Module 3, Reclaiming Culture: Storytelling, Zines, and Alternative Media
Module 3 invites students to synthesize everything they've learned about counter-narratives, storytelling, and Ethnic Studies into a creative and collaborative final project. Using the 1992 Los Angeles Uprising (referred to here by its Korean name, Sa-I-Gu) as a case study, students will analyze methods of storytelling through alternative forms of media including film, music, and visual archives. The module will culminate in the creation of a zine where students will present their research and oral histories in an accessible and visually-compelling format.
Just in case you haven’t read the introduction to the previous modules, here’s a quick overview of the resources on this page—they include slides designed for student engagement, a detailed lesson plan for instructors, and a webpage overview that summarizes key readings.
Learning Objectives
- What makes a good story? How do you develop setting, character, and theme?
- Case study: 1992 Los Angeles and Sa-I-Gu.
- What role do zines play as a form of alternative media? How do a zine’s style and/or visual aesthetic connect to its meaning and purpose?
- How can we apply insights about the visual culture of zines to our own cultural production of counter-narratives?
Assessment
-
A 2-3 page written narrative and a physical or digital zine, both of which capture the story of each group's assigned place in an engaging way.
Lesson 1: The Story of Sa-I-Gu
This lesson will introduce the history of Sa-I-Gu, aka the 1992 L.A. Uprising, from the Korean American perspective. Students will learn how the “model minority” myth persisted in the racialized violence that erupted in parts of Los Angeles during that time. Students will also compare/contrast reporting from the time period with later reporting that looks back on the historic event.
Recommended Readings and Videos
- Chang, Irene and Greg Krikorian. (1992). “A City in Crisis: 30,000 Show Support in Koreatown March.”
- Constante, Agnes. (2017). “25 Years after LA Riots, Koreatown Finds Strength in 'Saigu' Legacy” from NBC News.
- Ice Cube. (1991). “Black Korea.”
- PBS, “The 1992 L.A. Riots and Civil Unrest.”
Lesson 2: Visual Culture and Reclaiming Representation
Students will watch a film and engage with photo archives from the Sa-I-Gu time period. They will analyze forms of visual storytelling and apply these lessons to the creation of their own zine.
Recommended Readings and Videos
- Chon, Justin. (2017). Gook.
- Kang, Hyungwon. “Reading Sa I Gu" from the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.
Lesson 3: Race and Gender in Zine Culture
Students will learn how zines have been used as a form of alternative media that counters the narratives promoted by mainstream media outlets. They will also be introduced to Riot Grrrl as a case study for race and gender in zine culture. For their final project, students will construct zines that capture the history they’ve learned through the oral history projects.
Recommended Readings and Videos
- Nguyen, Mimi Thi. (2012). “Riot Grrrl, Race, and Revival.”
- Khoo, Shania. (2021). “How to Make a Zine: Dreaming and Creating for a Better World.”
- Links to zine repositories: