HTLA- Episode 60: The Monterey Park Shooting How A Community Heals

Pastor Molly Ramos  00:00

[audio clip] [outdoor ambi] I just want to invite you right now just to turn and look at one another. Look at each other's faces, see the candles and the flowers, [music in] and recognize the truth that we are not alone.

Unidentified Speaker #1  00:20

[audio clip] Today we are grieving not only for the 11 victims whose lives have been lost to the shooting. We grieve for the nine who are injured, and we grieve for our Asian American community and our San Gabriel Valley community.

Unidentified Speaker #2  00:36

[audio clip] The only word is 'tragic' when places that are supposed to be safe, where we raised our children, when we're suddenly reminded that they're part of a bigger world. And that world isn't always safe.

Unidentified Speaker #1  00:54

[audio clip] We've come from countries where there was civil war and economic hardships, and yet we still prevailed, and we will prevail.

Brian De Los Santos  01:08

This is How To LA. I'm Brian De Los Santos. The impact of the shooting in Monterey Park is gonna linger for a while. The sorrow, the grief, the fear- It won't go away easily, if ever. But people are starting the healing process. So today, a little more than a week after 11 people were killed at a dance hall while celebrating the Lunar New Year, we're talking to people in Monterey Park, Alhambra, and the greater San Gabriel Valley about how they're processing this tragedy and moving forward. And this isn't only about one city or two. This shooting happened during an already violent year, and it's only January. Nationwide, there's been at least 50 mass shootings in 2023 alone. And the Monterey Park shooting was one of six mass shootings in California last month, making January the deadliest month for mass shootings in at least a decade in the state. [music out]

Announcer  02:08

[audio clip] [outdoor ambi] Thank you all for coming. And now I would like to invite up Pastor Molly of River of Life, Monterey Park.

Pastor Molly Ramos  02:22

[audio clip] We've experienced a collective trauma here. I live in Monterey Park, and we have been grieving together as a community along with some of us who have been grieving intensely as we have lost a loved one.

Carrie Zhang  02:38

[audio clip] And I know how this street and plazas just like this are a lifeline to me and to many of us here.

Brian De Los Santos  02:49

This is Carrie Zhang, the founder of the Asian Mental Health Project. She's addressing the hundreds of people who gathered at a vigil outside the Star Dance Studio, where the fatal shooting happened.

Carrie Zhang  03:00

They connect generations of people. When words within families are mistranslated and miscommunicated, we show our love for each other by sharing food at our favorite restaurants, like the ones right here on this street. We celebrate sacred holidays together and through dancing together in places just like this. But this lifeline has been cut. Places of celebration now also haunt us with this deep trauma, and trust in a nation that beckoned our elders to plant their seeds here has been shattered.

Brian De Los Santos  03:42

There were multiple vigils held throughout the San Gabriel Valley to honor the 11 victims, mostly 60 and 70 year old men and women who were just out to enjoy a night of dancing.

Venerable Chang Jyu  03:52

[audio clip] As long as we are living on this earth, there will be natural and manmade disasters.

Brian De Los Santos  04:00

This is the Venerable Chang Jyu from Dharma Drum Mountain, Los Angeles.

Venerable Chang Jyu  04:05

We don't have to be nervous or panic. What we can do is have peace of mind. For those who have lost your loved ones, grief is unavoidable now that the tragedy has happened and cannot be undone. We must turn our sadness into the power of compassion, [music in] condolences, and encouragement.

Pastor Molly Ramos  04:38

[audio clip] Let the candles bring you comfort as you think about light. And more than a candle, we each carry light with us to share person to person across our community to bring healing and love. So what small acts of kindness and love can you do this week and in the coming weeks to share light with one another?

Brian De Los Santos  05:14

This whole process is heartbreaking. After such a tragedy, we're especially thinking about the victims' families who are trying to rebuild after the loss. The reason why our team went out to these events was to really capture and understand this healing process on the community level. How communities come together in mourning and in celebration. [music out]

Brian De Los Santos  05:38

[outdoor ambi] So I'm here at the Lunar New Year Festival in Alhambra. There's food, there's music, there are booths, dancers, people in traditional clothing. It seems like people are, you know, trying to make the best out of a situation.

Festival Announcer  05:59

[crowd cheers] Welcome to the 29th Annual Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival. Want to let you [know] this festival has been a tradition for decades in our community, and today is perhaps the most significant of any gathering we've had before.

Brian De Los Santos  06:17

The hero we've all been learning about who disarmed the gunman.

Brandon Tsay  06:20

[audio clip] I want to thank the City of Alhambra for this great honor.

Brian De Los Santos  06:25

26-year-old Brandon Tsay of Alhambra was honored here at the festival.

Brandon Tsay  06:29

This situation still feels so surreal to me. I want everyone to take the time to grieve, to mourn, to recover. But after, I want us, the people of this nation, to take action. [crowd cheers]

Brian De Los Santos  06:49

There was a huge crowd. We talked to a bunch of folks, and they said that more than ever, they really needed to be here this year.

Brian De Los Santos  06:56

[festival ambi] Hi. What's your name? [music in] [Jessie: Jessie.] Jessie. Hi, Jessie. I'm, Brian. A lot of community members here are trying to heal like Brandon was saying. He wants, you know, people to heal from the event. Um, how are you feeling?

Jessie  07:08

[festival ambi] Very somber. But I'm glad to see that people are out and about right now. I was curious to see how many people would be out today because of what happened, and it looks like it's a good crowd here. You know, seeing people's faces and you know, coming out and support the community. Um, it makes it very um, a good time, yeah.

Linda Yip  07:30

[festival ambi] I'm Linda Yip. I live in [ ] City. See all these people. That, that means we are not gonna sit there and, and let those bad guys put us down. We want to celebrate. We want to continue life. You know?

Daisy  07:48

[festival ambi] Daisy? So I'm actually really glad that this festival happened. It shows that the community is still strong. And it gives people a chance to like, feel better for what happened instead of you know, being fearful of like, Lunar New Year related events.

David  08:01

[festival ambi] My name is David, and I love this community. It's one evil person, and he come here to destroy the community. After the morning, it's time for us to come together and to be strong and to support a local business. [music swells]

Brian De Los Santos  08:15

[festival ambi] Feels like people are out celebrating today for a reason because they don't want what happened, you know, last week to kinda hinder their celebrations which is- It's kind of beautiful to see you know, that people are going on to honor the memory of the victims by celebrating life.

Connie Lim (MILCK)  08:41

[festival ambi] My name is Connie Lim Lum Hong Lei [music out] and my artist name is MILCK. We are very saddened and honored to be here to sing in hopes to bring some more solidarity between all of us. [MILCK sings: Oh child, things are gonna get easier. Oh child...]

Venerable Chang Jyu  09:46

May all beings be safe and protected.

Brian De Los Santos  09:50

This is the Venerable Chang Jyu again from last week's vigil.

Venerable Chang Jyu  09:54

[MILCK singing softly in background] May all beings be healthy and strong. May all beings be well in body and mind. May all beings be happy and joyful. May all beings be peaceful and at ease. May all beings be free from suffering and the cause of suffering. [MILCK singing grows louder]

Brian De Los Santos  10:30

All righty, y'all. That's all we have for you today. For those affected by this tragedy, there is support. If you or someone you love is in need, you can find a list of resources on LAist.com/HowToLA. There we have a post on how you can talk to your loved ones, especially elders in the Asian American Pacific Islander community about seeking care. Thanks for listening, and we hope you all have a safe week. Go easy on yourselves. Adios. Support for this podcast is made possible by Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live. [MILCK singing and music out]