The 1992 scholarship issue: JACL winners and a stalled redress bill

Vol. 115, No. 3, July 31, 1992. 20 pages. View this issue

The 1992 JACL National Scholarship winners filled most of this 20-page issue, with profiles of students and graduates from across the country, from high school seniors headed to Stanford, Harvard and Caltech to law, medical and arts students. The committee, chaired by Kimi Hara, praised the winners’ scholastic excellence. Front-page news was less encouraging: Karen K. Narasaki reported that the Civil Liberties Act Amendments of 1992 were stalled in a Senate committee over budget objections from OMB, with Congress about to recess. Redress coordinators were named by district, and new JACL member benefits were announced.

Other pages covered chapter scholarship dinners in Seattle, Sacramento, San Diego and elsewhere, funds for the Manzanar National Historic Site, and the Rohwer site’s landmark status. Columns by Bill Hosokawa and Bill Marutani appeared, along with letters on JACL President Cressey Nakagawa’s Japan trip and details of the Denver national convention.

What’s in this issue

JACL

• Senate Committee Refuses to Move on Redress Bill, by Karen K. Narasaki, page 1. The Civil Liberties Act Amendments of 1992 is stalled in the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee due to OMB objections over budget treatment of the additional $320 million sought. Senator Cranston has become a co-sponsor, but with Congress in summer recess until September 8, action is delayed.
• New Long Distance Service Offered to JACL Members, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Members’ Long Distance Advantage will soon be available to JACL members as a new membership benefit, offering substantial discounts. The program will also generate royalty funds for JACL’s Support Fund.
• JACL Scholarship Committee Announces 1992 Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pacific Citizen presents its annual scholarship issue announcing the academic achievements of students from around the country. The 1992 National JACL Scholarship Committee, chaired by Kimi Hara, praised the winners’ scholastic excellence and awareness of their Japanese American heritage.
• JACL President’s Column on Membership and Convention, by Cressey Nakagawa, page 13. JACL President Nakagawa discusses the upcoming national convention, membership benefits including the JACL/Sumitomo Bank program which generated $63,600 for national JACL since 1988, and the expiring $500 rate for 1000 Club Life memberships. He also encourages gift memberships and previews his message on JACL’s future direction.
• JACL Convention Lineup Announced for Denver, by P.C. Staff, page 15. The 32nd Biennial National JACL Convention, themed ‘JACL: Solid as the Rockies,’ will be hosted by the Mile-Hi Chapter at the Sheraton Denver Tech Center from August 4-9. The schedule includes national council meetings, tours, workshops on Japanese American identity issues, and the Sayonara Banquet.

Community

• David M. Watanabe: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. David M. Watanabe of Omaha, Nebraska, a top-ranked student at Brownell-Talbot High School, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Scholarship. He will attend Colorado State University and credits his interest in art and cartoons for shaping his personality and career aspirations.
• Erin Maki Anzai: Masako and Sumako Itano Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Erin Maki Anzai of Honolulu, ranked No. 1 in her class at Punahou School, won the $1,000 Masako and Sumako Itano Scholarship. She will study at Nanzan University in Japan before continuing at Duke University.
• Kyle K. Ginoza: Masako and Sumako Itano Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kyle Ginoza of Maui High School, ranked No. 1 in his class, received the $1,000 Masako and Sumako Itano Scholarship and will attend Stanford. Known for his curiosity about engineering, he was active in student government and multiple sports.
• Takashi Terada: Mr. and Mrs. Takashi Moriuchi Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Takashi Terada of North High in Torrance, ranked No. 1 in his class, won the $1,000 Mr. and Mrs. Takashi Moriuchi Scholarship. He is fluent in Japanese, practices calligraphy and karate, and will attend Stanford.
• Michael Chengtung Liu: Mr. and Mrs. Takashi Moriuchi Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Michael Liu of Park Ridge, New Jersey, an Eagle Scout and honors graduate, received the $1,000 Mr. and Mrs. Takashi Moriuchi Scholarship. He will attend Harvard and plans to major in East Asian Studies with a business minor.
• Jolene Hiromi Nakao: Gongoro Nakamura Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Jolene Nakao of Sacramento, ranked No. 1 in her class at Kennedy High, won the Gongoro Nakamura Memorial Scholarship and will attend Stanford. She was senior class president, a varsity cheerleader, and active in debate and forensics.
• Tritia Reina Yamasaki: Sam S. Kuwahara Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tritia Yamasaki of Los Alamitos High, ranked No. 1 in her class, received the $1,000 Sam S. Kuwahara Memorial Scholarship and will attend Stanford. An avid reader, she dreams of a writing career in research science.
• Yuji Garett Higaki: Sumitomo Bank of California Freshman Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Yuji Higaki of Piedmont Hills High, ranked No. 1 in his class, won the $1,000 Sumitomo Bank Freshman Scholarship. A National Merit Finalist active in cross-country and the San Jose Buddhist community, he plans further study in engineering-related fields.
• Aimee D. Kisayo Betts: South Park Japanese Community Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Aimee Betts of Caldwell, Idaho, ranked No. 1 in her class, received the $1,000 South Park Japanese Community Scholarship and will attend Boston University. She was senior class president and a nominee of the Snake River JACL.
• Mary T. Sadanaga: Kenji Kasai Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Mary Sadanaga of Davis, California, graduated No. 1 at St. Francis High School in Sacramento and won the $1,000 Kenji Kasai Memorial Scholarship. She will attend Harvard and plans to major in civil or environmental engineering.
• Daniel Toshiro Morris: Mitsuyuki Yonemura Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Daniel Morris of Woods Cross High in Utah, a National Merit Finalist and Sterling Scholar, received the Mitsuyuki Yonemura Memorial Scholarship. He was senior class president and lettered in soccer and basketball.
• Jennifer Miyasaka: Majiu Uyesugi Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Jennifer Miyasaka of Newbury Park, California, ranked No. 1 in her class, won the $1,000 Majiu Uyesugi Memorial Scholarship and will attend Caltech. She overcame doubts about her interest in math and science to excel academically.
• Wayne Yoshida: Union Bank Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Wayne Yoshida of Mark Keppel High in Alhambra achieved a perfect 800 SAT math score and won the $1,000 Union Bank Scholarship to attend Caltech. He aims to excel in engineering to counter anti-Asian sentiments through achievement.
• June Dash: Union Bank of California Undergraduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. June Dash of Hanford, California, achieved a 4.0 GPA in her freshman year at UCLA and received the Union Bank Undergraduate Scholarship. An economics/business major and accomplished musician, she plans to become a certified public accountant and later attend law school.
• Kenn Kashima: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Undergraduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Kenn Kashima, studying at San Francisco State University, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Undergraduate Scholarship. Discovering his ethnic identity through Asian American Studies at UC Davis, he now pursues filmmaking, including writing a play called ‘Colored Paper.’
• Sharon Miki Nozawa: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Undergraduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Sharon Miki Nozawa, a theater and Asian American Studies major at UCLA, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Undergraduate Scholarship. She is an aspiring playwright active with East West Players and activities related to the 50th anniversary of Executive Order 9066.
• Kenly Kiya Kato: Saburo Kido Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Kenly Kiya Kato, a political science major at UCLA, received the $1,000 Saburo Kido Memorial Scholarship and plans to become a civil rights attorney. She works as a research assistant for Professor Mari Matsuda and volunteers with abused and neglected children.
• Julie Eiko Yamamoto: Kyutaro and William Abiko Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Julie Yamamoto, a junior at USC majoring in political science and journalism, received the Kyutaro and William Abiko Memorial Scholarship named for distinguished Japanese American newspaper publishers. She serves as assistant city editor at the Daily Trojan and completed an internship at the San Bernardino Sun.
• Sarah R. Burnett: Dr. Thomas Yatabe Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Sarah Burnett of Hampton, Virginia, received the $1,000 Dr. Thomas Yatabe Memorial Scholarship and will attend the College of William and Mary. She has been active with the City of Hampton’s Coalition for Youth and aims to work in the juvenile justice system.
• Junichi Paul Semitsu: Sumitomo Bank of California Undergraduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Junichi Paul Semitsu, a student at UC Berkeley, received the Sumitomo Bank Undergraduate Scholarship and lives in a house promoting Asian American cultural awareness. He discusses dealing with rising Japan-bashing and racially motivated incidents on campus.
• Kiyoshi Hidemi Graves: Sam S. Kuwahara Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Kiyoshi Hidemi Graves of Pacific Grove, California, received the $1,000 Sam S. Kuwahara Scholarship and will attend Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study architectural engineering. Current U.S.-Japan tensions have heightened his awareness of his Japanese American heritage.
• Valerie Yoshimura: Nisaburo Aibara Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Valerie Yoshimura of Santa Barbara received the Nisaburo Aibara Memorial Scholarship and will attend the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Active in numerous Japanese American historical and community projects, she emphasizes the importance of activism against ‘Japan Bashing’ and hate crimes.
• John Ky Shitama: Rev. H. John Yamashita Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 7. John Shitama, a divinity student at Wesley Theological Seminary, received the $1,200 Rev. H. John Yamashita Memorial Scholarship. He serves as student local pastor at Hopewell United Methodist Church, overseeing pastoral duties for a 200-member congregation.
• Matthew Hanasono: Shizuko Kato Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Matthew Hanasono, heading to Stanford University Medical School, received the $1,000 Shizuko Kato Memorial Scholarship. A UCLA biology graduate active in the Nikkei community, he teaches karate to children at Gardena Buddhist Church.
• Sam Reed Shimamoto: Chiyoko and Thomas Tomotsu Shimazaki Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Reed Shimamoto of Billings, Montana, received the $1,000 Shimazaki Memorial Scholarship and will attend University of Colorado Medical School. He intends to provide primary health care in rural areas of the western United States as a general practitioner or pediatrician.
• Craig Yonemura: Dentistry Scholar at UCSF, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Craig Yonemura, attending the University of California San Francisco’s School of Dentistry, received the UCSF Newell Award based on academic standing and community involvement. He volunteers extensively with Kimochi, a nonprofit serving Japanese American senior citizens.
• David Matsuda: Minoru Yasui Memorial Scholarship for Human Rights, by P.C. Staff, page 8. David Matsuda, heading to a PhD program at American University in social anthropology, received the $1,000 Minoru Yasui Memorial Scholarship for Human Rights. His research focuses on looters of pre-Columbian artifacts and human rights issues in Latin America.
• Kevin Jiro Komatsu: Dr. Kiyoshi Sonoda Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Kevin Komatsu, studying dentistry at the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, received the $1,000 Dr. Kiyoshi Sonoda Memorial Scholarship. He maintains a perfect 4.0 GPA and was selected for a Dean’s Scholarship based on his potential contribution to the dental profession.
• Tony Osumi: Sumitomo Bank of California Graduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Tony Osumi of West Los Angeles received the $1,000 Sumitomo Bank Graduate Scholarship for Asian American Studies at UCLA. His artwork was used at the UCLA civil rights conference on ‘Beyond Japanese American Redress,’ and he was a panelist on political correctness.
• Kimberly Dee Elsbach: Union Bank of California Graduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Kimberly Elsbach, pursuing a PhD in Industrial Engineering at Stanford, received the $1,000 Union Bank Graduate Scholarship. Her research on organizational behavior included studying NASA Ames shuttle support teams, and her paper was published in the Academy of Management Journal.
• Yuri Makino: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Graduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Yuri Makino, studying film at USC, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Graduate Scholarship. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Santa Barbara, she made an award-winning short film and hopes to challenge negative media portrayals of Japanese people.
• Tina Toshiko Takemoto: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Graduate Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Tina Takemoto, a fine arts graduate student at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Memorial Graduate Scholarship. Her painting explores the marginalization of women and minorities in art history, and she is active in Godzilla: Asian American Arts Alliance and Women’s Action Coalition.
• Kinuko Masaki: Abe and Esther Hagiwara Student Aid Award, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Kinuko Masaki of Shelby Township, Michigan, received the $2,500 Abe and Esther Hagiwara Student Aid Award and will attend MIT to study computer science. Her interest in science began with curiosity about insects, leading to national recognition in science competitions.
• Anna Esaki Smith: Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Creative Arts Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Anna Esaki Smith, a former Reuters foreign correspondent in Japan, received the $5,000 Henry and Chiyo Kuwahara Creative Arts Scholarship for her MFA studies at Columbia University. She is writing a novel about growing up Japanese American.
• Liane Aritomi: Sho Sato Memorial Law Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 9. Liane Aritomi, a former computer programmer now studying law at UC Berkeley, received the $1,100 Sho Sato Memorial Law Scholarship. She made a mid-career switch seeking more relevance and connection with people through legal work.
• Raymond Sandoval: Aiko Susanna Tashiro Hiratsuka Memorial Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Raymond Sandoval, a classical guitarist who graduated from the University of Arizona School of Music, received the $2,000 Aiko Susanna Tashiro Hiratsuka Memorial Scholarship. He performed before Senator Barry Goldwater and will further his music training at USC.
• Richard Hidehito Hikida: Thomas Hayashi Memorial Law Scholarship, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Richard Hikida, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Irvine with a 3.969 GPA, received the $2,500 Thomas Hayashi Memorial Law Scholarship and will attend Yale Law School. He interned in Rep. Robert Matsui’s Washington office and contributed to a research article on child homicide.
• Philadelphia Chapter Honors High School and College Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 10. On March 28, the Philadelphia Chapter JACL recognized 12 high school, college, and graduate honorees during its chapter installation at Coastline Restaurant. Jean Wu, associate dean at Bryn Mawr College, served as guest speaker.
• Portland Nikkei Community Banquet Honors 1992 Graduates, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Portland Nikkei community banquet on May 3 honored the 1992 class of high school graduates, with a keynote address by University of Oregon honors graduate Dana Nakata. Numerous scholarships were awarded from organizations including Oregon Buddhist Church and Oregon Nisei Vets.
• Seattle JACL Honors Three Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Seattle JACL honored three outstanding high school graduates with $1,000 awards each at its annual scholarship banquet at the Kawabe House on May 20. Dr. Naomi Iwata-Sanchez served as keynote speaker for the event.
• Sacramento Chapter Honors 28 Scholarship Award Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The Sacramento Chapter JACL scholarship committee, co-chaired by Christine Kojima and Peter Ouchida, honored winners of 28 awards at a mid-May dinner at the Red Lion Inn. Entertainment featured scholarship recipients including pianist Mary Sadanaga and ballet dancer Julie Tollefson.
• San Jose JACL Congratulates Scholarship Recipients, by P.C. Staff, page 10. At the April 25 scholarship luncheon, San Jose JACL congratulated high school scholarship recipients including winners of the Norman Y. Mineta Memorial and other named awards. Awards ranged from $100 to $1,000 across multiple categories.
• San Diego JACL Marks 35th Anniversary of Scholarship Dinner, by Tets Kashima, page 10. San Diego JACL’s scholarship dinner, now in its 35th year, presented awards to 17 high school graduates following a talk by history professor Donald Estes. The funds originate from the sale of the old Japanese school property in Chula Vista deeded to San Diego JACL.
• Nisei Week Queen Candidates Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Eight candidates are vying for the Nisei Week Queen title sponsored by various Japanese American organizations across Southern California, with the queen to be crowned August 1 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel. The queen and her court will ride in the Nisei Week parade through Little Tokyo on August 3, led by parade marshal Kristi Yamaguchi.
• Six Pioneers to Be Honored at Nisei Week Luncheon, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Six Japanese Americans from the Los Angeles area will be honored as pioneers at the Pioneer Luncheon at the New Otani Hotel on August 5. Honoree Henry Kashuku Mori worked at the Rafu Shimpo for decades, including helping produce its first post-war issue in 1946.
• Leaders Meet With Studio on ‘Rising Sun’, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Dennis Hayashi and Ron Wakabayashi met with Strauss Zelnick to discuss concerns over the studio’s production of the film ‘Rising Sun.’ The meeting addressed worries about negative stereotypes potentially portrayed in the film.
• Marysville JACL Honors Graduates With Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 15. At the Yuba City High School awards ceremony, Marysville Chapter JACL board member Ray Kyono honored two graduates with scholarships and PCYA tuitions to Washington, D.C. The honorees were Sara Nakashima and Kristin Kakiuchi.
• South Bay JACL Honors Graduates and Queen Candidate, by Jeanne Tsujimoto, page 15. South Bay JACL’s scholarship and queen reception on June 28 at Joslyn Center for the Arts honored four high school graduates and two UCLA undergraduates. Nisei Week queen candidate Lori Ohashi, a UC Riverside student, was also recognized.
• Florin JACL Barbecue Honors Scholarship Recipients, by Bill Kashiwagi, page 15. Over 100 attended the June 27 Florin JACL barbecue at Florin Buddhist Church, combining the annual scholarship award event with a new members welcome party. Chapter president Andy Noguchi announced six scholarship recipients.
• San Fernando Valley Scholarship Awardees Announced, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Several JACL and Japanese American Community Center scholarships were awarded in the San Fernando Valley, chaired by Nancy Oda with committee members including Genevieve Lew and Kay Inaba. Recipients included winners of the Eugene David Oda Memorial and Nikkei Village awards.
• San Gabriel Valley JACL Announces Scholarship Winners, by P.C. Staff, page 15. San Gabriel Valley JACL scholarship winners were announced by committee chair Deni Y. Uejima, with candidates from seven area high schools. Awards included the Hide Kiyan Memorial and David Ito Memorial scholarships.
• East Los Angeles Chapter Presents Merit Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 16. East Los Angeles Chapter JACL presented its 1992 Merit scholarships to four area high school graduates, chaired by June Kurisu. Recipients included students from Schurr, Mark Keppel, and Alhambra high schools.
• Placer County Graduates Honored With Scholarships, by P.C. Staff, page 16. High school graduates from the Placer County JACL area were honored at a dinner at Placer Buddhist Church hall, receiving awards including the Thomas Yego Memorial and Sgt. Masa Sakamoto Memorial scholarships. Winners came from Placer, Oakmont, and Roseville high schools.
• Mombusho Opens Graduate Scholarships for Study in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Applications for the 1993 Japanese Government (Mombusho) graduate scholarships for U.S. students to continue research in Japan are available through the Japanese Consulate General, with an August 14 deadline. The scholarship covers roundtrip transportation, school fees, monthly stipend, and a two-year term of study.
• Awards in Nursing Available Through Japanese Community Health, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Seven scholarships for nursing students are available from Japanese Community Health, Inc., with an application deadline of September 30, 1992. The top three JCHI scholarships are reserved for bilingual pre-nursing or nursing students, with additional named awards for specific ancestral lineage.
• NSRC Fund Presents Scholarships to Southeast Asian Students, by P.C. Staff, page 16. The Nisei Student Relocation Commemorative Fund presented ten $1,000 scholarships to Southeast Asian immigrant students to help further their college education. The fund honors the legacy of the National Japanese American Student Relocation Council that helped Nisei college students during WWII relocate to accepting colleges.

Commentary

• It Must Be Told: A Tribute to Nisei Wives, by Dr. Mitsuo Miura, page 11. This tribute honors Nisei wives for their devotion and contributions to the Japanese American family across generations. The piece closes with a poem reflecting on memory and the passage of time.
• From the Frying Pan: A Summer Round-Up of Miscellanea, by Bill Hosokawa, page 12. Hosokawa’s column covers various topics including a new volunteer service award named for Ruth Tanbara, updates on the Nakada brothers who served in WWII, and recent book releases including Michi Weglyn and Masakazu Iwata’s works on Japanese American history.
• Nihongo in Japan, by Bill Marutani, page 12. Marutani reflects on the linguistic challenges of communicating in Japan as a Nikkei, describing encounters where his imperfect Japanese contrasted with fluent English speakers. He notes a cultural attitude in Japan that expects foreigners to speak Japanese fluently, illustrated through anecdotes including one from Senator Spark Matsunaga.
• Reasons Why Proxy Voting Is a Good Idea, by Vicki Nakashima, page 12. This letter defends proxy voting at JACL National Conventions, listing reasons chapters may be unable to send representatives such as cost, health, and scheduling conflicts. The author argues eliminating proxy voting would unfairly disenfranchise chapters, particularly those from large districts with many members.
• Memories of Fort Snelling and MISLS, by Fujiko Kitagawa, page 12. The writer recalls her late husband Rev. Daisuke Kitagawa’s role as an unofficial chaplain at Fort Snelling’s Military Intelligence Service Language School during WWII. Despite restrictions as an ‘enemy alien,’ he was granted special permission to counsel Nisei soldiers and conduct services at the Fort chapel.
• Raising More Questions About President’s Japan Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 13. This guest editorial from the Gardena Valley Chapter president raises five specific questions about JACL President Cressey Nakagawa’s Japan trip, including who funded the travel and why he did not consult the National Board on substantive issues like reparations. The piece calls for more transparency regarding the trip’s purpose and financing.
• President Can’t Separate Personal, Official Roles, by Peter Hanis, page 13. This op-ed argues that Nakagawa was naive to think he could separate his personal views from his official JACL role while addressing Japanese officials. The author contends that the real issue is educating people about the distinction between ethnic Americans and their ancestral countries rather than defending or criticizing Japan.
• Takes Strong Stance Against Nakagawa Trip, by P.C. Staff, page 13. This strongly critical op-ed accuses JACL President Cressey Nakagawa of self-serving behavior in his Japan trip, arguing his claims of acting as a private individual are implausible given his position. The author faults Nakagawa for not consulting the Japan Chapter and failing to use the opportunity to educate Japan about Japanese Americans and JACL.
• Japan-Bashing Topic of L.A.-Area JACL Chapters Forum, by Alvina Lew, page 20. A July 12 community forum sponsored by Gardena, Greater L.A. Singles, Carson and South Bay JACL chapters addressed Japan-bashing, featuring panelists including Dennis Hayashi and Ron Wakabayashi. Panelists discussed rising anti-Asian violence, the limitations of the American ‘melting pot’ concept, and lack of mainstream media coverage of bias incidents against Asian Americans.

Arts & Entertainment

• Author Michi Weglyn Receives Honorary Degree, Speaks on L.A. Riots, by P.C. Staff, page 14. Author Michi Weglyn received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from Hunter College and spoke about the Los Angeles riots at the 165th commencement ceremony. Weglyn, author of the award-winning ‘Years of Infamy,’ connected the riots to long-institutionalized racism and classism affecting America’s ‘expendables.’
• NAATA Selects 23 Projects for Funding, by P.C. Staff, page 16. The National Asian American Telecommunications Association selected 23 projects for funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to executive director James Yee. Awardees include works by Gregg Araki, Steven Okazaki, and Frieda Lee Mock among many others.

Incarceration & Redress

• Redress Grassroots Network Coordinators Named Across Districts, by P.C. Staff, page 14. JACL announced numerous district and chapter coordinators across Central California, Pacific Southwest, Northern California-Western Nevada Pacific, Pacific Northwest, and Intermountain districts to organize grassroots lobbying for redress legislation. Senators Stevens and Rudman have signed on as co-sponsors of the Senate bill, and JACL urges supporters to contact their members of Congress.
• Funds for Manzanar Site Approved, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Rep. Norman Mineta announced the House approved $1.1 million for the Manzanar National Historic Site, part of the Interior Department appropriations bill for fiscal year 1993. The funding will allow the National Park Service to relocate an Inyo County maintenance facility currently on the site.
• New Jersey Law Protects Redress Payments, by P.C. Staff, page 15. Governor James J. Florio signed legislation exempting the $20,000 redress payments from being counted as income for New Jersey’s Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled program eligibility. Seabrook JACL members worked with state legislators for five years to secure the law’s passage.
• Bainbridge High Remembers Nisei Grads Evacuated in 1942, by P.C. Staff, page 16. Bainbridge High School’s 1992 graduation ceremony honored 13 Nisei seniors who missed their commencement 50 years earlier when they were among the first Japanese Americans evacuated to Manzanar in March 1942. Three of the honorees were able to attend the special commemorative event organized by Principal Dave Ellick.
• Rohwer Relocation Center Site Gains National Historic Landmark Status, by P.C. Staff, page 16. The Rohwer Relocation Center site, which held over 10,000 Japanese Americans during WWII, has been recognized with National Historic Landmark designation by the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. The site contains monuments honoring both those who died at the camp and Japanese American soldiers of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regiment who left Rohwer to fight in Europe.

National

• Voting Rights Language Act Passes House, by P.C. Staff, page 15. The House passed the Voting Rights Language Assistance Act, with Rep. Robert Matsui highlighting its importance in safeguarding voting rights regardless of race, color, national origin or minority status. Matsui said the bill helps address historical disenfranchisement.

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