Interviewee: Julie Min Chayet
Interviewer: Cameron Ripley
This interview is with Julie Min Chayet, who was born to parents who immigrated from Korea to Bay Shore, New York in 1969. Julie discusses how she was brought up in the United States by parents who had immigrated with her two younger brothers before she was born. She also talks about her ideas on the two Koreas as well as her more personal connection to her Korean heritage and the importance it plays not only in her life but her family and friends’ lives as well. This interview covers topics such as Korean schools and churches, Korean food, the reunification of the Korean Peninsula, the rise of hate crimes against Asians, and the importance of staying in touch with Korean identity outside of Korea.
I was put in contact with Julie through my mother, who is friends with her from college. The interview was conducted over Zoom to best accommodate Julie’s busy work schedule.
The interview was conducted by Cameron Ripley, a second-year History major at Colby College who is interested in how people’s identities can affect their personal histories.
Julie Min Chayet was born in 1969 in Bay Shore, New York to two Korean parents four years after they immigrated. She grew up in East Islip, New York, with two older brothers. During her childhood, she attended public school from elementary through high school. She also attended Korean school on Saturdays and a Korean Methodist Church on Sundays, where she also participated in the Korean Youth Orchestra. After high school, she attended Haverford College for her BA, Columbia University for her MPA, and Fordham Law School for her JD. She works as a Managing Director for Fiduciary Trust Company International in New York City. Julie has a son and daughter who are in graduate school and college, respectively, and currently lives in Connecticut with her husband and two Portuguese Water Dogs.