Korean American Coalition – Los Angeles (KAC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1983 to promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community. KAC endeavors to achieve these goals through education, community organizing, leadership development, and coalition-building with diverse communities.
Bilingual Advocacy
We are a bilingual English-Korean advocate for the Korean American community, removing language barriers and establishing channels of communication with elected officials, private & public agencies, community organizations, media, and the general public.
Civil Rights Promotion
We promote the civic and civil rights interests of the Korean American community through nonpartisan advocacy, public education, and increased civic and legislative participation.
Cross-Community Partnerships
We build coalitions with Korean American and other community-based organizations to coordinate efforts, share resources, and address issues that impact multiple communities.
Leadership Development
We equip Korean American students and young professionals with the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to engage in civic life and become influential leaders in their communities.
Intergenerational Engagement
We unite first, second, and third generation Korean Americans to ensure broad, sustained participation in community and civic life.
Information Resource
We provide clear, reliable information and connect Korean American community members to the services, programs, and resources they need.
Low-Moderate Income Support
We provide targeted programs and services that directly support low-to-moderate income individuals and families.
Early Roots
Founded in 1983, KAC-LA was built to confront and overcome a clear reality: Korean Americans, now a community of 1.9 million strong, still faced systemic barriers in their pursuit of full, meaningful participation in American society.
Since the beginning, KAC’s mission has remained consistent and focused – advocacy, empowerment, organizing, outreach, education, and multigenerational collaboration. As a bilingual, nonpartisan membership organization, KAC has played a central role in bridging intergenerational divides and mobilizing Korean Americans across generations and political parties into civic action.
Turning Point
One of the major turning points in KAC’s history was during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots, when KAC emerged as a leading voice for the Korean American community. KAC brought the concerns of Korean Americans directly to mainstream media, elected officials, and government agencies, ensuring the community was seen, heard, and represented during a critical moment of crisis.
Growth and Impact
In the decades since, KAC has translated its mission into sustained, measurable impact. Over the last 43 years, KAC has:
– Helped more than 40,500 immigrants become U.S. citizens and registered voters
– Co-founded the Black Korean Alliance in 1988
– Launched the 4.29 Alternative Dispute Resolution Center in 1997 to provide dispute resolution and interethnic outreach
– Coordinated victim relief efforts after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots
– Successfully lobbied for corrections to erroneous bilingual voter registration forms and sample ballots in California
– Organized and led large-scale redistricting campaigns uniting Koreatown into a single city council district through community town halls and coalition-building with diverse LA-based organizations
– Led public education efforts to raise awareness of COVID-19 and vaccination efforts
– Trained 1,200+ college students in leadership and community organizing
– Sponsored 210+ college internships
Throughout its history, KAC has worked closely with government agencies and elected officials to promote more responsive governance and policymaking, while building broad, durable coalitions across communities around shared priorities.
In 2017, KAC was recognized as Nonprofit of the Year, becoming the first Korean American organization in California to receive this distinction.
Early Roots
Incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1983, KACLA advocates for the interests of the 1.9 million strong Korean American community. As recent immigrants and members of an ethnic minority group, Korean Americans face many barriers in their pursuit of full and meaningful participation in American society. KAC was established to serve as the vehicle through which to overcome those obstacles. KAC’s priorities have remained untouched since its inception: advocacy, empowerment, organizing and outreach, education, and multi-generational collaboration. As a bilingual and non-partisan membership organization, KAC has been bridging the inter-generational gap and galvanizing multi-generations of Korean Americans into taking civic action.
Organizational Growth
One of the major turning points in KAC’s history was during the 1992 Los Angeles Riots when KAC emerged as the voice of the Korean American community. KAC represented the concerns of a community that had been devastated by inner-city violence to mainstream media, elected officials, and government agencies.
Milestones
Throughout the years, KAC has developed various programs aimed at empowering and educating the community. Over the course of 39 years, KAC has assisted over 40,500 immigrants to become U.S. citizens and registered voters; co-founded the Black Korean Alliance in 1988, and launched the 4.29 Center in 1997 to provide dispute resolution and inter-ethnic outreach; coordinated victim relief efforts after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots; successfully lobbied for erroneous bilingual voter registration forms and sample ballots in California; conducted redistricting outreach campaign to unify Koreatown into a single city council district by organizing community town halls, and forming coalitions with other diverse Los Angeles-Based organizations; conducted various community outreach and education campaigns to raised awareness of COVID-19 and vaccines; trained more than 850 college students in leadership development and community organizing, and sponsored over 210 college internships. KAC has continued to work closely with government agencies and elected officials to promote more responsive governance and policymaking that impact the community. KAC also developed broad coalitions with other ethnic communities around shared concerns. In 2017, KAC was recognized as a Non-Profit of the Year honoree, becoming the first Korean American organization to receive this honor in California.
