Tule Lake, Tuna Canyon and the Kansha Project: June 2013

Vol. 156, No. 11, June 21, 2013. 16 pages. View this issue

History sites and how they are remembered ran through this 16-page issue. JACL National Director Priscilla Ouchida donated a California embossing seal used to certify the incarceration of Sacramento-area Japanese Americans to the Tule Lake Unit of the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. Nalea J. Ko reported on the push to give the Tuna Canyon Detention Station site landmark status in Los Angeles. John Tateishi wrote about the Kansha Project, which takes young people to Los Angeles and Manzanar, and Harry Honda looked ahead to the next JACL national convention in Washington, D.C.

Elsewhere, Connie K. Ho profiled Danny Yoshikawa, new head coach of Japan’s Hyogo Storks. Hawaii named Jan. 30 a day to honor Fred Korematsu, and scholarship and graduation banquets from Portland, Florin and Phoenix appear on pages 10 and 11. Marsha Aizumi wrote about taking her transgender son Aiden to a church that welcomed them.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Helen’s Dream Finally Comes True, by Kanji Sahara, page 2. Kanji Sahara recounts the years-long effort to name the Carson City Council Chamber after longtime city clerk Helen Kawagoe, who suffered a stroke in 2011. After political opposition repeatedly blocked the measure, a new council finally passed the naming unanimously in 2013, fulfilling Helen’s dream.
• Response to ‘Just Whose America Is This?’, by Jean-Paul deGuzman, page 2. Jean-Paul deGuzman responds to John Tateishi’s column, disagreeing with the notion that naturalization was historically open to all newcomers. He details the long history of exclusionary U.S. immigration laws targeting Asians and other groups, arguing race has always been embedded in immigration policy.
• I Am Still a Person, by Marsha Aizumi, page 3. Marsha Aizumi describes taking her transgender son Aiden to speak at Centenary Methodist Church, recalling past rejection by a church a decade earlier. The event became a day of healing and hope as the family was warmly welcomed and shared their journey with a supportive crowd.
• The Kansha Project, by John Tateishi, page 4. John Tateishi describes the Chicago JACL-funded Kansha Project, which brings college-aged Japanese American youth to learn about the WWII incarceration through workshops and a trip to Los Angeles and Manzanar. He reflects on last year’s visit and the program’s value in connecting young people to their community’s history.
• Time to Think About the Next Convention, by Harry Honda, page 4. Harry Honda reflects on his decades of attending JACL National Conventions since 1938, detailing the roll call process, chapter membership rules and district councils. He recounts details from the 2012 convention minutes and looks ahead to procedures for the upcoming convention in Washington, D.C.
• Person (continued): A Mother Reflects on Healing at Church, by Marsha Aizumi, page 16. Continuing her column, Marsha Aizumi describes the emotional healing experienced during her and her son Aiden’s visit to Centenary Methodist Church. She expresses gratitude to JACL for its 1994 resolution supporting marriage equality and for helping make the world safer for her transgender son.
• Convention (continued): Remembering Past Leaders and Sessions, by Harry Honda, page 16. Harry Honda continues his recollection of past JACL convention business sessions, naming officers and leaders who spoke, including then-National President David Kawamoto and Legal Counsel Floyd Shimomura. He pays tribute to the late Seattle JACL president Elaine Akagi, who hosted a past convention.
• Kansha Project (continued): A Chance to Touch History, by John Tateishi, page 16. John Tateishi concludes his piece on the Kansha Project, noting that government sequestration cut ranger-led tours at Manzanar this year, though participants still gained the experience of walking the camp grounds. He argues the program provides a rare and valuable opportunity for Japanese Americans to connect physically with their community’s incarceration history.

National

• JACL Donates Important Artifact to National Park Service, by Elissa K. Ouchida, page 5. JACL National Director Priscilla Ouchida donated a historic California state embossing seal used to certify the incarceration of Sacramento-area Japanese Americans to the Tule Lake Unit of the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. The seal was discovered by a stamp collector whose own father survived the Holocaust, and Ouchida also discussed plans for a 2017 anniversary event and research into the Tule Lake Cemetery site.
• Amid Safety Fears, U.S. Jets Train on Iwo Jima, by Associated Press, page 5. U.S. Navy fighter pilots train on Iwo Jima’s single airstrip despite safety concerns, as no viable emergency landing site exists within a safe distance. Japan has struggled for 25 years to find an alternative site, with Mageshima island suggested as a future option amid strong local opposition to U.S. bases elsewhere in Japan.
• Japanese American General Discusses Space Reconnaissance, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Major Gen. Susan Mashiko, the only Japanese American woman of general rank in the Air Force, spoke at a JAVA luncheon about the history and mission of the National Reconnaissance Office. She thanked former Congressman Norman Mineta, who nominated her to the first class of women admitted to the Air Force Academy, and honored Nisei veterans of JAVA.
• Jiroemon Kimura, World’s Oldest Man, Dies in Japan at 116, by Associated Press, page 12. Jiroemon Kimura of Kyotango, Japan, recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest man ever, died June 12 at age 116 from pneumonia-related causes. The title of oldest living person now passes to fellow Japanese citizen Misao Okawa of Osaka.
• Mark Mitsui Is Appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary of Community Colleges in the U.S. Department of Education, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Mark Mitsui, president of North Seattle Community College since 2010, has been appointed deputy assistant secretary of community colleges in the U.S. Department of Education. He will begin his new post in August focusing on career, technical, adult and correctional education.
• Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie Establishes Jan. 30 as Day to Honor Fred Korematsu, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a bill establishing Jan. 30, Fred Korematsu’s birthday, as Civil Liberties and the Constitution Day, making Hawaii the second state after California to honor the civil rights leader. Karen Korematsu, representing her father, spoke at the ceremony about his humility and legacy.

In-Depth

• L.A. City Council Moves Closer to Recognizing Tuna Canyon Landmark, by Nalea J. Ko, page 6. Preservationists and Japanese American advocates are pushing for historic-cultural landmark designation of the WWII Tuna Canyon Detention Station site, hoping to build a memorial park despite the absence of original structures. The Los Angeles City Council continued deliberations after the Cultural Heritage Commission’s earlier rejection, with descendants like Russell Endo advocating for recognition of the site where his grandfather was detained.
• Nothing but Net for Danny Yoshikawa, by Connie K. Ho, page 8. Sansei basketball coach Danny Yoshikawa, a San Jose native who grew up in Japanese American basketball leagues, has been named head coach of Japan’s Hyogo Storks. He discusses his coaching philosophy, his path through American college basketball, and his excitement about basketball’s growing international reach.

Community

• JACL Portland and Gresham-Troutdale Chapters Hold Annual Graduation Banquet, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Eleven high school seniors received awards and scholarships totaling $12,000 at the 66th annual Portland Japanese American Community Graduation Banquet. The event, sponsored by JACL chapters and community organizations, featured keynote speaker Todd Yuzuriha and recognized students of Japanese descent from the Portland metro area.
• Florin JACL Announces 2013 Scholarship Recipients, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Florin JACL selected Mika M. Ishisaka and Esumi G. Fujimoto as its 2013 scholarship recipients, honoring their academic achievements and community involvement. Both were recognized at a June 1 ceremony, with Ishisaka planning to study biological science and Fujimoto pursuing nursing and public health work abroad.
• 52nd Annual Sara Hutchings Clardy Scholarship Awards and Gold Saguaro Tribute Awards Luncheon Held, by Ted Namba, page 11. The Phoenix JACL chapter’s 52nd annual scholarship and tribute luncheon honored four Sara Hutchings Clardy Scholarship recipients and four Gold Saguaro Award winners for their community service. Judge Roxanne Song Ong delivered the keynote address to more than 117 attendees.

Obituaries

• Miyo M. Senzaki, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Miyo M. Senzaki, 93, passed away on May 22, 2013, predeceased by her husband and two sons. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, siblings and a partner, with a Celebration of Life service held at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
• Rumi Uragami, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Rumi Uragami, 85, passed away on June 5, 2013, at Keiro Nursing Home after a long illness, survived by her husband Robert and two children. Born in San Pedro in 1927, she lived through Terminal Island, Santa Anita Assembly Center and Amache before settling in Costa Mesa for over 50 years with her husband.

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