In 2026-2027, the cohort will investigate the 35th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles Civil Unrest by interviewing small business owners and community leaders who lived through this historical event. 2,000+ Korean-owned businesses or buildings were damaged or destroyed during three days of arson, looting, and protests over the Rodney King verdict on April 29, 1992. KSP wants to ensure that we take this opportunity to record the narratives of the older community members who lived through this time. 

We are aware that this topic remains sensitive to many in our Los Angeles community, and we hope to ask important and conscientious questions that will honor each story and experience. We will listen with openness and integrity, to the best of our ability.

KYCC is uniquely positioned as an agency to conduct this work. Established in 1975, KYCC is one of the largest Korean American multiservice nonprofits in the country and took a leading role in providing immediate frontline relief after the 1992 Los Angeles riots through logistical, legal, and financial support, including emergency loan applications for uninsured businesses, while helping families secure essential resources.   

Unlike past anniversaries, where academics and community leaders commemorated the occasion with panels and news interviews, KSP’s proposed Embodied Cohort will craft questions and conduct interviews specifically to investigate the uprising, not as a fixed event or its causes, but as an ongoing arc of rupture, resilience, self-inquiry, and transformation.  

Please contact us with inquiries or questions at ksp@kyccla.org.