WebIt was a major reason why Korean-Americans believed they were targeted during the 1992 unrest the death of 15-year-old Latasha Harlins at the hands of a Korean-American in This documentary focuses on how she experienced the society and what dreams and hopes she developed rather than focusing on her death. You will see Latasha being killed. MARTINEZ: That's Christina Rogers and Vester Acoff remembering their sister Latasha Harlins. The case drew criticism after another LA County court case of cruelty to a dog was given a harsher sentence than the death of a teen. Harlins was born on July 14, 1975 in East St. Louis, Illinois, to Crystal Harlins and Vester Acoff Sr. Acoff never met Latasha. And I want Black girls to see themselves and understand how beautiful and special and just deeply full of grace they are, and how they can be imperfect, unapologetic, and dont have to shift or mold themselves for anyone. because of the force he was using.. And I was even thinking about just how Black girls are continuously having to deal with the adultification bias, how Black girls are not protected, wanting to hold space for this young girl who deserved so much more. I think thats why movements like #MeToo and #SayHerName have to exist, because people still refuse to think theres a problem. Empire Liquor became a target for protests. For five days, Los Angeles burned and the LAPD left much of the city to fend for itself. She started to rebel and their relationship turned sour. Webhow old is alec and kaleb on the shriners commercial. So after that, I'm at the free-throw line, and our cousin T ran into the gym screaming. WebA Love Song for Latasha, reimagines the life of Latasha Harlins, a Black girl shot by a convenience store owner in Los Angeles 1991, fueling the 1992 uprising. Du observed Harlins putting a $1.79 bottle of orange juice in her backpack. That is, until April of 1992, when the verdict came down for Rodney Kings assaulters. After speaking to his wife, who asked for the whereabouts of Harlins before fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup. Site Map, 2023 Emerald Expositions, LLC. I just knew that I was blessed to have an older sibling that looked after me, that loved me. The only video that exists of her is the grainy surveillance footage that captured the last minutes of her life. We explained what we were doing, Allison says, and she let us film her daughters with the girl we had playing Latasha that day.. This is real life, Deputy District Attorney Roxane Carvajal had warned the jury. She will die in front of your eyes. The graphic images of the killing of 15-year-old Harlins, captured by a security camera inside the Empire Liquor [29] However, while tensions had exponentially increased because of the killing of Harlins, they were built on existing conflict that had been present in the community. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Shocked, Latasha can be seen hitting Du twice, which knocked her to the ground, before she started to back away, after dropping the orange juice in the fracas. A Love Song for Latasha was nominated for an Oscar. ROGERS: I remember we were at the park, and that's where the ice cream truck used to come. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. How 15-Year-Old Latasha Harlins Murder Over A Bottle Of Orange Juice Helped Spark The L.A. What do you make of police violence and racism continuing to rob Black girls of their childhoods and, in some cases, their lives? People think that for Black life to matter, it has to be a cis-hetero life, and until we acknowledge all of the intersections, all of the existences within Black identity, Black women, Black girls, Black queer folks, Black trans folks, Black nonconforming folks, there will never be a solution to this issue. Now that you about the tragic and senseless murder of Latasha Harlins, check out these 20 moving Civil Right protest photos. WebKings - The Death of Latasha Harlins: A dramatic realization of the murder of an innocent black teenager by a convenience store owner. Latasha Harlins (January 1, 1976 March 16, 1991) was an African-American girl who was fatally shot at age 15 by Soon Ja Du (Korean: ), a 49-year-old Korean-American convenience store owner. A brother and sister remember Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in 1991 by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles the same month Rodney King was beaten. But Judge Joyce Karlin gave Du probation instead. Steph Cha's novel Your House Will Pay centers on the aftermath of the murder of a 16-year-old African-American girl in South Central Los Angeles. Latasha Harlins. White Judge Joyce Karlin, however, gave Du probation, 400 hours of community service, and a $500 fine. [6], In early 2021, a mural celebrating Latasha Harlins was unveiled in front of Algin Sutton Recreation Center. And we are the ones that are understanding how important it is that art is a representation of our current times, that we are forced to confront and be uncomfortable. Latasha King was just 15 when she was shot dead by a shop owner one Saturday morning - her death is widely thought to be one of the contributing factors to the 1992 LA Riots and Netflix series, A Love Song for Latasha, tells her tragic story. Black folks have always been doing the work, but what dismantling the system for me means is that others acknowledge how they have been a part of the problem, how they have been complicit, how they have allowed the systems to continue, and that no one is challenging or wanting to make others uncomfortable. Ty and Shinese want to create their own community center. [22] In July 1992, Latasha's brother and sister received a $300,000 settlement from a civil suit brought against Soon Ja Du, which was paid by the store's insurance policy. Soon Ja Du's store, Empire Liquor, was located at the intersection of West 91st Street and South Figueroa Street, Vermont Vista, Los Angeles,[10] and was normally staffed by Du's husband and son. Surveillance footage showed the girl was shot in the back of the head. When she was six years old, her family moved to South-Central L.A. by Greyhound bus. Diversity, I think, is a really watered down word just for visibility. Thousands of people took to the streets when the verdict was announced and looting and arson was widespread. [31] Korean immigrants bought their storefronts in black neighborhoods, specifically South Los Angeles, because the real estate was significantly cheaper than other neighborhoods. She will die in front of your eyes.. "I have been honored to spend the last 20 years serving the public but now I want to devote time to my family," Karlin wrote. Du concluded Harlins was attempting to steal, and did not see the money Harlins held in her hand. Riots. The reaction to Harlins killing was quick and bitter. Police, after speaking to the people in the store at the time and watching CCTV of the incident, agreed that the youngster had been planning to pay. Thats why the image of Latasha is always changing in the film. I said: This cannot be the only way that this young girl exists. She did some research, and found Harlins cousin and then her childhood friend. "Fourteen years old? One of my favorite memories is just wandering into a church in South Central and then being allowed to film the granddaughters of the pastor, because their parents remembered Latasha. [7] The film was released on Netflix on September 21, 2020. Some members of Harlins family wept as they watched the March 16 shooting on television monitors. OBard reads a poem that Latasha Harlins wrote, and cries. However, the officers involved in Rodney King's arrest were re-tried. Back in 2015, as London-based portrait photographer Benjamin McMahon was building his career, his mentor, photographer Julian Broad, gave him a valuable piece of advice: Dont start changing your style. ROGERS: Walk me through the day Latasha died. Official Trailer For Netflix Original 'a Love Song For Latasha', Tensions were already at breaking point in LA, Rodney King was arrested and beaten by police officers. I never want to believe that a film will humanize anyone, because I really believe humanizing comes from folks in their own consciousness. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter and recommended the maximum prison sentence of 16 years. WebA brother and sister remember Latasha Harlins, a 15-year-old girl who was shot and killed in 1991 by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles the same month Rodney King was Her death happened thirteen days after the videotape of the Rodney King beating was released. Everyone knew about the disrespect shown to black customers by the Korean owners, and they tried to avoid it as much as possible. In the prosecutions opening statement, Carvajal said the gun used by Du had been altered by someone so that the trigger could be pulled with little pressure. Du claimed to have asked Harlins if she intended to pay for the orange juice, to which Du claimed Harlins responded, "What orange juice?" Kisuk Jun of the Koreatown Neighborhood Council said. But what is justice today is justice always. Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Subject, "The heartbreaking L.A. story behind Oscar nominee 'A Love Song for Latasha', "Sophia Nahli Allison's 'A Love Song For Latasha' Captures The Fullness Of Black Girlhood", "Netflix to debut heartbreaking doc 'A Love Song for Latasha', "How Six Documentary Directors Explored Untold Stories in 2020", "Latasha Harlins' Death Fueled the 1991 LA Riots. Sophia Nahli Allison at the Oscars last Sunday. I think theres a difference between inclusivity and agency. Latashas mother, Crystal, who worked as a waitress in a local tavern, was found brutally shot on November 27, 1985, in a Los Angeles nightclub. She says: How do we reimagine archives of black women and black girls when the archives are erased or discarded, or only focused on their trauma? The officers shot him twice with Taser stun darts and then brutally beat him with batons before handcuffing him. . He said Du feared for her safety because her son had been beaten and forced to pay extortion at the store and she was aware of nearby merchants who had been killed during robberies. The jury found Du guilty of voluntary manslaughter, an offense that carries a maximum prison sentence of 16 years. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. What happened to the schoolgirl is now believed to have been one of the contributing factors to the LA riots, which erupted just a few weeks after the appeal courts ruling. I think the police need to be stripped of all of their power. Shes not even buried there.. [50], Singer-songwriter Gabriel Kahane composed "Empire Liquor Mart (9127 S. Figueroa St.)" for the album The Ambassador in 2014, which tells the story of Latasha's life and the event that transpired.[51]. Bryant and Harlins, like so many Black girls in America, have had their lives reduced to the circumstances of their deaths, as videos and images of their final moments continue to circulate for the world to see. [19] Karlin resigned from the bench in 1997. For me, dismantling the root is through my art, through my work as a storyteller and as an artist. Her dad worked in a steel foundary while he mum waited tables to try to make ends meet and provide for Latasha and her younger sister, Christina. Two eyewitnesses9-year-old Ismail Ali and his 13-year-old sister Lakeshia Combsdisputed that claim, saying that Du called Harlins a "bitch" and accused her of trying to steal, to which they claimed Harlins replied that she intended to pay for the orange juice. Not enough has changed Filmmaker Shannon Dion, left, places a portrait of Latasha Harlins as friends and community members The mural was created by visual artist Victoria Cassinova.[6]. In his opening statement, Dus attorney, Charles Lloyd, contended that Du pulled a handgun in self-defense and accidentally shot Harlins. And we knew Latasha would get them all right. Support one another, all nationalities. All rights reserved, Man Accused in West LA Hate Shootings Was Subject of Law Enforcement Alert, Pepper Spray Used on High Schoolers as Anti-Racism Protest Grows Unruly', Experts Say Big Bear Bald Eagle Eggs Unlikely to Hatch, This 26-Year-Old Pays $0 to Live in a Luxury Tiny Home' She Built for $35,000 in Her Backyard Take a Look Inside, Beckham High School Teacher in Irvine Accused of Recording Students in Bathroom. WebLatasha Harlins was killed just a few years after her mother was shot dead in a South-Central L.A. nightclub. She wanted to be a lawyer. But she didn't belong [on the bench] anyway. At the time of her own death in 1991, Latasha was a student at Westchester High School. [1] At the time, security camera footage of Harlins' death was broadcast widely on television news, but Allison's work does not include it. A year later, residents of Harlins neighborhood took to the streets in outrage. Rodney was awarded $3.8million in damages from the City of Los Angeles and was found dead in 2012 from accidental drowning. Atop these voice-overs, there are photos of Harlins and footage of the South Central community in which Harlins grew up. WebOn March 16, 1991, 15-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a liquor store owner who accused her of stealing. The Los Angeles natives documentary short A Love Song for Latasha, which was nominated for an Oscar this year and is streaming on Netflix, is a moving tribute from Allison and Harlins loved ones to the young girls life. Latasha Harlins was remembered Wednesday by a fervent crowd of about 50, including her grandmother, siblings and aunt, at a vigil in South Los Angeles in the place where she was shot. [11], Shortly before 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 16, Harlins entered the store. In 1982, when Latasha was six years old, her father took a job in a steel foundry while her mother worked as a waitress in a local tavern. Tasha died. [16], On November 15, 1991, a jury found that Du's decision to fire the gun was fully within her control and that she fired the gun voluntarily. In 1998, the California State Assembly named April 29 as Latasha Harlins Day. After the change in national immigration laws in 1965 a large number of Korean immigrants arrived in Los Angeles and by 1968 the first Korean-owned market opened in South Central LA. When you say dismantling the root, what do you think that looks like? On the morning of March 16, 1991, though, Harlins did plan to make a purchase. Theres a problem fainting, he dialed 9-1-1 to report an attempted holdup only way that young... A poem that Latasha Harlins wrote, and a $ 500 fine Shinese want to believe that a film humanize. 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