Skyhill Immigrant Stories

IlryongMoon

Personal
Bornin1957inSeoul,Korea;
ImmigratedtotheU.S.in1974.

Education
T.C.WilliamsSeniorHighSchool,1977.
B.A.,HarvardUniversity,1981.
MandarinTrainingCenter,NationalTaiwanNormalUniversity,1979-80.
J.D.,WilliamandMaryLawSchool,1984.

Professional
Retiredfromlawpracticein2024.

Public&CommunityService
Member,FairfaxCountySchoolBoard(1995-1999;2004-2019;
2024-Present);Chairman,2006and2012-2014.
Commissioner,FairfaxCountyPlanningCommission(2000-2003).
AnnandaleRotaryClub(1998-Present).
Advisor,NAKS-WashingtonAssociationforKoreanSchools.
FormerMemberships:Trustee,MontessoriSchoolofNorthernVirginia(1994-1995);Director,AmericanYouthPhilharmonicOrchestras(2000-2010);VirginiaGovernorKaine’sUrbanPolicyTaskForce(2007-2009);Director,EduTutorofVirginia;ExecutiveCommittee,FairfaxCountyPoliceChief’sDiversityCouncil;AffordableHousingAdvisoryCommittee,FairfaxCounty;Fairfax-FallsChurchRegionalCouncil,UnitedWay;CongregationalHealthPartnershipAdvisoryCommittee,InovaHealthSystem;irginiaStateAdvisoryCommittee,U.S.CivilRightsCommission.

Awards
MoranMedal,OrderofCivilMerit,fromKoreanGovernment(2020).
ThomasJeffersonHighSchoolforScienceandTechnology,Fairfax,Virginia,named‘IlryongMoonGymnasium’(2021).
OutstandingWashingtonianAwardbyPotomacForum(2022).
RegionalLeadershipAwardbyScharSchoolofPolicyandGovernment,GeorgeMasonUniversity(2024).

Publications
SkyCastleSchoolBoardMemberStories(2020);HamburgerCoke(2021);SkyhillSchoolBoardMemberStories(2025)

OpeningNotes

Chapter1LifeJourney
Introduction
OldLetters
SortingThroughOldBooks
VisittoTaiwan
KimYong,LeeHong-Ryeol,andI
FindinganOldBenefactor
ClothesAlterations
SnowstormStory
Go(Baduk)
AlphaGo-LeeSedolChallengeMatch
0.3-SecondRule
RespectforRules
GreedandHatred
DesignDefect
UnderstandingDifferences
ComedyClub
ReflectingonThanksgiving

Chapter2ImmigrationLife
Introduction
TheReverendJaeHoonPark
ASeatattheTable
MeetingMy40-YearJuniors
TeachingOurRoots
SeniorCitizenStudent
RamadanDinner

Chapter3EducationStories
Introduction
LadderofSocialMobility
CollegeAcceptanceNotifications
HailMary
Back-to-SchoolNight
RoleofPrincipal
NewYear’sDay’sBows
TimeIFeltFreest
ArtificialIntelligence
PoliticsofSchoolSuperintendents
AnonymousVoting
FunnyGuy
EpisodefromaVisittoKorea
TeacherRecruitmentfromKorea

Chapter4AmericanSociety
Introduction
CultureShock
Parenting
FreeRider
Presidency
StudyingLanguages
FatherandSonMcElveens
MatureSplit
BuyingaMeal
DrinkingwithMeals
MotheroftheAnnandaleRotaryClub

Chapter5RelationshipwithFather
Introduction
Father
Father’sCounterattack
SendingOffFather
WordsINeverSaidtoMyFather
Life

Chapter6RelationshipwithChildren
Introduction
BetweenFatherandSon
WhenChildrenMakeMistakes
ConversationwithMyYoungerSon
RingStory
RunningonCrutches
FeedbackfromSon
WhatisMoreImportant?
ComparedtoTV
Santa’sGift
Parent’sGrowingPains
ConditionsforMarriage

Chapter7FoodStories
Introduction
AcornJello
Popcorn
ColdWater
PizzaandBagels
EggFooYoung
Ramen
IceCream

ClosingNotes
AuthorandIllustrator
Illustrator’sNotes
Author’sOtherPublications

삶의여정을통해잔잔한감동을선사하는문일룡변호사의이야기
미국이민자이자학부모의입장에서,이책은마치따뜻한선배의조언처럼다가온다.저자는자신의삶에서겪은소소한에피소드와도전을통해이민생활의현실과그안에서느낀성장을진솔하게풀어낸다.팝콘을태웠던일화나기차표판매기에서겪은해프닝은,“지금의당혹스러움이나중에는웃으며이야기할추억이될수있다”는희망을심어준다.
책은단순한회고록을넘어,빠르게변화하는시대와낯선문화에적응하며성장한저자의모습을담고있다.손편지에서인공지능에이르기까지시공간을넘어적응하고도전하는이야기는귀감이된다.특히,한인사회의리더로서20년이상페어팩스카운티교육위원으로헌신하며미주류사회와의가교역할을해온그의삶은이민자들에게실질적인멘토링을제공한다.

주현영(HannahJoo),CommunityArtForEveryone대표

하늘동산을바라보는영혼의고백이자,광야를거치고세월의맥동을겪어가며다듬어진소리
변호사,교육위원,주일학교교사등,저자를호칭하는많은단어들이있겠지만,어느하나도이책의목소리를담기에는완전하지않다.
이책은,50년에걸친한인간의서사시,이민기나미국사회에대한종합적소개도아니다.오히려광야에홀로선한소년이성장,격동,발전의시기를거치며여전히그속에존재하는다양한광야를발견하는,그리고그안에서삶의의미와따스한사람들의온기를접하고,추억과정이얽힌이야기들을마치오후의차한잔과디저트처럼편하게전한다.
스카이힐,하늘동산을바라보는고백과소리가,어느누구에게는지친하루일과뒤의따스한안식처로,어느누구에게는이른새벽의힘찬격려로,그리고다른누군가에게는하루하루의영양분으로들릴수있기를바란다.

박정혁,조지워싱턴대학교교수