There are a significant number of Koreans living in the US. During the civil war in Los Angeles in 1992, they faced a huge threat since they were targeted on the basis of ethnicity. However, they had no one to speak up for them. There was no national organization or a group that would be heard. To address thisf issue, in 1994, the National Association of Korean Americans was formed.
1992 Los Angeles Riots
A vast number of Koreans immigrated to the US during the Korean War. Even after the war ended, immigration continued, and Koreans started forming small communities and their conditions improved due to the Immigration Act, 1965. This enabled the Koreans to flourish and play important roles in the US. But after the riots in 1992, Koreans started getting concerned regarding their well-being, and they began forming alliances with other small communities.
NAKA was an organization that was formed with the intention of empowering the Korean Americans. It gave a voice to the Korean Americans and gave them a national platform.
Their vision was to reunite Korean Americans with the other racial groups living in the US to create a harmonious society where everyone would be heard. There was also an issue of a generation gap among the Korean Americans. NAKA helps to bring every Korean American together to form a forum to discuss the issues concerning them. NAKA enables all the Korean Americans to come together and share their knowledge so that they are able to live their lives comfortably.
America holds a lot of power in the nearby regions, and so their policies affect a lot of countries. Korea is one of these nations. Korea hugely suffers due to the policies of the US. And in turn, when Korea is affected, it shows in the lives of the Korean Americans. Stability and unification in Korea is a major issue, and thus, the policies must take into account the issues of the Korean Americans. To make this possible, NAKA provides a platform on which to address the problems affecting Korea and Korean Americans so that the US government hears them. NAKA also tries to ensure that all the ethnic groups are able to voice their opinions.
The answers to all the questions and issues regarding the Korean Americans is NAKA. It is the foundation stone for a stable and a harmonious future for the Korean Americans and the cooperation between the various ethnicities. NAKA’s contribution to the welfare of Korean Americans and other ethnic groups is massive, and they span over more than two decades.
NAKA conducts major seminars and forums to discuss important matters.
Some of the significant forums held by NAKA are Korea Peace Forum in 2003, NAKA Forum in 2004, Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Forum in 2004, and NAKA-Washington Forum in 2005, Public Forum on the topic “1992 Los Angeles Riots” Significance to the Korean Community Today”. NAKA also conducted the Korean American Festival in which the Korean Americans distributed voter registration forms from a booth, and the Korean American cultural team played poong-mool, which is a Korean percussion instrument.
NAKA also held a march in 2006, along with the Tenants and Workers United and the National Capital Area Immigrant Coalition. The rally was organized for demanding rights for the immigrants. This goes to show how NAKA participates not only in issues regarding Korean Americans but also for all ethnic groups residing in the US.
Korean American National Sports Festival
The success of NAKA can be understood by the fact that the US Senate passed a resolution that was historic for the Korean Americans, acknowledging the 100th anniversary of immigration of Koreans to the United States in 2002. This resolution was passed with the major help and support of NAKA.
President Bush also addressed the Korean Americans and applauded them for playing an important role in building, sustaining and defending the United States of America.
This was a significant milestone in the lives of Korean Americans, and NAKA played a significant role in giving them this. NAKA believes in co-existing and that the Korean Americans have a lot to offer to the world and America. The organization has proved to the world that great things happen when people come together.
