Queena Kim
July 03, 2008
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This holiday is an occasion to ponder all things American - including the many facets of the American Dream. KPCC's Queena Kim spoke with Elizabeth Lee, owner of a grocery store in South Los Angeles. Lee was born in Korea. She emigrated to the United States more than 40 years ago.

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Queena Kim: You're in Korea, and you're gonna come out here to the United States. Can you tell me a little bit about your images of America? And a lot of it was through the movies.

Elizabeth Lee: Uh huh. All these old movies, they have long, fancy dress. And then they have like parties, like dance parties. And I was in college. We'd been learning all those things.

Kim: What do you mean, learning?

Lee: Learning like, waltz, and a formal dance, and then a folk dance. And we never have a chance to practice it. But I just imagine, when I go to America, I need beautiful dress like that, and then I have to look nice, and then, you know.

Kim: So you bought a bunch of formal dresses, and...

Lee: Yeah, I bought a few dresses. I couldn't afford it. But that long dress, the fancy one, I never wear it because I never have a chance to go to a dance party. (laughs) You know. My husband, he wrote to me what kind of job he has.

He says, he's custodian. I ask, what's the custodian? I look at the dictionary, and it's "building management." So I thought, yeah, he got a good job. When I came here, he was janitor! (laughs) At USC. So, you know, we didn't have a chance to go to kind of fancy place. (laughs)

Kim: So, when you came to the United States, you had $300 to your name, and a fancy dress, and a dream, I guess. And what was that dream?

Lee: Yeah. Yeah, I came here because I always wanted to be a professor. My dream was I study here, and then I go back to my own college. And I came here, and I didn't even start going to school because of, I have to, you know, make a living.

Kim: Why did you stay in the United States instead of going back?

Lee: I don't know how that happens, but as soon as I come here, I got pregnant. After my first baby got one year old, I went to Cal State University in, uh, Eastern...

Kim: East L.A.?

Lee: East L.A., uh huh. Three buses, I have to take it. One day my husband came. He said, I came to pick you up, so we went, and he take me to the Queen of Angels Hospital. Sarah, my first daughter, she was a 16-month-old at that time. She had a high temperature. I think 105, over. I was praying, Lord. I quit my school. I think about that now. (gets choked up) I quit my school, I want to take care of my daughter, Lord, please, give her life.

So, umm, after that, I had to quit it. I had to talk to my professor. She, uh, oh, Dr. Williams! I thought I forgot. Now I'm talking to you, as I talk to you, I cannot recall her name, Dr. Williams, and her husband, and two boys came my house, and then encouraged me. And then this country, anytime you want to come back to school, you can do it if you study, and then all this. So don't worry.

Kim: Did that make an impression on you? Like, when they said that?

Lee: Oh, yes. Oh yes.

Kim: Why?

Lee: Because I feel, kind of a nobody. And then this dean of the department coming and just encourage me like that, you know. Showing so much respect.

Kim: And then how did you become a small businesswoman?

Lee: Oh, well, it's because of I wanted to do that, you know. But we think of, well that kind of job is bring ourselves down to the bottom.

Kim: Now it's 40 years later, and here you are in L.A., in this market here. Do you feel like you've lived the American dream?

Lee: Yeah. I can say that, I can say that. Because I want to be always educator. I'm a good educator! I raised my four kids! (laughs) And then they're all teacher now.