We stand in full support of non-violent protest﹣exercising the rights of freedom of expression and assembly. KAC calls on the authorities to provide protection for, and to honor the space of, people exercising their right to protest without intimidation and fear. KAC also firmly denounces the incitement of violence, vandalism, theft, and destruction of property, and these actions’ disproportionate and long-lasting impacts on communities of color that could draw attention away from the call for change.
We must not let our discomfort and fear in this chaotic time distract from the core problem at hand: these protests express the pain suffered by the Black community due to years of systemic racism, injustice, and violence in violation of due process and basic human rights. This is not only a Black issue. Systemic inequities that marginalize minorities in this country oppress us all. Nonetheless, we recognize that the Black community has faced outright and direct racism for several generations. We must also recognize that fighting inequity requires a united front. The Black community’s efforts to effect change through the civil rights movements of the 1950s and 1960s paved the way for securing the rights of all communities of color, including Korean Americans. Today, we must all do our part to actively work together, in interracial solidarity and allyship against systemic racism, violence, and oppression.
In order to effect lasting change, KAC urges its members to participate in the political process by voting, and by completing the Census.
To advocate for the most recent victims, we ask you to contact your local representatives and: (1) text “FLOYD” to 55156 for George Floyd; (2) text “ENOUGH” to 55156 for Breonna Taylor; (3) text “JUSTICE” to 55156 for Ahmaud Arbery; and (4) call District Attorney Mike Freeman at (612-348-5550) to demand that ALL of the police officers involved in George Floyd’s killing be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
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The 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.