1990s: The Golden Decade : REFLECTIONS : ‘Everybody is very accepting here. We’ve got a very good mix of races here.’

James Cho, 32

Los Angeles firefighter

Born in Malaysia, came to U.S. at 11

“When I was growing up, everybody accepted everybody. I grew up in a real mixed area around Vermont and 8th Street, before many of the Koreans moved in.

“School was not that difficult, because I lived in a mixed area. It was only when I came to the Fire Department that it was different. I had to be a lot more alert to language differences.

“I spend one third of my life here in the station, and I spend that time with the guys here, so this is like my family.

“It’s different not so much because we are different races, it’s different because my friends at church behave differently than those not from church, you see what I mean? It’s not so much the racial difference. Everybody is very accepting here. We’ve got a very good mix of races here .

“Being a minority here is no different than being a Caucasian. They look at you as how you perform, your duties and your attitude.

“The way that the system works here is real fair. They have a test and you have to score well on it. Anybody who really wants to be something in this department, they can do it if they work hard enough. It’s hard because everyone is trying hard.”