SAIGU Campaign
Serve . Advocate . Inspire . Give . Unite
Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the LA Riots
Rebuilding the American Dream, Together.
SAIGU
Almost thirty years ago, Los Angeles was torn and divided by the LA Riots that resulted in over 3,600 fires, 2,300 businesses destroyed, 53 lives lost, and over $1 billion in property damage (40% were incurred by Korean Americans.) With the 30th anniversary of the LA Riots approaching in April 2022, FACE will be re-launching its
SAIGU 30 Campaign under the theme of Rebuilding the American Dream, Together through series of events. We welcome your participation and planning. Visit www.saigu429.org/kccd-events to see past events from our SAIGU Campaign to commemorate the 20th and 25th Anniversary.
I Am #FACEofLA

Submit Your Story for the
30th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots
As part of SAIGU 30, we will be launching our Social Media Campaign called 'I Am #FACEofLA' and we need your stories related to the LA Riots - what you remember, how you have been affected, etc.

We will be selecting a few stories to feature on our social media, website, email blasts, etc. under the hashtag 'I Am #FACEofLA'. We will also be sharing your stories with the media for potential interviews.

In the past, we have partnered with Story Corps and also KoreanAmericanStory.org to capture some of the stories from members in the community.

Below are examples of a video interview that was done along with an I Am #FACEofLA social media post that was shared.
Hear & read the story of Joe Ahn, the son of a Korean American Business Owner during the LA Riots.
Featured on KoreanAmericanStory.org
Joe Ahn - SaIGu LA Riots - KoreanAmericanStory.org

Joe Ahn recalls feeling both fear and anger during SaIGu: fear that his father would get hurt during the riots, and anger that the people who were most affected by the public's expressed frustration with the government were the people who had the ...

Read more
koreanamericanstory.org
Below is the story of
Former CA Assemblyman & Chairman of Board of Equalization Jerome Horton
that was shared as part of 'I Am #FACEofLA'
"I was thirty-five and married with two children when the images of five police officers beating a black man, Rodney King, dominated the news -- and when I saw his face, I instinctively thought "why?" Soon after, the trial against the police officers was reminiscent of a kangaroo court, after having been relocated to a venue in a predominantly white community.

Not knowing the guilt or innocence of the officers that acted alone was like dynamite sitting next to a fireplace. When the verdict was announced it lit the fuse, setting off days of chaos, fear, worry, frustration, disappointment and anger.

I lived in Inglewood at the time, and police officers and residents banded together to protect our community from would-be looters. We realized that further violence and hate was not the solution; and local gang members shared these thoughts, calling for peace between them and for the people of the City of Los Angeles and adjacent communities. People of all nationalities and races joined forces to call for systemic, institutional, and economic chance and police reform.

Given the current state of police relationships throughout the nation, and the international coverage the 1992 LA Riots received, one would hope that the lessons learned would have been remembered, but they have not. I think in each of us there is a level of decency and compassion for the humans with whom we share this earth and I believe that it is in our DNA to fight the evil that causes some to be cowards and others to be champions.

For me, the LA Riots sparked my interest in running for office and winning my first elected position as a Member of the Inglewood City Council. It also reminds me of my responsibility and obligation to be the bridge over the ashes of ignorance that can bring power together to empower others. To that end, I thank the KCCD for keeping the torch of peace, prosperity and unity illuminated in the hearts and minds of all of the diverse members of our community."
Everyone is welcome to submit! We welcome both stories of pain as well as positive efforts that have resulted as a result of the LA Riots. Selected participants will be interviewed on video.
About SAIGU

To continue our past commemoration efforts from the 20th and 25th anniversary of LA Riots SAIGU Campaign through series of events, , SAIGU 30 Campaign will once again convene civic, community, business, faith leaders and residents who represent diverse communities from throughout Los Angeles and the U.S. to remember the series of injustices that led to and occurred during the LA Riots and reaffirm our shared values in hopes of rebuilding the American Dream for everyone. Since the 1992 La Riots, our city has rebuilt and Asian Americans have become more vocal and politically active, especially during this pandemic year with the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes, with increased cultural and economic influence around the world. However, despite all this, there is still much work to be done to stand in true solidarity. SAIGU 30 has arrived at such a pivotal time to remind us of the value of working together towards healing and solidarity and use the LA Riots as a cautionary tale about what happens when communities are pitted against one another and the system that is to serve for the greater good fails to do so. Visit www.saigu429.org/kccd-events to see past events.

See a highlight video of our Closing Commemoration from 2012 below.
To learn more about the SAIGU Campaign and how to get involved, stay tuned for information available at www.facela.org
Thank you to MUFG Union Bank for sponsoring this campaign!
If you would like to become a sponsor please contact: [email protected]