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In contemporary discourse, many have likely encountered the term ‘Gyeongdanyeo’, referring to women whose careers are interrupted due to marriage and childbirth. The period when these women attempt to resume their careers is often considered a hiatus.
Jasmine Jung-Ah Chae, director of Innobi’s Flower Healing Class Program, exemplifies a multi-faceted professional trajectory. Transitioning from a 20-year career in New York’s event industry to a working mother, she now finds fulfillment through her volunteer work with Innobi. The question arises: What guidance is essential for mothers yearning to engage in societal roles amid constraints? Her unique journey of simultaneously managing work, childcare, and volunteer activities merits attention.
Introduction Please.
Hello, I’m Jasmine Jung-Ah Chae, a woman who shifted from a 20-year career focus to prioritizing my 5-year-old daughter, Yang Sae-Young. Nice to meet you. (smiling shyly) Is my introduction too brief?
I owned and operated two New York-based event companies: Occasion 9 and Events by O9, for two decades. Occasion 9 specialized in event and party decorations, while Events by O9 focused on event planning and nonprofit associations. The project-based nature often required weekend work. Currently, I manage only Events by O9.
Innobi is a cultural service nonprofit organization, an acronym for “Innovative Bridge.” We conduct cultural charity performances and various programs for patients and their families in hospitals and nursing homes.
Twice a month, we conduct a Flower Healing Program at Calvary Hospital's hospice ward in the Bronx, New York, for terminal cancer patients and their families. Participants include one Innobi supporter and longtime colleagues from my event planning days. Our funding comes through hospital support from NYC. Caregivers with at least three years of experience participate, engaging in flower arrangements to promote physical and mental well-being. Their gratitude often surpasses expectations, providing profound fulfillment and motivation for our continued efforts.
Before, my business entailed intensive, long-term projects, making it hard to rest. Marriage and parenthood shifted my perspective, as my husband took on weekend childcare. I questioned the purpose and worth of my work, realizing it lacked meaning compared to time with my child. It took two years to phase out remaining projects. Presently, I manage about one event per month. The Flower Healing Program occurs while my child is in school, allowing for more family time.
Conversations with my husband about volunteering led to a revelation: "Volunteering isn’t contingent on wealth; it must start now." My understanding deepened upon learning about Innobi over ten years ago, eventually joining through company donations. Becoming acquainted with Kang Tae-Wook, Innobi’s director, my philosophy transformed upon hearing about acquaintances' battles with cancer. The impact of regular visits and simple gestures, like bringing donuts, touched me profoundly, as did the lessons of life through parenthood.
With a background in flower and color therapy, I suggested the Flower Therapy program, aligning with Innobi's goals. We carefully crafted a pilot program, and our efforts have sustained over three years at Calvary Hospital.
Flower therapy bears significant cultural implications. While Western arrangements focus on rites and celebrations, Eastern philosophies emphasize inner peace and life's sanctity—aligning with prenatal education and spiritual refinement practices. This allows me to utilize my expertise, maintain my career, and counter career interruptions. I aim to demonstrate the value of striving for a better world for my child, often involving them in volunteer activities, especially during holidays.
Korean Americans often encounter subtle discrimination. The stereotype that Korean Americans don’t donate despite financial success is widespread. By initiating personal change, fostering a giving mindset yields considerable personal gain—often surpassing expectations. We often receive more healing from volunteering. Many mothers experience career disruptions, leading to frustration. Devoting even a few hours to help others not only warms the heart but also promises a brighter future for our children.
Jasmine Jung-Ah Chae
ENOB Flower Healing Program Director
Founder & President, Events by O9, New York NY
NYU, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, New York NY
Certificate in Meeting, Conference, Event Management
Parsons School of Design, New York NY
Certificate of Floral Design
