Koreatown Activists Continue Fight for Political Future

Author: KoreAm
Posted: February 13th, 2012
Filed Under: BLOG

by Eugene Yi

The battle for Koreatown’s future took to the streets Sunday as hundreds of people gathered for a protest against plans to split the nation’s largest Korean enclave into two Los Angeles city council districts and presumably dilute its potential political power.

As the city undergoes its decennial redrawing of political lines this year, Koreatown activists have urged officials to place the enclave—currently part of four separate districts—in one district to maximize its influence. Public hearings over the last several months have been flooded by Koreatown denizens, making them one of the most active groups in the oft-ignored process. The first draft of the new lines, unveiled Jan. 25, split Koreatown into two sections, infuriating local activists.

On Sunday roughly 500 people encircled one city block for an afternoon of speeches that ended with a linking of hands, a la the 1986 Hands Across America protest,
an inspiration for the event, according to Jimmy Chai, one of the event’s organizers.

“No matter what our race, creed or gender, we are one Koreatown and we are unified in voice,” Chai said at the rally.

Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents the city’s 9th District, spoke briefly at the event. The new lines have drawn her ire as well, with the proposed districts cutting her off from what observers cite as her main source of fundraising dollars, Los Angeles’ thriving downtown.

“You have my empathy. I understand and I will continue to fight with you and stand with you,” Perry said. “We can continue to fight this battle and to push back on the horrible maps that the redistricting commission has done.”

After her speech, Chai gave her an “I [heart] KTOWN” T-shirt, and she joined the prayer circle alongside Helen B. Kim, a member of the redistricting commission. Fellow Korean American commissioner Robert Ahn attended the event as well.

As has been the norm at any public event in recent weeks regarding Koreatown redistricting, the crowd was dotted with a who’s who of influential figures from Koreatown. According to Chai, the Korean American Coalition, the Korean American Democratic Committee, and the Coalition of Southern California Korean Churches were the main partners in the event, though figures from many other Koreatown organizations were present as well.

Prominent co-sponsors also included the Unification for Disabled Latino Americans (UDLA) and Little Bangladesh, Inc. At a recent public hearing, however, representatives of other Latino and Bangladeshi groups raised objections over the Korean American community’s insistence on a unified enclave, claiming that the needs of their respective communities were being ignored.

Several churches came with large groups as well, including the Abundant Mission Church and the Wilshire United Methodist Church.

Sunday’s protest came to an end with a short prayer, translated into English and Spanish. “I need everyone to hold hands. We’ll get together for a prayer,” Chai said as he wrangled protesters. “Let’s make history.”

Chai, a local activist, thrust himself into the media spotlight earlier this month when he read a letter at a recent public hearing alleging that Michael Bai, deputy to 10th district councilperson Herb Wesson, extorted local restaurant owners for political donations. Wesson’s office has denied the charges.

Koreatown has long been tapped as a source for political funding by local politicians. Longtime observers have been impressed by the unified front presented by the Koreatown community, which is has historically been characterized by fractious infighting.