Remembering and Learning from Saigu
Looking back at the 1992 LA Riots, 28 years later
Date Published: April 29, 2020
Today is 4.29 or Saigu. On this day, we commemorate the LA Riots that occurred 28 years ago in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
We reflect upon the loss and suffering of that tragic time and remind ourselves of how far we as Korean Americans have come as a community. And yet, that progress is far from over. We must continue to strengthen our community and amplify our local and national voice.
Throughout these past few months with COVID-19, we have unfortunately witnessed how fear and uncertainty still breeds hate and racism towards Asian Americans in this country. CKA is committed to speak out against and stand together with other Asian American organizations in denouncing these troubling trends.
As individuals, we also have a responsibility to reflect and learn about our own histories. How can we protect ourselves if we do not know our own history and heritage — about how our community came to be in this nation? I am reminded of a striking quote by one of our board members:
“Unless people know their history, their identity is anchorless.”
– Dr. Edward Chang, Executive Director, UC Riverside’s Young Oak Kim Center
As many of us reflect upon these past few weeks, I encourage you to invest some time learning about the history of the Korean American community and its leaders. We have so many stories and resources. Here are just a few:
- “Footsteps of Korean Americans”, a short documentary encapsulating 100+ years of Korean American history into a 38-minute video (via the Young Oak Kim Center).
- KoreanAmericanStory.org has an incredible SAIGU video series on Korean American leaders recounting their experience during the LA Riots. We recommend you listen to CKA members John Lim and Hyepin Im share their stories.
- CKA’s Korean American Perspectives podcast interviews Korean American trailblazers as they share their immigration experience, career journeys, and issues that affect our community. Listen to these incredible stories here on Apple, Google Play, or Spotify.
I hope you get the chance to view one or more of the resources and learn about Korean American history and identity.
Thank you for joining us in remembering this crucial day in Korean American history.
Abraham Kim, Ph.D.
Council of Korean Americans