The landscape after the riots

Re “Forgive and remember,” Opinion, April 29

When the race riots hit Los Angeles 15 years ago, I was an Asian American youth growing up 150 miles north of the epicenter. Just like many of my classmates, I was oblivious to the root cause of this uprising. As I came of age, I learned that the tension brought by Korean immigrants moving into neighborhoods fueled the anger of black youths who felt pinned both by the police and a long-term economic recession. This is the very point that Kyeyoung Park and Thomas Burgess are trying to obliterate in their article. Wasn’t the looting a reaction to a long period of insensitive behavior by Korean storeowners toward African American customers?

Of course we do not need a monument to remember the riots -- these scars are deep within our hearts. However, we have grown stronger by overcoming our differences in the last 15 years. It is more important to take a minute every day, not just a day or two every year, to remind ourselves what we can do to better help other people.

KAZUHO BABA

Anaheim

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Re “South L.A.’s growing pain,” April 27

There are a number of factors that discourage traditional grocers from locating in South L.A. Rising labor costs in Los Angeles-area supermarkets only further diminish the likelihood that residents will have access to a wide selection of good fresh food and will make it more difficult for grocers to operate. It also will make it more costly for residents to easily buy food that’s good for them.

GREGG YOKOYAMA

Los Angeles