Meet Youth Ambassador and Reporter, Bella Kim!

We are happy to introduce you to Bella Kim, a longtime Planet Women supporter and our first Youth Ambassador and Reporter! Below, Bella introduces herself and you will get to know her better in coming months. She will be sharing additional Q&A’s, articles she writes for her high school’s newspaper, and poetry!

Her first Q&A is below and you can read her article HERE about a Los Alamitos High School student whose podcast "The Sy-STEM" highlights underrepresented peoples’ STEM stories.  

Bella outside. © Bella Kim.

My name is Bella Kim. I’m a 15-year-old sophomore at Los Alamitos High School and live in Long Beach, California. I have danced ballet for ten years and recently started pursuing journalism, writing and editing for Los Al’s online newspaper, the Griffin Gazette. Currently, I dance at Premier Dance Arts of Los Alamitos. I try my best to read poetry every day and journal every night. In addition to my passion for writing and dance, I am a self-declared bookworm who collects bookstore tote bags. Mystery and fantasy fiction are my chosen genres. I also love spending time with my family and friends by eating good food, riding roller coasters, and going to the beach.  

My mission as Planet Women’s first Youth Ambassador and Reporter is to get my voice into the world and share my views on the environment, women’s empowerment, and diversity. I will provide a high school student’s perspective on world issues that my generation will have to handle in the future. I hope my writing will spread awareness of these issues, inspire other teens to care, and offer solutions and suggestions as to how they can get involved. I’m grateful to be part of an organization that’s contributing to educating people on these topics and supporting our planet and women around the world. 

1. What is your Korean name, does it have a special meaning?

   My Korean name is 김미정 (Kim Mijeong). 김 (Kim) is my last name, 미 (Mi) is the first part of my grandmother’s Korean name, and 정 (Jeong) is the first part of my mom’s Korean name. 
   

2. What do you dream about?

   I dream of dancing the lead role in a ballet, writing for a famous newspaper, and someday, checking off every book on my never-ending reading list. 

   And meeting Scarlett Johansson. 
   

3. What gets you up in the morning?

   Multiple alarms, my dad throwing open my bedroom curtains, my mom turning on the light, or my younger sister jumping into my bed. However, I typically prefer to stay in my warm, cozy bed and sleep in late. The early bird gets the worm, but the late bird likes her ten hours of sleep when she can get it. 
   

4. What are you most passionate about?

   I have the most passion for dancing. I never feel better or more passionate when I’m onstage or in the studio. Dancing out on the floor, waiting in the wings, and standing in front of an audience gives me the most fluttery, joyful feeling that’s hard to describe.
   

5. Which world leaders and thinkers do you look up to and admire? Can be anyone – actresses, writers, politicians, activists, etc.

   Misty Copeland.
   

6. Where would you like to travel in the next ten years?

   Costa Rica, Greece, Ireland, and South Korea.
   

7. What’s on your bucket list?

   Riding the craziest roller coasters at the roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point Ohio. Snorkeling in a clear blue ocean. Pulling an all-nighter to finish a book. Going to the LA Festival of Books and a book signing. Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany because it was in “The Land of Stories: A Grimm Warning,” the third book in one of my favorite fantasy series. The Starfield Library in Seoul. Trying a cloudberry. Making tiramisu. Taking an ice skating class. 
   

8. What’s your favorite movie?

   “Little Women” (2019). Women empowerment, sister bonding, and inspiring quotes. Plus, it’s Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, and Timothee Chalamet all in the same movie. What could be better? “Little Women” is also one of the few instances where I liked the movie better than the book.
   

9. What is the most important thing you dedicate your time to?

   I don’t think there’s one most important thing in my life. Anything that brings me joy is important. That would include reading, dancing, and having fun with friends and family. 
   

10. What books are on your night stand?

    Becoming by Michelle Obama; King of Scars by Leigh Bardugo; and Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong.

---

Thank you, Bella! Stay tuned for more from this talented teen changemaker!