Imagine a moment when thousands walk the streets of Los Angeles in the name of racial harmony, reconciliation, and community. This historic moment happened on April 21 when more than 5,000 Angelenos from different racial and ethnic groups participated in 4.29 Walking to Build Bridges: Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of the Los Angeles Riots.  In collaboration with the Martin Luther King Legacy Association of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and The Korea Society, KAC-LA organized its first annual walk-a-thon to remember the L.A. riots and promote greater awareness and understanding within the diverse city in which we live.

The walk-a-thon drew people from all different walks of life — workers from the Garment District, bankers from Bunker Hill, professionals from downtown, teachers from Boyle Heights, entertainers from Hollywood, athletes, students, city officials, and store owners and residents from Koreatown. As we walked side by side on Wilshire Blvd., we came together as a community, not torn apart by interethnic tension but strengthened by the goal of unity and understanding.   

This effort grew out of the 4.29 Center for Dispute Resolution & Community Outreach, which was created in 1997 to address the racial tensions and conflicts in our city following the 1992 riots, or better known as Sa-i-Gu among Korean Americans. In response to the social upheaval and unrest, the center was founded by KAC, with invaluable support from the Martin Luther King Legacy Association and The Korea Society. 

Susan Ahn Cuddy, the first Asian American to enlist in the U.S. Navy, speaks to the crowd.

All net funds raised from the walk-a-thon were put into the 4.29 Center Endowment Fund to benefit various programs and services. The 4.29 Center continues to provide a human relations program and runs a dispute resolution center that works with individuals and groups. 

Reflected by the widespread participation of walkers and sponsors, and the tireless efforts of volunteers, this walk reflected the community’s search for something deeper, a desire to truly foster an atmosphere of open-mindedness, acceptance, and active collaboration for change, especially for our children growing up in Los Angeles.

Fifteen years later, it is our hope that by our 4.29 Walking to Build Bridges, we can work together to pave a new legacy where the dark days of the L.A. riots will be remembered in a new light.  It is KAC’s desire that our walk will be the start of stronger and deeper relationships with all Angelenos.