The 2012 JACL National Scholarship winners and their essays on civil rights

Vol. 155, No. 7, October 5, 2012. 16 pages. View this issue

The 2012 JACL National Scholarship winners were the subject of this 16-page special issue. Jason Chang reported that the program awarded $61,000 to 25 applicants, with a new full-tuition partnership with Meiji Gakuin University in Japan to start in 2013. Winners wrote about why civil rights matter to their generation and why they joined JACL. Alethea K. Endo recounted her family’s incarceration at Amache and Poston, and Jeffrey Yamashita honored his family’s service in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team. Gil Asakawa added a column on education.

Elsewhere, Nalea J. Ko reported on the debate over the musical Allegiance, starring George Takei, and JACL issued a statement about it. George Toshio Johnston wrote about returning as interim editor, and outgoing National President David H. Kawamoto thanked the board in his column.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• 2012 National JACL Scholarship Winners Announced, by Jason Chang, page 2. The National JACL Scholarship Program awarded $61,000 to 25 deserving applicants this year, with thanks given to committee members and staff who made the program possible. A new partnership with Meiji Gakuin University in Japan will offer a four-year, full-tuition scholarship starting in 2013.

Commentary

• Into the Next Stage: A Former Editor’s Return to a Troubled Pacific Citizen, by George Toshio Johnston, page 3. After Pacific Citizen lost its executive editor, assistant editor and business manager within weeks, former editor George Johnston was asked to step in as interim editor. He reflects on his earlier career at P.C., the changes in newspaper production technology, and the ongoing search for a permanent executive editor.
• This & That, by David H. Kawamoto, page 3. Outgoing JACL National President David Kawamoto thanks the national board members for their considerable efforts during his term and explains why he chose not to run for re-election, endorsing David Lin instead. He details the contributions of various board members including Gail Sueki, Larry Oda, Jason Chang, Ron Katsuyama and the JACL Youth representatives.
• It’s a Stereotype, But Education Matters, by Gil Asakawa, page 3. Gil Asakawa reflects on his own experience as a ‘model minority’ student who received a scholarship in 1975 and how his academic foundation gave him flexibility to change careers from art to journalism to technology. He congratulates the 2012 JACL scholarship winners while cautioning against extreme academic pressure like ‘Tiger parenting.’
• Scholarship Winner Reflections on Civil Rights and JACL Membership, by Kathryn E. Cunningham, page 4. Scholarship winner Kathryn Cunningham argues that youth lack a sense of urgency about civil rights because society appears more open than in the past. She explains she joined the Seattle JACL board because she believes in its mission and wants to be part of positive change.
• April Dennison on Civil Liberties and JACL, by April K. Dennison, page 4. Scholarship winner April Dennison writes that her generation has not suffered oppression like internment or war, making them complacent about civil liberties. She argues that joining organizations like JACL is critical to prevent history from repeating itself.
• Alethea Endo on Her Family’s Internment History and JACL’s Purpose, by Alethea K. Endo, page 4. Scholarship winner Alethea Endo recounts her family’s internment at Amache and Poston and how the Quaker AFSC helped them resettle in Philadelphia. She argues that JACL’s role is to speak with a strong institutional voice born from the historical experience of Japanese Americans.
• Kristy Ishii on the Tsunami and Fighting Ignorance, by Kristy L. Ishii, page 5. Scholarship winner Kristy Ishii describes how the 2011 Japan tsunami sparked hateful social media comments referencing Pearl Harbor, motivating her JACL involvement. She believes civil rights organizations like JACL help diminish ignorance and misunderstanding in communities.
• Kristi Lin on Environmental Justice and Civil Rights Coalitions, by Kristi M. Lin, page 5. Scholarship winner Kristi Lin discusses learning about environmental injustice affecting low-income and minority communities and JACL’s Environmental Justice work. She praises JACL’s advocacy for Vietnamese fishermen in the Gulf Coast and its opposition to Arizona’s SB 1070.
• Holden Parks on the Fragility of Civil Rights, by Holden L. Parks, page 6. Scholarship winner Holden Parks argues civil rights are not guaranteed and can be threatened even by one’s own government, citing Japanese American internment and Prop 8 as examples. He contends civil rights organizations exist to protect against such threats before they occur.
• Ross Seeman on JACL’s Impact Through Unite People, by Ross Seeman, page 6. Scholarship winner Ross Seeman describes his work co-leading Unite People, the youth group of Portland JACL, including a documentary addressing the terminology debate between ‘internment camp’ and ‘concentration camp.’ He credits JACL membership with shaping him into a more knowledgeable and engaged individual.
• Kaylene Yamada on Individual Rights and Organizational Action, by Kaylene Y. Yamada, page 6. Scholarship winner Kaylene Yamada observes that many young people care about civil rights issues like gay rights and education but fail to act due to lack of opportunity. She argues organizations like JACL provide a platform to turn ideas into action.
• Matthew Iritani on Family Legacy and Community Involvement, by Matthew Iritani, page 7. Scholarship winner Matthew Iritani writes about honoring his grandfather’s legacy as a farmer and his own extensive volunteer work in the Japanese American community. He reflects on understanding his family’s laborious history through his community service.
• John Kanemoto on Youth Disengagement from Civil Rights, by John Kanemoto, page 7. Scholarship winner John Kanemoto argues that today’s youth are overwhelmed by responsibilities and comfortable relying on adults to continue civil rights progress. He contends this generation doesn’t know how to engage in civil rights battles despite believing in the cause.
• Kevin Mori on Empathy and Coalition Building, by Kevin Mori, page 7. Scholarship winner Kevin Mori discusses how JACL’s advocacy for other communities, such as Muslim Americans after 9/11 and Trayvon Martin’s case, stems from empathy rooted in the internment legacy. He describes learning about coalition-building through a Students of Color Conference.
• JACL’s Statement on ‘Allegiance’, by P.C. Staff, page 9. JACL released a statement addressing the musical’s depiction of Mike Masaoka, acknowledging that ‘incarceration created deep psychological wounds.’ Resisters of Conscience and their supporters have long taken issue with JACL’s historical positions and policies regarding wartime draft resistance.
• Michael Murata on Civil Rights Activism at Berkeley, by Michael Murata, page 10. Scholarship winner Michael Murata describes witnessing youth civil rights activism at UC Berkeley, including the Occupy movement and campus organizations. He connects his work with the Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Research Group to the broader fight for civil liberties.
• Rachel Seeman on Youth Involvement in JACL’s Future, by Rachel Seeman, page 10. Scholarship winner Rachel Seeman emphasizes that JACL’s continued relevance depends on active youth involvement in its mission of equality and social justice. She argues that educating young members about JACL’s role helps them see it as a launching pad for community leadership.
• Alexandra Wong on Microaggressions and Modern Civil Rights, by Alexandra Wong, page 10. Scholarship winner Alexandra Wong argues that while major civil rights battles have been legally resolved, smaller-scale injustices like microaggressions against AAPIs still require attention. She contends civil rights organizations like JACL remain important for addressing these subtler discriminatory perceptions.
• Christian Heimburger on Protecting Freedom Across Generations, by Christian Heimburger, page 11. Scholarship winner Christian Heimburger writes that the legacy of Japanese American internment should compel all Americans to vigilantly protect individual freedom. He argues that post-9/11 fears mirror wartime prejudices, showing that protecting freedom is a responsibility for every generation.
• Christina Lee on Civil Rights and Community Research, by Christina Lee, page 11. Scholarship winner Christina Lee describes her work with the K.W. Lee Center for Leadership and research on social inequalities in Los Angeles Koreatown. She learned how policy implementation disparities affect urban youth health and access to services.
• Takako Mino on Gordon Hirabayashi’s Legacy and Generational Disconnect, by Takako Mino, page 11. Scholarship winner Takako Mino cites Gordon Hirabayashi’s wartime resistance as an example of civic duty, contrasting it with her generation’s disconnection from collective ethnic identity and civil rights organizations. She explains that not having struggled personally for civil rights makes it harder for youth to see the relevance of groups like JACL.
• Jean Shiraki on Health Policy and Civil Rights Education, by Jean Shiraki, page 11. Scholarship winner Jean Shiraki argues that younger generations take civil rights for granted because they’re disconnected from the internment experience of their ancestors. She describes how her work at JACL gave her a holistic perspective on health policy and inspired her to advocate for underserved communities.
• Katherine Soe on Bridging Cultural Divides Through JACL, by Katherine Soe, page 12. Scholarship winner Katherine Soe describes interviewing internment survivors for a history project, which deepened her understanding of minority discrimination issues. She questions why more of her peers don’t join identity-based civil rights organizations despite shared heritage.
• Jeffrey Yamashita on Collective Action and Family Legacy, by Jeffrey Yamashita, page 12. Scholarship winner Jeffrey Yamashita honors his family’s service in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and his uncle’s lawsuit against the Marines for racial discrimination. He argues that JACL’s strength lies in its unity as a collective movement rather than individual action.
• Hillary Nakano on Becoming a Civil Rights Advocate, by Hillary Nakano, page 12. Scholarship winner Hillary Nakano describes her passion for civil rights, inspired by cases like Fred Korematsu’s, and her ambition to become a civil rights advocate for Asian Americans through law school. She notes that her JACL work experience changed her mind about the value of joining civil rights organizations.
• Staci Yamashita-Iida on Her Grandmother’s Redress Story, by Staci Yamashita-Iida, page 12. Scholarship winner Staci Yamashita-Iida shares a story about her grandmother receiving redress payments and encountering a bank teller unaware of the internment camps. She reflects on the duty of grandchildren to remember survivors’ stories and ensure such injustices are never repeated.
• Rachelle Clark on Millennial Tolerance and Civil Rights, by Rachelle Clark, page 13. Scholarship winner Rachelle Clark argues that her generation, the Millennials, embodies tolerance toward race, religion, disability and sexual orientation without needing to label it as civil rights activism. She credits this upbringing and education with instilling a natural moral compass in her generation.
• Marissa Kitazawa on Preserving Japanese American Legacy, by Marissa Kitazawa, page 13. Scholarship winner Marissa Kitazawa emphasizes the importance of preserving the stories of dwindling Japanese American incarcerees to prevent future marginalization of other groups. She shares her grandfather’s lesson that education and knowledge can never be taken away, unlike property and freedom.
• Christopher Hyde on Making Civil Rights Relevant to Youth, by Christopher Hyde, page 13. Scholarship winner Christopher Hyde argues that JACL must find ways to make historical struggles relevant to youth who lack direct connection to internment history. He suggests that engaging young people with new tools could help JACL expand membership and redefine its relevance.
• Letter From an Editor: Continued Reflections, by George Toshio Johnston, page 16. Johnston continues his account of helping stabilize Pacific Citizen, noting the hiring of business manager Susan Yokoyama and a new interim editor. He reflects on the drastic changes in newspaper production technology since his earlier tenure, from phototypeset waxing to modern desktop publishing.
• This & That: Continued, by David H. Kawamoto, page 16. Kawamoto continues thanking JACL board members for their dedication, highlighting Jason Chang’s program oversight and the JACL Youth representatives’ use of modern media to engage members. He urges members not to stop supporting the volunteers who give so much time to the organization.

In-Depth

• New Musical ‘Allegiance’ Stirs Debate Within Japanese American Community, by Nalea J. Ko, page 8. The musical ‘Allegiance,’ starring George Takei and inspired by his internment experience, has generated controversy over its portrayal of JACL and former National Secretary Mike Masaoka, as well as its depiction of the Heart Mountain draft resisters. Creators defend the show as sparking necessary dialogue about a divisive period in Japanese American history, while critics like Frank Abe and JAVA’s Gerald Yamada say it distorts historical events.

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