Council of Korean Americans and Korean American Coalition – LA Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Los Angeles Riots / Uprising
Korean American Communities to Reflect on the Impact of “Saigu”
Washington, DC – The Council of Korean Americans (CKA) and the Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles (KAC-LA) will be commemorating the 30th anniversary of the April 29, 1992, Los Angeles Riots with a leadership conference on April 30th in Koreatown, Los Angeles at The LINE LA Hotel.
The conference will feature speakers including:
- Mayor of the City of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti
- US Congressman Andy Kim
- US Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland
- Historian and University of California Riverside Professor Edward Chang
- GeekWire Founder Jonathan Sposato
- Korean Vegan Joanne Lee Molinaro
The riots and civil unrest of April 29, 1992, a date given the moniker “Saigu”, was a traumatic period in Los Angeles’ history and one of the most devastating civil disruptions that impacted the Korean American community. Saigu erupted after systemic failures by the government, law enforcement, the judicial system, and the media to address the concerns and needs of minority communities throughout the region. As a result, 63 people were killed, more than 2,000 businesses were destroyed, and over a billion dollars of property damage incurred. The Korean American community suffered almost half of the property losses from the riots.
“Saigu is a moment of reflection for our community and country,” said Abraham Kim, Executive Director of CKA. “Thirty years ago, our nation was rocked by a transformative awakening, exposing failures that our society had to change. As we reflect on the lessons of the past thirty years, we see that our nation and community have made progress. The Korean American community has grown in political power, and we see greater Black-Asian solidarity. But the events of the past few years remind us of the importance of continuing to build on those investments and the lessons of our history.”
To commemorate this milestone event, CKA and KAC-LA are hosting a full-day conference on April 30 to reflect on the lessons of the past 30 years and inspire the next generation of leaders to continue the work of civic engagement, reconciliation, and bridge-building among communities.
“Many young Korean Americans were born after Saigu, and don’t have the lived experience of that event,” said Eunice Song, Executive Director of KAC-LA. “It’s CKA and KAC-LA’s joint mission to share with future generations our community’s history. Our goal for this conference is to instill lessons in leadership, collaboration, and public service for the betterment of our communities across this country.”
CONFERENCE INFORMATION
SAIGU@30 Leadership Conference (In-Person Conference)
April 30, 2022
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM PT
The LINE LA Hotel, 3515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Registration Required, Walk-Ins Not Allowed: https://saigu30.org
Organizers: Council of Korean Americans (CKA), Korean American Coalition-Los Angeles (KAC-LA)
Other Community Commemorations
This conference will join numerous other online and in-person events occurring across the country to remember this date and the important progress made in the Korean American and Asian American communities. Upcoming events happening during April 29 – May 1 include:
April 29, 2022
LA UPRISING | SAIGU PEACE GATHERING: A Community Event Remembering and Honoring the Los Angeles Civil Unrest of 1992 (In-Person Outdoor Music & Performance Event)
4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PT
Liberty Park, 3700 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 90010
For more information: www.LAUprisingSaiguEvent.com
Co-organizers:: Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles (Advancing Justice – LA), Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL), Korean American Federation of Los Angeles (KAFLA) First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME), Koreatown Youth & Community Center (KYCC) and the Korean American Coalition (KAC)
SAIGU 30 Campaign Event: Closing Commemorative Service (In-Person Event)
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM PT
Tapestry LA Church, 1521 S Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
https://www.facela.org/saigu
Organizer: Faith And Community Empowerment (FACE)
National Commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Saigu / LA Riots / Uprising
In-person events in major cities across the U.S., including Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and broadcasting online at saigu.org.
For more information about local events, see national website: https://www.saigu.org
Organizer: Asian Justice Movement
May 1, 2022
LA STORIES – SA-I-GU- Event (In-Person Gathering)
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM PT
Intercrew, 3330 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90010
For Tickets and more information: Eventbrite – LA STORIES
Organizer: Korean American Leaders in Hollywood (KALH)
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The Council of Korean Americans is a national nonprofit organization. Our mission is to advance the national voice, interest, and influence of the Korean American community through education, collaboration, and leadership development.
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