Deadline: 12 April 2011
4.29 Center Essay Contest
The L.A. Riots of 1992 were a pivotal moment for the Korean American community as a demonstration of the need for more integration into mainstream society. The rights of Korean Americans were neglected in the then police department’s handling of the riots. The Korean American community was paralyzed by its lack of voice in the local social and political systems.
Today, Korean American community members are a great deal more civically empowered, having forged close relationships with local government officials, and created and maintained a strong relationship with the neighborhood police department. There have also been numerous efforts in the last 20 years to increase interethnic partnership among the Korean American, Latino and African American communities. The current board of the LAPD Olympic Booster Association, on which all three communities are represented, is one among many examples of collaboration.
This essay contest, hosted by the Korean American Coalition (KAC) and Elite Educational Institute, offers an opportunity for a generation of young Americans to gain deeper insight on an event in contemporary LA history that shaped our community. This is also a chance to learn how the Korean American community fits into the incredibly diverse ethnic landscape of Los Angeles today.
CONTEST RULES
- Interview may be conducted in Korean or English. Transcript can be done in Korean or English, essay must be written in English
- 1250 word limit
- Formatting: Times New Roman, 12 font, and double-spaced
- A cover page with your full name, essay title, grade level, school name, and the date of submission
- Any quotes or references to scholarly journals or articles must be accompanied by endnotes in MLA format
- Plagiarism is not allowed, and will lead to automatic disqualification from the contest
- Prize winners will be announced at an evening awards reception on April 29, 2011. If you are not in attendance and you win a prize, only half of the prize amount will be awarded to you. At the reception, the grand prize winner will read his/her essay aloud
PRIZES AVAILABLE
One Grand Prize of $1000: three (3) First Place prizes of $300 (one for each age category) and three (3) Runner-Up prizes of $150 (one for each age category).
HOW TO ENTER
The essay and transcribed interview must be submitted by email to by no later than 11:59 pm on April 12, 2011. A submission confirmation email will be sent no later than two (2) business days following your submission. In the weeks before April 29, 2011, you will be emailed details regarding the evening awards ceremony location and time.
INTRODUCING OUR JUDGES
- Angela E. Oh is an attorney, teacher, and public lecturer best known for her role as spokesperson for the Korean American community after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and her position on President Bill Clinton's One America Initiative
- LAFD Deputy Chief Emile Mack was a firefighter based in South LA during the LA Riots. Chief Mack is currently the highest-ranking Asian American firefighter in any major American city
- Helen Kim is a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLC. Ms. Kim focuses on Class Action Defense and Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement. She served as President of NAPABA (National Asian Pacific American Bar Association)
JUDGING CRITERIA
Essays will be judged in three (3) age groups: Grades 9 & 10, Grades 11 & 12, and College-age. One winning essay and one runner-up will be chosen from each group to receive a prize. One grand prize winning essay will be chosen of the three categories.
- 50% Essay Content: Answered all parts of the essay prompt completely. Essay complies with 1250 word limit
- 20% Quality of Transcript: Text of transcript is accurate when checked against the audio recording. Transcript is formatted as requested. Grammar and syntax are applied as appropriate. See sample transcript
- 10% Style: Formatting is done as requested, end notes are attached to account for any journals or books quoted. Grammar and syntax are correctly applied
- 10% Delivery: Essay points are organized to be convincing, the writer’s message flows well from paragraph to paragraph, use of vocabulary is varied and effective
For more information, contact Esther Park at esther@kacla.org or 213-365-5999 ext. 401.
CLICK HERE to download additional information about the contest.
More information here.
4.29 Center Essay Contest
The L.A. Riots of 1992 were a pivotal moment for the Korean American community as a demonstration of the need for more integration into mainstream society. The rights of Korean Americans were neglected in the then police department’s handling of the riots. The Korean American community was paralyzed by its lack of voice in the local social and political systems.
Today, Korean American community members are a great deal more civically empowered, having forged close relationships with local government officials, and created and maintained a strong relationship with the neighborhood police department. There have also been numerous efforts in the last 20 years to increase interethnic partnership among the Korean American, Latino and African American communities. The current board of the LAPD Olympic Booster Association, on which all three communities are represented, is one among many examples of collaboration.
This essay contest, hosted by the Korean American Coalition (KAC) and Elite Educational Institute, offers an opportunity for a generation of young Americans to gain deeper insight on an event in contemporary LA history that shaped our community. This is also a chance to learn how the Korean American community fits into the incredibly diverse ethnic landscape of Los Angeles today.
CONTEST RULES
- Interview may be conducted in Korean or English. Transcript can be done in Korean or English, essay must be written in English
- 1250 word limit
- Formatting: Times New Roman, 12 font, and double-spaced
- A cover page with your full name, essay title, grade level, school name, and the date of submission
- Any quotes or references to scholarly journals or articles must be accompanied by endnotes in MLA format
- Plagiarism is not allowed, and will lead to automatic disqualification from the contest
- Prize winners will be announced at an evening awards reception on April 29, 2011. If you are not in attendance and you win a prize, only half of the prize amount will be awarded to you. At the reception, the grand prize winner will read his/her essay aloud
PRIZES AVAILABLE
One Grand Prize of $1000: three (3) First Place prizes of $300 (one for each age category) and three (3) Runner-Up prizes of $150 (one for each age category).
HOW TO ENTER
The essay and transcribed interview must be submitted by email to by no later than 11:59 pm on April 12, 2011. A submission confirmation email will be sent no later than two (2) business days following your submission. In the weeks before April 29, 2011, you will be emailed details regarding the evening awards ceremony location and time.
INTRODUCING OUR JUDGES
- Angela E. Oh is an attorney, teacher, and public lecturer best known for her role as spokesperson for the Korean American community after the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and her position on President Bill Clinton's One America Initiative
- LAFD Deputy Chief Emile Mack was a firefighter based in South LA during the LA Riots. Chief Mack is currently the highest-ranking Asian American firefighter in any major American city
- Helen Kim is a partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLC. Ms. Kim focuses on Class Action Defense and Securities Litigation and Regulatory Enforcement. She served as President of NAPABA (National Asian Pacific American Bar Association)
JUDGING CRITERIA
Essays will be judged in three (3) age groups: Grades 9 & 10, Grades 11 & 12, and College-age. One winning essay and one runner-up will be chosen from each group to receive a prize. One grand prize winning essay will be chosen of the three categories.
- 50% Essay Content: Answered all parts of the essay prompt completely. Essay complies with 1250 word limit
- 20% Quality of Transcript: Text of transcript is accurate when checked against the audio recording. Transcript is formatted as requested. Grammar and syntax are applied as appropriate. See sample transcript
- 10% Style: Formatting is done as requested, end notes are attached to account for any journals or books quoted. Grammar and syntax are correctly applied
- 10% Delivery: Essay points are organized to be convincing, the writer’s message flows well from paragraph to paragraph, use of vocabulary is varied and effective
For more information, contact Esther Park at esther@kacla.org or 213-365-5999 ext. 401.
CLICK HERE to download additional information about the contest.
More information here.
