Meet Kyung Lee

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kyung Lee. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Kyung, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

I grew up in a small town in Florida and to say the least, diversity was not at the forefront. I have always felt out of place, disconnected, and dare I say in a constant fight or flight seeking belongness. Maybe it was the need of proving myself because being different meant to be spectacular. Maybe it was the drive of wanting to represent more people who looked like me by pushing myself to rise up. Every exchange of interaction, conversation, and discourse developed my sense of wondering and self-reflection of who I was, what I wanted to be, and where I wanted to go. I think the best strategy to build yourself even when you feel alone is to practice self-reflection and to remember that you, as an individual, are not labeled just by your ethnicity but the assets and personalities you bring to the world.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I am first and foremost an educator and advocate for children. I earned my Bachelors at Florida State University and my Masters degree at the University of South Florida. I started my teaching career in Florida in a K-8 Charter school and from there my journey has allowed me to take on various roles and responsibilities within the education sector such as, equipping pre-service teachers at the university level with the tools and knowledge of teaching and learning in the classroom, fostering positive relationship and mentorships with stakeholders, developing and assessing curriculum that best fit the needs of a school through research and pedagogical design. With some personal life happenings, I moved to Georgia to further my practice and even experienced being a dual language immersion teacher in Korean. I currently serve as a Multilingual Learner Specialist in one of the largest public education systems in Georgia.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Everyone’s journey is different and I am a firm believer on how you navigate your experiences shape your beliefs and ideologies in life. In order to have strong skillsets to navigate your experiences you must first learn to self-reflect. Self-reflection is a vital skill to practice intentionally in both your personal and professional life. As you reflect, don’t be scared of the questions that come up; but, be accountable to yourself by asking those questions. Those who ask the questions will seek the answers and therefore, the answer becomes their own.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed, I try to break my tasks into manageable parts. When I think of all the things I need to do, it makes me feel dizzy and lost of where to start. But, by chunking the big picture goal to something actionable I can start to take tiny steps toward the goal.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @k.lee24
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyung-lee-72505a89