Artist Spotlight

My name is Ro Sungmin Park, a Korean American raised in the US South. I grew up preparing to become a Christian missionary in Latin America. When I turned twenty, I hiked the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain for a month, praying everyday to be a better servant of God over the next decade. Now I'm in my late 20s, and I am none of those things. I failed to fulfill my purpose, and actually deconstructed it.

Through that process, I revealed the true core of my belief. What I truly cared about was my community, and now everyday I take another step to serve them.

Through my creativity, I write poetry to bring myself and others to a more beautiful sense of truth. I share often in my personal and writing accounts, but I've also had the opportunity to share over open mic and be published in a university magazine in both Portuguese and English.

Through my volunteer work, I create sustainable programs of transportation and education so that our community can thrive, even through the hardest of times. I joined Escuelitas in 2024 as an outside observer, doing what little I could to help initially. Through the leadership, I was able to grow and eventually co-lead a committee that created a volunteer-driven, transportation system for families to attend our freedom schools. We run multiple programs a month as a fully grassroots organization.

Through my photography, I promote the best of what Georgia can offer: masterfully crafted meals that reflect the diversity and tenacity of our immigrant populations. In 2025, I was laid off from my job and stayed unemployed for almost 6 months. I had to uncover my motivations for continuing to persevere under a tough market. Then it rang in my heart: "I moved to Doraville to stay. I love Buford Highway with all my being." That love is most cherished in the delicious food cooked and served along the blessed road.

Perhaps God had heard my prayers, just not as I once thought. Perhaps it was with all of the above, what is truly beloved.