 2009, the International Leadership Foundation paid tribute to Kim with its Leadership Award, selecting her from among a group of potential honorees including congress members, presidential cabinet secretaries, and other high-ranking officials.

In 2008, Kim became an Asian Academy Hall of Fame inductee. She shares this acclaimed honor with Norman Mineta, the former Secretary of Transportation, and with the nation's 24th Secretary of Labor, Elaine L. Chao.

Having left the communist world behind, Kim has fully embraced the freedoms of the American political and social system, and has actively been involved in the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; the Hillary for President presidential campaign; the Women's Campaign Forum; the Women's National Democratic Club; AARP Women's Leadership Circle; and Calvary Women's Services. She has held committee positions with the Junior League of Washington.

Kim has been featured and profiled in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, MSN Money, MSNBC, Women's Life magazine in Seoul, Korea; the Asian Fortune; Networking Times; NASDAQ's Closing Bell; and The Gazette, a publication of the Library of Congress.

Svetlana's story has been profiled in a book called "Go-Givers Sell More" (Chapter 8, People), International Bestseller by Bob Burg and John David Mann.

Svetlana's life story will be featured in the upcoming book called "A Second Start: How Women Across Cultures Make It in America and Shape America's DNA" by Dr. Fiona Citkin.

Kim shares her business acumen and managerial experience by serving on several boards of directors, including: the Asian Division Friends Society of the Library of Congress (Board member since 2007, Board Vice President, 2010-2013, Chair of Finance Committee, 2013-present); the Global Advisory Board of the Euro-American Women's Council (2007-present); the National Council of Asian American Business Associations (East Coast president, 2009 – present); the Pacific Coast Immigration Museum (Board member, 2009-present); Boardroom Bound (Board member, 2013-present), the National Association of Professional Asian American Women (Board member, 2012-present), and the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council (2013-present).

Committed to giving back to her local and worldwide community, Kim has donated over 180 hours to the Calvary Women's Services in Chinatown in Washington, D.C.

Additionally, she volunteered at the Office of Presidential Correspondence in the White House.

F. Michael Kelleher, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence wrote about Svetlana Kim: "Your time and conscientious attention to every American who contacts our President is inspiring. Thank you for your hard work and your commitment to our office, to our President, and to our Nation."

Svetlana is married and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband.

RECOGNITIONS:
Letter from President Barack Obama
Letter from the First Lady Michelle Obama
Letter from Sec. of State Hillary Clinton
Letter from F. Michael Kelleher, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Presidential Correspondence
NAPAW, 2012 Asian American Woman of High Achievements Award, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, May 30, 2012
NAAAP 100, 25th NAAAP Annual Convention and Job Fair, Boston, August 13, 2011, Boston, MA, USA
"Above and Beyond Junior League of Washington" Award, Junior League of Washington, May, 2010, Washington, DC, USA
Orphan International Worldwide 2010 Global Citizenship Award for Leadership in Helping Humanity, February 28, 2010, New York, NY, USA
ILF (International Leadership Foundation) Award, July 23, 2009, Washington, DC, USA
EAWC (Euro-American Women’s Council) “Goddess Artemis” Award, July 23, 2009, Athens, Greece
Award from the Mayor of Athens, July 22, 2009, Athens, Greece
President's Volunteer Service Award, Daily Point of Light Honoree, Number: 3983, Points of Light Institute, created by the Administration of President George H. W. Bush, May 11, 2009, USA
Asian Academy Hall of Fame, February 4, 2008, Beijing, China
UBS PaineWebber Excellence Award, 2002, New York City, NY, USA
Lancôme President’s Circle Award, April 1996, San Francisco, USA

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, AND BRIEFINGS

Threshold, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology's Literary Arts magazine, Judge, Writing Competition, 2013

The New Living Expo, workshop, San Francisco, CA, April 2013

National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW) 21st National Leadership Training and Conference hosted by the U.S. Department of Health&Human Services, Washington, D.C., May 16, 2013

National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW) 20th National Leadership and Training Workshop hosted by the U.S. Department of Health&Human Services, Washington, D.C., May, 2012

Memorial Concert in “Honor of Susie Kim,” Remarks, The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C., October 2012

National Association of Professional Asian American Women (NAPAW)
20th National Training and Small Business Conference, Keynote Speaker, May 2012

Motivational Boom Conference, Speaker, Baltimore, October 2011

National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Keynote Speaker, Boston, August 2011

MACY’S Celebrates APA Heritage Month, Spokesperson, May 2011

National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP), Workshop, San Francisco, August 2010

Korean American Students Conference (KASCON XXV), Lecturer, Yale University, March 2010

Diplomats, Leaders, and Next Generation Sharing and Strengthening An International Network of Women at the State Department, Special Guest Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, invited, Washington, D.C., February, 2010

Orphans International presentation of Global Award at Webster Hall's Hall, Award Honoree, February 9, 2010, NYC, NY

Women's for Carolyn, Chairs Hon. Geraldine Ferraro and Gloria Steinem, Supporter, New York, NY., February 1, 2010

Long Island City Post Office dedication ceremony "Geraldine A. Ferraro Post Office" ceremony, Guest, August 26, 2010

The White House Reception in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, guest, May 24, 2010

TheWhite House Small Business event, representing NCAABA, May 25, 2010

Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee 80th Birthday Celebration, Event Committee, Cannon Caucus Room, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C., September 30, 2010

Women’s Leadership Empowerment Conference, Speaker, Greensboro, October 2009

The Library of Congress, Asian Pacific American History Month, Keynote Speaker, May 2009

The White House Briefing in celebration of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, Guest, May 28, 2009

Euro-American Women's Council Artemis Awards and Gala under the Auspices of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture of the Hellenic Republic, Award Honoree and Remarks, Zappeion Megaron, Athens, Greece, June 15, 2009

White Pearl and I: A Memoir of a Political Refugee, Book Display on Soviet Korean Literature at the Asian Division. Reading Room (Jefferson Building, LJ -150), 2010

Koryo-saram: The Unreliable People movie screening, directed by David Chung, at the Library of Congress, Welcome Remarks, October 9, 2009

The Winter Summit with Senator Hillary Clinton, Supporter, December 13, 2007

United Nations Correspondence Association, Guest of Honor H.E.Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Guest, December 7, 2007, New York, NY

Gala Dinner Honoring H.E. Michelle Bachelet, President of the Republic of Chile, Guest, June 8, 2006, New York, NY

Diversity Best Practices and Business Women's Network, an iVillage Company, Remarks, July 12, 2006, Washington, D.C.

Diversity and Women's Leadership Summit, Panelist, November 16-17, 2005, Washington, D.C.