Haegi Kwon, PhD
Lecturer ![](/cityplanning/files/2019/08/haegi_kwon_picture_BU2-586x636.jpg)
Expertise:
Urban affairs, economic and community development, immigration and race in the US, Asian American politics, and nonprofit advocacy
Education:
PhD, Urban Studies and Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MSc, Urban Planning, Columbia University
BA, History, Bryn Mawr College
Courses:
UA 503: Housing and Community Development
UA 510: Special Topics: Equity and Social Justice
Biography:
Haegi’s current research focuses on the strategies that nonprofits use to serve and advocate for intersectionally disadvantaged immigrant groups in New York City. Her experiences as a community and economic development professional have directly informed her research and her continued engagement with nonprofit advocacy continues to inform her work.
Haegi began her career as an underwriter for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), working with tenants and landlords to preserve and rehabilitate affordable housing in low-income communities of color. On the economic development side, she worked as an underwriter for Seedco Financial (now TruFund Financial), performing due diligence and underwriting loans for minority and women-owned businesses, small businesses in low-income communities, and human services nonprofits. Further, she explored avenues to promote youth leadership development in immigrant communities by working with 1.5 and second-generation Asian American youth in New York City Chinatown.
Haegi has also consulted on projects with the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA) to secure immigrants’ rights and the National Immigration Forum to improve access to citizenship for immigrant workers.
Contact Information:
Phone: 617-358-4637
Email: haegi@bu.edu