Heerak Christian Kim

Heerak Christian Kim was born in Pusan, South Korea. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990, a graduate degree from UCLA in 1991, and a graduate degree from Georgetown University in 2020.

Kim’s career experience includes working as a registered nurse, a public school teacher in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and an historian specializing in Jewish studies. He has been associated with the following organizations, among others:[1]

Virginia League for Nursing (VLN)

Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM)

Virginia Nurses Association (VNA)

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)

Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Society in Nursing

Heerak Christian Kim did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

Heerak Christian Kim did not complete [the profile publisher]'s 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Kim's campaign website stated the following:

Education

Heerak Christian Kim has been working on theoretical and evidence-based research (EBR) on saving urban public schools in the United States of America. Heerak has presented many important academic papers on improving urban education at conferences such as the National Convocation of the International Honors Society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) in Norwich, Virginia, in October, 2019. Heerak is a board member of the Standing Committee on Global Citizenship with the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE), working hard to improve multiculturalism, understanding for immigrants, and cultural diversity preservation within the United States of America. You can read Heerak's blogs on global citizenship on http://www.ncte.org

Heerak received his Teacher Education at Virginia Union University, which is a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). Heerak graduated with a 4.0 cumulative GPA in the Master of Education (M.Ed.) program at the University of West Georgia in December, 2017.

Healthcare

Heerak Christian Kim is a Registered Nurse (RN) in the District of Columbia and also holds a separate RN Multi-State license in the State of Virginia, which allows him to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in over 30 different states. Heerak also is a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) with a nationwide certification to be a horizontal leader using evidence-based research (EBR) to help improve delivery of healthcare services, coordinating across various healthcare disciplines. Heerak is also a Certified Nurse Educator (CNE). In this Era of COVID-19 Global Pandemic, Heerak uses his expertise in healthcare and nursing to provide public health information and guidance through his daily, show, "COVID-19 Update by Heerak," which began on April 2, 2020. You can see all of the episdoes on Heeark Christian Kim for Congress YouTube channel.

Heerak Christian Kim graduated from Georgetown University with a master's degree in Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) on August 24, 2020 and was inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Society in Nursing (Tau Chapter: Gerogetown University). As a Sigma nurse, Heerak has worked very hard to provide excellent nursing care at Virginia Hospital Center, George Washington University Hospital, University of Virginia Medical Center, Fauquier Hospital, Sentara Hospital, Select Speciality Hospital, Presbyterian Rust Medical Center, and other hospitals where he has worked as a Registered Nurse (RN). You may have had Heerak as your nurse and understand how wonderful of a nurse Heerak is!

Heerak is an active nurse leader in the USA and has been leading professors of nursing in Virginia's colleges and universities as the President of the Virginia League for Nursing (VLN).

American Workers

Heerak Christian Kim has was an official 2018 Delegate to the National Convention of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, on behalf of The Washington Teachers' Union (AFT Local 6). Heerak campaigned and was elected to this position by his fellow union members, who are licensed teachers in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).

Heerak has worked hard to advocate for the condition of workers in America, including teachers and nurses in the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) union in his nationwide union leaderr activities.

Heerak has also championed workers in our local communities and at the nationwide level by championing raising the minimum wage of all workers to above $15 per hour.

Heerak has worked hard to push for $2,000 Stimulus Checks for COVID-19 relief to help suffering American working families.

Community Building

Heerak Christian Kim has been active in building communities in and around Virginia 8th Congressional District in his various leadership roles. Heerak has served as the Vice President of the University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association of Washington, DC, in the 2019-2020 term. Heerak has also served UCLA Alumni Network of Washington, DC, in various Excecutive Board positions, including the Treasurer. While at Georgetown University, Heerak served as the Vice President of Georgetown University Graduate Student Government (GradGov) from May 2019 to May 2020. Heerak also served as the President of the Georgetown Collaborative Diplomacy Iniative (GCDI) from 2019 to 2020. Heerak has also been active as the Co-Chair of the Program Committee for Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (VCTM), encoruaging excellence in math education in Pre-K to 12th grade education as well as college/university programs.

[2]

—Heerak Christian Kim’s campaign website (2024)[3]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Heerak Christian Kim is a Republican candidate for US Congress in Virginia's 8th District, who want to improve education, healthcare, governmental services not only for Virginia's 8th District, but also for the rest of the United States of America. Heerak Christian Kim is a certified expert in many different fields that allows him to be a leader in every one of these areas. Heerak is a certified expert in Jewish Studies and has presented many cutting-edge academic research on Jewish history and literature at many international academic conferences and currently belongs to many academic professional societies relating to Jewish Studies. Heerak is also holds Professional Professional Teacher's License in the State of Virginia as well as in other states, such as Alabama and the District of Columbia, and has presented academic research on improving urban public school education at national education conferences. Heerak has taught as full-time public school teacher in Greensville County Public Schools, Petersburg City Public Schools, Arlington County Public Schools in Virginia. When Heerak was a full-time elementary school teacher at Savoy Elementary School in Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, DC, Heerak was elected by his fellow Washington (DC) Teacher's Union to represent AFT Local 6 as their Delegate to the 2018 National Convention of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Heerak is currently a Registered Nurse (RN) directly working with patients in hospitals.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Improving healthcare equity is ensuring that all Americans receive the healthcare services that they want at a reasonable cost.Education can be made better by including parents as members of the education team in collaborative effort with teachers and administrators to improve public school education.Government is meant to serve the people and meet the needs of the people, and that is the only way we can make America great again.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Heerak Christian Kim is passionate about improving public school education, providing healthcare equity to all Americans, and ensuring that government services meet the needs of the American people.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Jesus Christ is someone that I look up to because Jesus was willing to leave His known world of carpentry that he knew for 30 years of his life that His father passed on to Him in order to follow His vision for the world. Jesus left His father's home, a place of comfort and protection, and His neighborhood, filled with His friends, neighbors, and relatives, in order to pursue His vision for the world. Jesus did not have a penny to His name and risked everything that He had to make His dream His reality. Jesus often went hungry and lived like a homeless person, but Jesus did not compromise His beliefs or vision for the future. Despite all the religious leaders trying to force Him to conform to institutional rules and regulations, Jesus stood firm on His beliefs and did not allow the religious establishment to force Him to conform to their structures. Jesus did not let politicians to bully, pressure, cajole, or bribe Him to conform to the Party Platform that He did not agree with. Jesus stood firm on His belief system until the very end, even when His friends and disciples abandoned or betrayed Him. I would like to follow the example of Jesus Christ and not let any religious or political leader lead me away from my core belief system. In the end, you have to live with yourself, and you know when you have sold out. Jesus Christ never sold out to anyone until the very end.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The most important characteristic for an elected official is seeking the interests of the people that they represent. Political machine should not be maintained for the purpose of maintaining it. Following other politicians because it is a fad to do does not help the people. Towing the party line could result in the whole ship sinking like the Titanic. An elected official in a democracy must be devoted to the needs of the people.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is "The Idiot" by Fyodor Dostoevsky because it shows the complexities of love and human relationships from sociological, psychological, political, and philosophical dimensions.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I am an immigrant from South Korea, so I had to learn English as a Second Language and struggle economically as an immigrant throughout my life. I became a Salutatorian of Philadelphia Montgomery Christian Academy and received Philadelphia Mayor's Scholarship to attend the University of Pennsylvania to complete my bachelor's degree in history. Throughout my life, I had to win scholarships or borrow student loans to further my academic training and professional advancement, so I understand the struggles of immigrants in America.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Proliferation of drugs, which is tied to gangs and crime, is the greatest challenge to the United States of America as a nation. Legalization of marijuana, which is a gateway drug, is dangerous for America's future because marijuana impairs optimal functioning in the workplace, in schools, and in society settings for Americans. Marijuana as a gateway drug leads to drug addiction that often leads to the destruction of many lives and even death through drug overdose.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes, two years is the right term length for US Representatives because US Representatives come from a regional area in a state and the people can follow them more closely and choose to vote them out after two years if they are not satisfied. If the residents of the congressional district are satisfied with the US Representative's work, then they can continue to vote the US Representative into the office for next two years.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

I believe that there should be no term limits. If the people are willing to vote for a US Senator or a US Representative, then they should be able to serve until their death. If the people don't went a candidate to continue to serve them as their leader, then the people can vote them out. Term limits prevent the people from having the control in the democratic process.

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Heerak Christian Kim, and I immigrated to the United States, when my father received a call to be the Senior Pastor of the First Korean Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. My Korean name, Heerak, means "joy" and is the second fruit of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22. I attended Phil-Mont Christian Academy for my elementary, middle, and high school education and learned the value of Christian ethics for creating a decent and moral society. I believe in the American Dream and worked hard to achieve many wonderful things. I received full scholarship as the Philadelphia Mayor's Scholar at the University of Pennslyvania, and garduated cum Laude with a major in history and a minor in classical studies. At the age of 19, I was accepted to the Ph.D. program in history at UCLA and concurrently accepted to Fuller Theological Seminary for the M.Div. program. I pursued both programs concurrently in the Los Angeles area. I started Student For Christ (SFC) college Bible study group at UCLA. Currently, I am an expert in Jewish studies with a professional membership in the Association for Jewish Studies (AJS). I am also a licensed teacher in Virginia, District of Columbia, Alabama, Tennesee, and South Carolina. I have worked as Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) in Delaware and Virginia. I am currently working on my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) at Georgetown University. I will use all of my skills to solve our nation's most pressing problems in healthcare, education, and ethics.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Improving America's public school education will contribute to America having better employed workforce, good citizens who contribute to society, and great parents who raise amazing children and create wonderful communities.Obamacare has given us higher insurance premimum and sky-high deductibles that American citizens cannot afford. I will replace Obamacare with a practical insurance that actually works and does not impoverish the American working class.It is a great shame that so many US veterans are becoming homeless and suffering. I will create infrastructure reforms that will help US Veterns to be happy and to receive the services that they need to thrive after active duty.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am personally passionate about public school education. I am a firm believer that we can improve public school education to serve the needs of the American people, effectively. Children are in school most of the day throughout the week. It is in this context, we can focus on helping the children receive the education that they need to be contributing members of society. Many recent mass shootings in public schools have been perpetrated by products of America's public school education, who felt themselves to be disenfranchised in their own country and struggling for employment. The way to solve gun violence in society is not to limit the sale of guns. Gun ownership is a US Constitutional right. The way to solve the problem of mass shootings in schools and other public areas is to provide the kind of education that can help America's children attending public schools every day to learn to love themselves and others. I believe that we need to bring Christian ethics that emphasize loving others and being kind back into the public school system. Currently, there are a lot of unnecessary energy spent on transgender and gay rights education in America's public schools, which are confusing the children and contributing to the grwoth of gender dysphoria and self-harm, including successful suicides. To a certain extent, current opposition to Christian values and forced brainwashing in gay rights and transgender education in public schools are contributing forces to mass gun violence.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to my father, who is a Korean Presbyterian clergy. My father, Rev. Manwoo Kim, served as the Senior Pastor of First Korean Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from the first day of his immigration to the United States until his retirement several decades later. During this time, my father served as the father of all the church members, being there to comfort the children whose father was shot to death while working as a shopt owner in the city of Philadelphia during armed robbery. He was there to help Korean families whether familial conflicts. It was because of his excellent pastoral ministry that there was no divorce in the church during several decades of his pastoral ministry. Parents who had contemplated divorce are very grateful that my father provided the kind of Christian leadership that helped their family to stay, together. His dedication to Christian families is not so common in modern day America, where many Christian pastors give up too easily, resultign in many couples in the church getting divorced and regretting later.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

St. Augustine's "The City of God"

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Fairly representing the constituents in the area who voted for you and looking out for the well-being of their families.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am a natural leader who can lead others in times of adversity. People generally follow me. I am a good shepherd who can lead The People toward finer pastures.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

To represent "The People".

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first traumatic historical event that happened during my lifetime was the Los Angeles Riots, when I was pursuing my Ph.D. in history at UCLA and M.Div. at Fuller Theological Seminary, concurrently. I had founded the Student For Christ (SFC) Bible study at UCLA, and it had grown from zero students to over 80 students, most of whom were ethnic Koreans. As their Bible study leader, I had to comfort my Korean students, some of whom witnessed their parents' store being attacked on TV. Many of them thanked God for the Second Amendment of the US Constitution that allowed their parents to own guns to defend themselves when many police officers were refusing to go into Koreatown in Los Angeles to rescue Korean shopowners because it was very dangerous at that time even for police officers. I was in my early twenties and realized the importance of Nantional Rifle Association (NRA) in helping Americans protect themselves in unpredictable traumatic historical events.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was as English Ministries (EM) Pastor at a Korean church in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles. I served in this capacity for one year while pursuing my Ph.D. studies in historyat UCLA and M.Div. at Fuller Theological Seminary, concurrently, at the age of 20.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite book is "David Copperfield" by Charles Dickens because many of the characters embody the Christian value of kindness

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Santa Claus, because he brings so much joy to so many people.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

U.S. House of Representatives can create laws that are righteous, just, fair, and moral in order to help families and individuals to thrive and to build wholesome communities based on Christian moral principles that are beneficial to the society and represent "The Common Good".

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think experience in government can be beneficial as long as the representative does not become jaded and complacent and compromising in his or her Christian value system to create a just, fair, and moral society for Americans.

What do you perceive to be the United States' greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The greatest challenge for the United States as a nation over the next decade is immorality. Roman democracy and Greek democracy in history have shown that immorality as represented by rampant and public support for homosexuality and transgenderism results in complete society breakdown and destruction of the nation. Turning the United States toward a moral direction of supporting a wholesome family is the key to the survival of the United States as a nation, given the facts from history.

If you are not a current representative, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

(1) United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

(2) The Committee on Education and Labor

(3) Committee on Veterans' Affairs

(4) Committee on Foreign Affairs

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Yes

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Term limits can be a serious problem for good US Congressmen who can make a positive difference and maintain stability. My father being able to serve as the Senior Pastor for decades allowed effective community building and continuity of good programs initiated by my father. Good congressmen can provide long-term growth by providing continuity of leadership.

If you are not currently a member of your party’s leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives, would you be interested in joining the leadership? If so, in what role?

Yes, I would like to serve as the Speaker of the House in the future.

Is there a particular representative, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Newton Leroy Gingrich

Both sitting representatives and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have spoken with parents who have children in the public schools in Virginia 8th District who are really worried about sex education at the elementary/middle school levels that justify homosexuality and transgenderism. Christian parents deeply oppose the gay life style based on their Christian faith and teachings of the Bible, and they said that they had to pull their children out of public schools and put them in costly private schools that will not engage in (what they call) indocrination in gay marriage and transgenderism. One US Marshall, livingin Arlington, who is Puerto Rican American, said that his love for his child prompted him to do this. Another Christian parent said that she wanted to pull her children out of public schools in the area for the same reasons but could not afford to do so. I realized that public schools in Virginia 8th District are engaging in activites that worry many parents in the area, even those who are not particularly religious. These parents said that they are going to vote for me and support me in bringing Christian morality and ethics to local public schools. I felt touched and moved by their support.