【sex with sex robots sex videos】Enter to watch online.Iconic Little Tokyo Mural Defaced with Graffiti

By GWEN MURANAKA, Rafu Senior Editor

“Home Is Little Tokyo,” the colorful mural at Japanese Village Plaza on Central Avenue that welcomes visitors to the historic Japanese American neighborhood, was defaced with graffiti by taggers on early Sunday morning, sparking anger and outrage.

“I’m so upset,” said Brian Kito, owner of Fugetsu-Do Confectionery. “To go over someone else’s artwork is a taboo thing. They are low life, low class.”

The mural, completed in 2005, was the culmination of three years work by a team led by muralists Tony Osumi, Sergio Diaz and Jorge Diaz, and project managers Nancy Kikuchi and Takao Suzuki. More than 500 people helped to paint the mural, which features scenes of Japanese American life and history, including images of redress, the Asian American movement and mochitsuki.

Large black panels currently cover the areas damaged by the taggers. Kito explained that the mural has an anti-grafitti coating and that a crew is scheduled to come on Tuesday to assess the damage and work on restoration.

He praised Angela DeGroot, JVP manager, for taking quick action.

“I want to thank Angela from JVP for taking the initiative to cover it up for us — for the community’s sake — so we don’t have to see it. She’s a part of the community too,” Kito said.

Kito said a security guard from JVP caught the taggers in the act and one of them threatened to shoot. This is the first time the mural has been hit, although Little Tokyo has seen an uptick in graffiti incidents in recent years as the area becomes a popular destination.

“The mural is an expression of Little Tokyo’s spirit and values, worked on by hundreds of volunteers over 13 years ago. This is the first time it’s been vandalized and it’s a disrespect to the entire community,” Suzuki said.

Poignantly, the mural also stands as a testament to two of its creators who passed away after its completion: Nancy Kikuchi, who died in 2014 at 52 years old, and Sergio Diaz, who died last December at 48 years old.

Osumi shared memories of painting the mural at Sergio’s home in Van Nuys, with music playing and Kikuchi bringing provisions of El Pollo Loco chicken. Kikuchi is depicted among the taiko drummers on the mural. Osumi said that Sergio also included an image of his young daughter.

“When there are so few images of Asian Americans, it represents our hopes and dreams like the building the rec center and Nancy Kikuchi’s image,” Osumi said. “This is not a blank wall, it’s 130 years of history and struggle. When it gets needlessly covered up, it’s painful.”

Osumi said he hopes the perpetrators are caught and made to do community service. He also pointed to the need for more after-school and arts programs for youth.

“Mural abatement costs the city millions that could be used for arts programs for kids,” he said.

Articles for you

• explore
• fashion
• focus
• hotspot
• knowledge
• recreation
• relaxation
• synthesize

• Hirono, Duckworth Lead Effort to Recognize Fred Korematsu Day, Denounce Hate
• London's nightlife is disappearing — here's why that's dangerous for the city
• Miles Teller apologizes to the internet for his terrifying bleached hair
• London's nightlife is disappearing — here's why that's dangerous for the city
• More Asian Americans Living in San Gabriel Valley Than in 42 States
• How you can use a bullet journal to live a healthier life
• Trump campaign gets in Twitter trouble again with Photoshopped poll image
• This alarm clock wants to wake you up with an orgasm
• Manzanar Committee Mourns the Loss of Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga
• Prince Charles blasts Twitter for posing 'mortal threat' to written English

• Snapchat offers Frank Ocean filters in lieu of a new Frank Ocean album
• Justin Bieber is nude on vacation and cold water is wet
• We asked an Olympian what it's like to spend 4 years training for Rio
• The Rio Olympics are rife with problems and potential disasters
• Here's Donald Trump playing beach volleyball in total Donald Trump style
• President Obama got pumped up for his DNC speech to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself'
• Badass little girl's pink robot was the real winner of 'Robot Wars'
• Apple could be working on a new health
• Bored Olympics lifeguard is the spirit animal for those bored at work
• We’ll never stop workplace sexual harassment as long as we ignore everyday sexism

• Funeral Services Announced for Officer Hirai
• Graphic sexual assault photo series forces you to see the victim
• A SpaceX rocket launched, released a satellite, and landed overnight
• Man's genius money
• Poll Monitors Mobilized to Protect Rights of Limited
• Obama and Putin's icy death stare gets a presidential Photoshop battle
• A SpaceX rocket launched, released a satellite, and landed overnight
• The Rock got pooped on during a philosophical moment with his daughter
• JANM Recognizes Two ‘Woman Warriors’
• 10 features I think Snapchat should have but only my Snapchat

• Manzanar Committee Mourns Loss of Congressman Dellums
• Very professional business dog even has his own ID card
• Miles Teller apologizes to the internet for his terrifying bleached hair
• No one has ever been as happy as this pug getting belly scratches
• Shinnen Enkai at LBJCC
• London's nightlife is disappearing — here's why that's dangerous for the city
• London's nightlife is disappearing — here's why that's dangerous for the city
• Hillary Clinton reveals to 'Humans of New York' what it takes to be a woman in politics
• MIS Veteran’s Story Told in New Book
• I communicated like RuPaul for the day and it kinda changed my life