Frequently Asked Questions

How do you define "Korean female diaspora" or "Korean womxn living in the diaspora"?
​We use “womxn” to encompass all cis and trans women and any other person who identifies as a woman. “Womxn” was first developed at the Women’s Resource and Research Center at the University of California, Davis as a term to include the diverse scope of womanhood. We acknowledge that the term “women” has historically been exclusionary to “Women” of Colour, as bell hooks says in Ain’t I a Woman?: Black Women and Feminism (1981): “In America, white racist ideology has always allowed white women to assume that the word woman is synonymous with white woman, for women of other races are always perceived as Others.” 

We use “Korean diaspora” to include all those who identify as Korean and living in, or have lived in a country that is not South Korea: adopted Koreans, mixed Koreans, Koreans with a Korean citizenship or a citizenship of another country, Koreans born in South Korea or in another country, and first generation, second generation, and generations within and beyond the spectrum.

Is choa regionally specific to Canada?
We launched the inaugural volume with a focus on Canada, specifically the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), as both founders are most familiar with the community in this area. As we move forward, we hope that choa welcomes and includes conversations from the diaspora residing in various parts of the world, not just in North America. Depending on the topic of the volume, it may have a regional focus.

Is choa bilingual?
We are not bilingual due to limitations of time and human resource.  We are, however, focused on presenting both languages, with a priority on the English language. If a contributor is interested in having a Korean translation, one of our founders, Mirae, who is bilingual, can assist with the process. We are also open to accepting Korean-language content, which we would translate into English.

Will there be a physical magazine?
choa is an online publication to allow for accessibility. However, we are certainly dreaming of a day when we can put together a physical magazine with content from multiple volumes.

When is the next volume going to come out?
We have set a goal to release volumes biannually, but we are also mindful of the current pandemic that has brought various challenges into all of our lives. We are, therefore, seeking the best ways to navigate the situation.

Do you take submissions?
For future volumes, we will be doing a mix of commissions and a “call for submissions.”

Do you pay your contributors? What is your rate?
We believe in paying all of our contributors and editorial support. We provide an honorarium within a range of $40–$100. We acknowledge that the honorarium is not commensurate with the labour put into creating or participating in the creation of the magazine. The honorarium is dependent on the content format (e.g. original artwork or written piece, interview, animation, etc.). We will provide a clearer breakdown of the honorarium rate with the “call for submissions“ for the next volume.
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We are dependent on donations for our finances. If you would like to support us or help us raise funds, please visit this link.

How can I support choa?
Spread the word and share the magazine! You can also visit our support page where you can give a one-time donation, or purchase a goodie created by our founders.