Today we’d like to introduce you to KAYAT.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
KAYAT, which stands for Korean American Youth Artists of Texas, is a youth-led nonprofit organization founded in the summer of 2021 by Korean American teenagers.
At the time, our country was experiencing a rise in anti-Asian hate incidents during the COVID-19 pandemic. We felt that one positive way to respond was to build stronger connections between Korean Americans and the community through cultural education, service, and the arts.
As second- and third-generation Korean Americans, many of us sometimes feel distant from our heritage, especially because some of us do not speak Korean fluently. Living in the Dallas–Fort Worth area, we also saw a need for an organization focused on preserving Korean traditions, increasing awareness of Korean culture, and creating opportunities for young Korean Americans to connect with their cultural identity.
KAYAT connects the community with Korean culture through many different art forms and hands-on experiences. Since 2021, we have performed and hosted Korean cultural booths at festivals throughout Carrollton, Grand Prairie, Flower Mound, Highland Park, Dallas, and other surrounding communities. We have also offered K-pop dance classes, traditional Nanta drumming classes, Korean art workshops, Korean cooking classes, and Korean folktale storytimes at local libraries.
Community service is also an important part of our mission. Our members have visited nursing homes to perform for seniors, supported programs for individuals with special needs, helped run Korean adoptee camps, and provided cultural programs and performances for Korean adoptees and their families.
Each year, our programs, partnerships, and community impact have continued to grow. We are especially proud of how far KAYAT has come as a nonprofit led and operated by youth. Our work has been recognized through grants from the City of Carrollton for our contributions to the community, as well as grants from the Korean government for our efforts to promote and preserve Korean culture.
Most recently, our members received the Outstanding Youth Leadership Award from the Korean American Association of Dallas in recognition of their volunteer service and support for the National Korean American Adaptive Sports Festival.
What began as a small group of teenagers hoping to create a positive connection during a difficult time has grown into an organization that brings generations and communities together. We are proud to preserve Korean traditions, share our culture with others, and help young Korean Americans feel more connected to their heritage.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the greatest challenges we face as a nonprofit is maintaining sustainable financial support. As a student-run organization with an entirely volunteer-based team, we rely on grants and donations to fund our programs. We are deeply grateful for the City of Carrollton, which has supported our mission through annual grants over the past two years, as well as the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has recognized and supported our efforts to promote Korean culture throughout North Texas.
Financial challenges faced by some of our partner organizations have also affected our ability to deliver programs. For many years, we partnered with Dillon International and Destination Korea Camp to provide Korean cultural performances, crafts, and storytelling for Korean American adoptees and their families in Texas and Oklahoma. Unfortunately, Dillon International closed in 2023 after 51 years of serving the Tulsa community, and Destination Korea Camp also ceased operations this summer due to funding shortages. As we look ahead, we are exploring opportunities to establish new partnerships that would allow us to continue offering cultural programming to Korean American adoptees and their families. The response to these programs has been overwhelmingly positive, and we believe they provide a meaningful way for adoptees and their children to learn about, celebrate, and remain connected to their Korean heritage.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What do we do?
We preserve Korean traditions, connect Korean American youth with their cultural heritage, and share the beauty of Korean culture through traditional & contemporary performances that inspire, educate, and bring communities together.
What are you most proud of?
The volunteer experience we’re most proud of is Korean adoptees camp. It was really special to help Korean adoptees learn more about their culture and experience traditions that they may not have had the chance to grow up with. Being able to see how curious they were, try new things, and be able connect with their roots made me realize how impactful these volunteering activities could be. It made me realize that creating a place where people can connect through their shared heritage is incredibly meaningful. Destination Korea will always hold a place in our heart and hope it did for the others as well.
We’re also proud of the culmination of our efforts in various cultural festivals, where we performed both traditional and modern dance forms throughout the DFW area. It was a great way to connect and share with the DFW community. We received so much love and support, and we can’t wait to be a part of it again this year.
What do u specialize in?
We specialize in bridging the divide between Korean American youth and their heritage by bringing our culture to life through a vibrant mix of contemporary and traditional art forms. Whether we are leading energetic K-pop sessions, hosting cultural story times, or guiding hands-on traditional crafts, our specialty lies in making Korean history and art accessible, interactive, and empowering for the community.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
KAYAT’s success would not have been possible without our dedicated youth members, teachers, parent volunteers, and community partners.
We are also grateful to the City of Carrollton, local libraries, the Korean Consulate in Dallas, the Overseas Koreans Agency, and the Korean American Association of Dallas for providing grants, resources, partnerships, and opportunities to serve. Every supporter has helped KAYAT grow into the organization it is today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kayatexas.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kayatexas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kayatexas/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@koreanamericanyouthartists2145
