On the occasion of the anniversary of the 1992 Riots, the time is nigh for KAs to bemoan yet again our lack of political clout, with more rhetoric about how we need to be empowered and get more involved in the political decision-making process. Thirteen years later, not much has changed for the community as a whole.

But one aspect that has is the increasing number of KAs running for office, working for politicians and being appointed to various political posts. The Korean American Coalition (KAC) has identified so far about 400 such KAs nationwide.

A new KAC initiative seeks to bring them together to form a national political network.

“If you’re not connected, you’re blind,” said Charles Kim, KAC’s executive director. “Let’s get connected first, see who’s doing what. Whether you’re doing liberal work or conservative work, gay and lesbian rights work or Christian work, let’s see who you are. And then if there’s a need to contact, say a lesbian group, we can utilize their contacts. But if we don’t have any contacts, then how can we protect a Korean lesbian who needs help?

“The key is how we, as a group, can build our capacity to protect our interests.”

KAC has scheduled a National Political Forum that will convene in Los Angeles from April 29 to May 1 — the anniversary of the Riots. Confirmed attendees include Shinae Chun, director of the Women’s Bureau in the U.S. Labor Department, and Oregon state Rep. John Lim. KAC is inviting and urging all involved and interested in politics to attend.

“Go out there and become somebody, whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican. Just go out there [into the political arena] and learn and benefit from it,” said Kim. “But then return and strengthen your own community.”

Efforts to organize a nationwide Korean American political coalition have been attempted before. KAC, along with other nonprofit groups from across the country, tried to form a national network in 1993 in the wake of the Riots. But due to inadequate organizational capacity with some of the groups and differences of opinion on some issues, that effort failed.

But Kim emphasizes a different tactic this time around.

“We don’t have to have consensus,” said Kim. “But at least we [should] agree to disagree. Then we can co-exist. If you don’t agree to disagree, then one has to conquer another. That’s not going to happen.”

For more information on the KAC National Political Forum, e-mail npf2005@kacla.org.