Happy birthday Casey Lartigue!

Every day is my birthday. All of September is my birthday month.

I would like to thank the rest of the world for joining in my daily celebration of life. This year I am setting up a fundraiser for the most incredible organization, Teach North Korean Refugees. Yes, I'm biased as the co-Founder, but even people who are not TNKR's creators recognize how wonderful this little organization is.

With very few resources, and relying on volunteers, we have set up an organization that is truly focused on North Korean refugees.

When people ask why we set up TNKR, the story is a bit complicated, there were numerous "aha!" moments along the way. The first was probably when I read Frederick Douglass' books as a youngster. I was inspired by his words and his actions, and live my life by both deed and word. There were other moments along the way--when I was a graduate student at Harvard, and realized that my super smart and caring classmates had wonderful plans for other people. But their plans almost never took into account the plans and goals of the beneficiaries of their wonderful plans wanted the medicine they were to be fed.

Working as a policy analyst in Washington, DC, I got to visit many schools, and realized that a policy I had never cared much for (school vouchers) could provide choices. I threw all of my heart into it, and the result was that more than 1,800 low-income children had the opportunity to attend the school of their choice. I was so energetic that I received some national attention and also had conspiracy theorists targeting me.

When I came to South Korea, I wasn't thinking anything about North Korean refugees. After spending more than a year learning about issues, I threw myself into creating opportunities for them to learn English. There are many challenges that refugees face in South Korea, and I found one where I could make a difference. But after a short time, I realized that it would not succeed if it resembled other programs, that we need to make sure refugees truly wanted it. And we know it based on the enthusiasm refugees show when they find us and the long waiting list that we have. We have created something out of nothing.

My birthday is coming soon. I'm no longer 12 years old, I don't celebrate my birthday much these years, except that I'm happy that it gives me a chance to get to another September 6.

Here's my fundraiser for TNKR. All donations are accepted, only I will know exactly how much you donated so don't feel ashamed if it is a small amount, something is better than nothing.

Hello Everyone! I am Eunkoo Lee, co-founder, and co-president of Freedom Speakers International (FSI).

Before FSI, I was living a routine life. I loved watching baseball, seeing movies, and going shopping (especially when I felt stressed from my job). People don't believe it, but I'm really shy and prefer working behind the scenes.

Then much to my surprise, I became the co-founder of FSI (founded in 2013 as TNKR).

I am really thankful to Casey Lartigue for helping me develop leadership skills. When we first began to develop this volunteer project into a real organization, I offered to be the assistant director, and he would be the director. I was so used to being behind the scenes. But he refused, and he even fired me until I was ready to be a leader, to be co-director of TNKR. And it worked!

For the first time, I have had to be a leader, not just a team member.

I have met so many nice people. We have worked directly with almost 500 North Korean refugees, educating and empowering them over the years with English language skills, public speaking opportunities and career development. Our main focus now is to partner with North Korean refugees who want to engage in public speaking or to publish books.

I have grown during the past 8 years working at FSI in various leadership roles, such as managing FSI staff, writing grants and now writing a book with a North Korean refugee. I have learned that It is not easy to establish, develop and financially sustain an organization.     

I can say that FSI has changed my life! Definitely, I have become a more active person. Instead of doing just enough to keep my job, I am now co-founder and co-director of a program that does something practical to help others!

Setting up a fundraiser like this was another challenge for me. FSI's important mission gave me the fortitude to stand up to ask people to join my fundraiser. Because of FSI, I have the confidence to give this a try!

I hope that FSI will one day become a financially solid organization that can empower North Korean refugees in even more ways. North Korean refugees often tell me that FSI changed their lives. It has changed me.

I still enjoy watching baseball, seeing movies, going shopping. In addition, I am now a Ph.D. student. But now I am more of a leader who has seen how people can live better lives after they study in FSI.

Together, we can keep making a difference in the lives of others, and ourselves.

Please join my fundraiser, it will be one way to celebrate my birthday!

Thank you!!!