DOWNTOWN L.A. (KABC) -- For the first time in la county - an exhibit that chronicles the contributions of Asian American veterans is on display.
Stories from World War I all the way through to present day are featured in the lobby of the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall and curator Monty Hom says he hopes it sparks pride. "There hasn't ever been a widespread storytelling of Chinese or Asians in the military," Hom said. "So we're sort of always in the background if that make sense.
But yet, we have people that served, sacrifice, died for this country, very little known. And I think our stories need to be told." Hom says this exhibit is for everyone - as it documents what these Asian American men and women have sacrificed for this country.
Eliza Kim says as an Asian American woman climbing the ranks in the army reserve, she's happy to see the representation. "I was at OCS two years ago and I was at BOLC last year and I'm still 1 of 10. So I'm 10% Asian female in every room I enter," Kim said, a 1st Lieutenant military police officer in the U.
S. Army Reserve. "So to show the 10% on the whole floor in the lobby is quite nice to see.
Even once a year." Hom says he began collecting these artifacts when he was just 10 years. He says much of the history has been forgotten - making this exhibit that much more important.
"This history, you could really say, has been forgotten," Hom said. "Especially as the time goes forward. If we don't have this, there's nothing to remember, so the artifacts, .
