Elaine H. Kim facts for kids

Elaine H. Kim is an American writer and editor. She was also a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. She taught subjects like Asian American Studies and Ethnic Studies. Professor Kim stopped teaching in 2015. She loved studying Asian American culture, art, books, and the experiences of Asian people living outside their home countries. She also studied how women's rights connect with Asian American experiences.

Elaine Kim's Education

Elaine Kim went to several great universities. She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts, in English and American Literature from the University of Pennsylvania. Then, she received her Master of Arts degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. Finally, she earned her highest degree, a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), from the University of California, Berkeley. This Ph.D. was in Social Foundations of Education.

Honorary Degrees

Elaine Kim has also received special honorary degrees. These are given to people who have achieved great things.

• In 1995, she received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
• In 2004, she received another Honorary Doctorate from the University of Notre Dame.
• In 2024, she was given an Honorary Doctorate from Amherst College.
• In 2025, she received an Honorary Doctorate from Harvard University.

Elaine Kim's Career at UC Berkeley

Elaine Kim was a very important person at the University of California, Berkeley. She helped start the Asian American Studies Program in 1969. This program is part of the Ethnic Studies department. She became a full-time professor there in 1974.

Roles at the University

Besides teaching, Professor Kim had other important jobs at UC Berkeley:

• She helped the Chancellor with issues related to women at the university.
• She was an Associate Dean in the Graduate Division. This means she helped students who were working on their master's or Ph.D. degrees.
• She was also an Assistant Dean in the College of Letters and Science.

Research and Expertise

Elaine Kim was a leader in Asian American Studies. She researched many topics, including:

• Asian American books and stories.
• Asian American culture and art.
• The experiences of Asian women and their rights.

She often shared her knowledge on important issues affecting the Asian American community. These included topics like affirmative action (which helps make sure everyone has a fair chance), stopping violence against Asian people, and dealing with negative ideas about immigrants.

Professor Kim also studied the impact of the 1992 Los Angeles riots on the Korean American community. She looked at how a Korean cultural idea called han (a feeling of deep sorrow or resentment) related to these events.

Global Presentations

Elaine Kim has traveled a lot to share her research. She has given talks and presentations at many universities and conferences. These include places in the United States, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, France, Germany, Italy, and Trinidad.

Important Books and Works

Professor Kim has written and edited many important books. Here are some of them:

• Asian American Literature: An Introduction to the Writings and Their Social Context, published in 1982.
• East to America: Korean American Life Stories, which she co-edited in 1996.
• Dangerous Women: Gender and Korean Nationalism, published in 1997.
• Fresh Talk/Daring Gazes: Issues in Asian American Visual Art, published in 2003.
• Echoes Upon Echoes: New Korean American Writing, published in 2003.

Community Work

Elaine Kim has also worked hard to help her community for many years. She helped start and lead several Asian American community groups in the Bay Area.

Korean Community Center

In 1977, Kim helped start the Korean Community Center. This center is now called the Korean Community Center of the East Bay. It helps people with immigration questions and provides services for older adults.

Asian Women United of California

Kim also helped create Asian Women United of California (AWU) in 1976. Through AWU, she wrote, produced, and directed documentaries about Asian American women.

• One film was Labor Women in 2002.
• Another was Slaying the Dragon: Reloaded in 2011.
• She also co-produced the 1993 documentary, Sa-I-Gu: From Korean Women's Perspectives. This film shared the experiences of Korean American women during the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Asian Immigrant Women Advocates

In 1985, Kim helped get the first money for the Asian Immigrant Women Advocates (AIWA). This group is based in Oakland and helps immigrant women who work in clothing factories and hotels.

Awards and Honors

Elaine Kim has received many awards for her important work:

• In 2012, she received the Asian Pacific American Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award from the City and County of San Francisco.
• In 2011, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Asian American Studies.
• In 2005, she won the Association for Asian American Studies Book Award in Cultural Studies.
• In 1995, she was recognized in the Hall of Outstanding Women at California.
• She received a Fulbright Fellowship in 1987-1988, which allowed her to do research abroad.