1992 Los Angeles riots marked with campaign
A series of events — including a prayer breakfast, symposiums, film screenings and art exhibits — will mark the 30th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles riots as part of what is called the “SAIGU Campaign.”
SAIGU is the Korean word for the date, April 29, that the riots began, but also is used by the campaign to stand for Serve, Advocate, Inspire, Give and Unite.
The campaign is sponsored by the organization Faith and Community Empowerment.
April 29 will mark 30 years since the city erupted in violence following the acquittal of four members of the Los Angeles Police Department on charges that they used excessive force in the videotaped beating and arrest of Black motorist Rodney King.
The Korean American business community was among those on which the riots took a significant toll.
The SAIGU campaign launched earlier this week and is specifically designed to build bridges between traditionally divided communities.
“April 29, 1992, is forever imprinted in the minds of so many who witnessed the L.A. riots,” said Hyepin Im, president and CEO of FACE. “It was a time of great pain with the failure of justice, protection and peace that was expected from our leaders.”
Joining her on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall for the Tuesday announcement were Mayor Eric Garcetti, Bishop Kenneth Ulmer of Faithful Central Bible Church, L.A. City Councilman John Lee and Rabbi Noah Farkas, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles.
There were more than 3,600 fires, 3,000 destroyed businesses and 63 deaths during the riots, Im said. Nearly two-thirds of the destroyed businesses, she added, were in the Korean community.
“Trust in the system and our leaders,” Im said, “and trust between different communities who were pitted against one another was at an all-time low.”
Garcetti, after the campaign's launch event, tweeted that “a united L.A. is a stronger L.A.”
Youngwan Kim, consul general for the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles, said the 1992 events brought to light ethnic and economic disparities in the U.S.
“Since then,” he said in written comments, “many Koreans have put an effort into building friendship and trust among diverse communities in Los
Angeles.”
Some of the civil unrest over those six days in 1992 touched several outlying local communities, including Long Beach, Wilmington, Carson and Inglewood. But the most serious damage was closer to L.A.'s center. Smoke from the fires in and around the downtown area to the north could be seen from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Curfews were put in place throughout the area as the unrest continued.
Besides a prayer breakfast that took place Friday at the Wilshire United Methodist Church in Los Angeles, the SAIGU commemoration will include symposiums, film screenings and art exhibits. Among them:
• Voices of the Rebellion: 30th Anniversary Reflections, April-May. Six artists will create and perform historic or original works in a presentation by the LACity Department of Cultural Affairs in Leimert Plaza Park.
• Closing commemorative service: 6 p.m. (checkin) and 7-9 p.m. April 29 at Tapestry L.A. Church, 1521 S. Hill St., Los Angeles.
That closing event at Tapestry L.A., Im said, is expected to draw hundreds of participants.