LOS ANGELES — Fifty years ago, a group of Asian American students at UCLA chipped in to form Gidra Magazine, one of the first publications to help frame Asian Americans as a self-defining political group and to give voice to the concerns of the community at a time when the term “Oriental” was still the norm.

Gidra, named after King Ghidorah (キングギドラ) from the Godzilla films, ran from 1969 to 1974, then lying dormant…until now. 

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Under the leadership of Susan Park, who has been holding meetings at her Revolutionario North African Tacos restaurant on Jefferson Boulevard, the revived publication just released its inaugural issue in December, showcasing the diverse voices from the Asian American community. 

Gidra was a natural for Park who recalls being a school already challenging the status quo at school by writing a scathing essay about that school curriculum classic, To Kill a Mockingbird. 

“Atticus is not a white savior,” said Park. “Quite the contrary. We questioned his motivations. [My friend] Angelique and I were like, ‘We don't need to read this.’ We both got bad grades. Then, 36 years later, my son would write an essay saying the same things we did, but I didn’t even talk to him about it. He got an A+ and Angelique and I are still so mad!”

Being “mad” about inequality and injustice remained the driving forces behind the relaunch of Gidra.

It's part of the magazine's history as the original founders were inspired at the time by the Black Panthers and the black student movements of the 1960’s. This connection remains today.

Park points to a picture of Malcolm X’s eldest daughter, Attallah Shabazz, who visited the restaurant, encouraging Park on her path.

Mo Nishida and David Monkawa were both involved in the original publication and now come to meetings of the new Gidra. Monkawa said he is happy to see Park take up the mantle, explaining the continued need for Asian Americans to be heard and to counteract the persistent effects of racism. 

“When you get those drops of water every day for 10, 20, 30 years--you know each little drop is called national oppression--then you're going to have a hole through your psyche, through your heart, that you have to regain and redeem by reading, studying and being active,” said Monkawa.

“I don't really want the same story,” said Park of Gidra 2.0’s focus. “I really want somebody's personal perspective and the details that come with that.”

Bridging the past 50 years with the present, the first issue of the new Gidra is available online now, or better yet, Park invites you to get it at her restaurant and try the tacos while you're at it!