With heavy hearts, we at the Diverse Elders Coalition (DEC) remember and honor the late David L. Kim, President and CEO of one of our six Member organizations, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging.
David fought for language access and equitable, culturally appropriate services for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander older adults across the country. As a principal of the Diverse Elders Coalition, he championed the needs of intersectional older adults who identify as people of color, and/or American Indian and Alaska Native, and/or LGBTQ+. David will be remembered and missed by his colleagues at the DEC and our Member organizations: National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Inc. (NCBA), National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA), National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA), SAGE, and Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC).
Some reflections on David and his leadership from our Coalition member leaders:
“David and I worked together professionally for over 20 years. His attention to the humanity of others will be his legacy. Though I cherish our work together on mutual interests, what I will miss most is our friendship,” —Karyne Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of NCBA
“David was a kind and thoughtful leader, with a deep commitment to equality and social justice. We will miss him tremendously.” —Dr. Yanira Cruz, President and Chief Executive Officer of NHCOA
“David was a practical dreamer. He would envision a path and work on making it happen. NICOA worked with him on this dream. His dream will live on.” — Larry Curley, Executive Director of NICOA
“David was a staunch advocate for AANHPI elders, and led with vision, joy, and hope. We send our deepest condolences to his family for healing and peace.” —Quyen Dinh, Executive Director of SEARAC
“David was an extraordinary leader for NAPCA, a dedicated advocate for AANHPI elders, and a trusted colleague. He was somebody who understood the power and promise of collective action across allied communities, as evidenced through his deep commitment to the Diverse Elders Coalition. We will miss him dearly.” —Michael Adams, Chief Executive Officer of SAGE.
“David was a thoughtful leader who kept the AANHPI community close to his heart in all of his work. His warmth, kindness, and determination will be greatly missed by our coalition and by our communities.” —Lauren Pongan, National Director of DEC
The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers, a contribution be made to the David L. Kim Go Fund Me.
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Seattle | Los Angeles | Chicago | Washington, June 15, 2023 — Gie Kim, Chairperson of NAPCA, issued the following statement:
“With our deepest sorrow, we regret to inform the NAPCA family that David L. Kim, our President and CEO passed peacefully late Wednesday night at home. We are grateful his family was present to offer comfort and say their last goodbyes. We offer our sincerest condolences to his wife Kyungi, his son Turner and his family.
David provided leadership to NAPCA for two decades as our earliest corporate supporter, Chairman, member of the board, and President and CEO.
He was a trailblazer in the development of multicultural marketing to the AANHPI communities. He served as a board member or advisor to dozens of non-profits dedicated to the empowerment and inclusion of our communities. We are truly grateful that he chose NAPCA to conclude his remarkable career as CEO.
Our community has lost a leader, who was truly dedicated to providing equal access to all services and benefits regardless of where you were born or what language you spoke.”
The family has requested that, in lieu of flowers that, a contribution be made to the David L. Kim Go Fund Me.
NAPCA Helpline
The NAPCA Helpline is currently available with live support for residents in Los Angeles and Seattle in five different languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese, and Korean. All Helpline counselors are available every Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm PST. The Helpline provides resources and information on the COVID-19, voicemail option to collect stories from older adults and their caregivers, and guided meditations in 8 languages.
English: 1-800-336-2722 | 廣東話: 1-800-582-4218 | 普通话: 1-800-683-7427 | 한국어: 1-800-582-4259 | 日本語: 1-800-398-1117 | Tagalog: 1-800-593-8087 | Tiếng Việt: 1-800-582-4336 | Español: 1-800-948-3844
National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA)
Founded in 1979, NAPCA is a national non-profit organization that preserves and promotes the dignity, well-being and quality of life of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and diverse older adults. In its 40 years, NAPCA has served over 100,000 diverse older adults through the organization’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), Senior Environmental Employment Program (SEE), and its Resource Center. For more information, please visit: www.napca.org.
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