The 2006 holiday issue: written by Asian Pacific American youth

Vol. 143, No. 11, December 2006. 129 pages. View this issue

Young writers filled this holiday issue from cover to cover. Executive editor Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom explained in her column that it was the Pacific Citizen’s first holiday issue dedicated entirely to and written by Asian Pacific American youth, inspired by intern Stacy Iwata’s outreach. Under the theme “Plugged In,” students and young professionals wrote about social networking, college costs, mixed heritage, the Nanking Massacre and the future of the Nikkei community. Justine Kondo wrote about growing up Hapa, Brandon Mita compared the Midwest and the West Coast, and Conrad Ohashi urged JACL to back Lt. Ehren Watada.

Other pages looked at JACL’s role for young people, with pieces by Haruka Roudebush, Leilani Savitt, Megumi J. Kaminaga, Kimberly Shintaku and Lisa Hanasono. Kimberly Komatsu and Kaleigh Komatsu discussed their book on the Japanese American incarceration (often called internment), and Eric M. Nakano remembered the Chibi-K Run in Little Tokyo. About 67 of the issue’s 129 pages carry holiday greetings from JACL chapters and friends.

What’s in this issue

Community

• SELANOCO Chapter Honors Three Board Members, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The SELANOCO JACL chapter paid tribute to three board members, Hiromi Ueha, Clarence Nishizu, and Kiyoshi Ito, who passed away, remembering their dedication and service to the Japanese American community. The chapter noted it was saddened by the losses and would miss them greatly.

Commentary

• Are You Plugged In?, by Caroline Y. Aoyagi-Stom, page 4. The executive editor introduces the 2006 Holiday Issue, the first Pacific Citizen H.L. dedicated entirely to and written by Asian Pacific American youth, inspired by intern Stacy Iwata’s outreach efforts. She thanks the many youth writers, advertisers, and staff who made the special issue possible.
• Give Me MySpace!, page 5. The writer reflects on the overwhelming number of social networking and messaging accounts young professionals maintain, from Facebook to MySpace to instant messengers. The piece questions whether this constant connectivity provides authentic connection or merely a counterfeit substitute for face-to-face relationships.
• Bridging the Gap, by Justine Kondo, page 6. A Hapa writer describes growing up with a white mother and Japanese father, feeling alienated from both sides of her extended family and struggling with racial identity on school forms. She concludes that small remnants of Japanese culture passed down by her family have inspired her to bridge the gap between her mixed heritage and her ancestors’ traditions.
• Jogging the Path, by Choketsu Uga, page 7. A Princeton student describes using jogging around campus as a way to relieve stress from his demanding academic schedule. He explains how a comment from his grandmother about his weight motivated him to start running, resulting in significant weight loss and improved energy.
• Plugged Into the Best (Worst!) Christmas Gift Ever, by Joseph Craig, page 22. The writer recounts buying his wife a hamster named ‘Jack Bauer’ as a Christmas gift within a $125 spending cap, only for the hamster to become a biting, escape-prone terror in their home. After nearly six months the hamster passed away, leaving him with fond if complicated memories of the ill-fated gift.
• What Does the Midwest Have that the West Coast Doesn’t?, by Brandon Mita, page 26. A Chicago native and JACL Midwest District fellow compares his experience as a Japanese American growing up in the Midwest, where AA community and cultural resources are scarce, to the West Coast’s more established Nikkei student organizations. He describes experiencing racism as a JA in a diverse but often institutionally hostile Midwest environment, and his political awakening through the Asian American Coalition Committee in college.
• The Rape of Nanking and a Young Japanese American’s Reckoning, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 27. The writer reflects on her initial indifference to the Nanking Massacre and how the death of Chinese American historian Iris Chang motivated her to finally read ‘The Rape of Nanking.’ She describes visiting Cambodia’s Killing Fields and drawing parallels between different genocides, questioning how humanity continues to allow such atrocities to occur.
• Culture Shock: A Japanese Boyfriend’s Perspective, by Laura Marshall, page 28. An American exchange student in Japan describes navigating cultural expectations and stereotypes as she dates a Japanese boyfriend who struggles to categorize her identity as neither fully Japanese nor fully American. She questions the need to categorize people by rigid definitions of race, gender, or culture.
• The Quest for the Ultimate Pickup Line, by Stacy Iwata, page 30. A UC San Diego student and former Pacific Citizen intern compiles her top ten favorite pickup lines heard from friends and at Nikkei Student Union events, ranging from nerdy math jokes to crude humor. She reflects on why people continue to use these low-success lines despite acknowledging their inherent silliness.
• Generation ‘Plugged In’ Needs a Social Provider, by Kiyomi MacDonald, page 34. The writer discusses Harvard professor Robert Putnam’s concept of declining ‘social capital’ in America and how her generation’s constant use of iPods and phones contributes to social isolation on college campuses. She calls on her plugged-in generation to invest in both bonding and bridging social capital to revive trust and community in America.
• Message to the Youth: Political Activity and Activism Create the Backbone of Democracy, by Jasmine Jane Cho, page 35. A UC Berkeley student and Florin JACL member argues that young people must overcome political apathy, noting only 47 percent of 18-24 year olds voted in the most recent presidential election. She urges youth to educate themselves through volunteering and community engagement and to vote and lobby public officials on issues that affect their generation.
• Settling for Public In-State Colleges: A National Disappointment, by Hana Ozaki, page 36. The writer describes the disappointment of having to attend an in-state public university in Georgia rather than her first-choice California school due to unaffordable tuition costs. She encourages other students in similar situations to adopt an optimistic outlook rather than dwelling on bitterness about their college choice.
• The Changing World of College, by Derek Furukawa, page 38. A Las Vegas JACL member and University of Nevada student examines how technology has transformed higher education since he started college in 1995, from online registration to constant connectivity via cell phones. He cites Beloit College’s mindset list to illustrate the vastly different worldview of incoming Generation Y college students.
• Thirty Years From Now: A Generation Without a Cause?, by Traci Kuratomi, page 41. A Smith College student and San Fernando Valley JACL member argues that her generation lacks a defining social or ideological struggle like previous generations, instead being shaped by technology and the September 11th attacks. She presents her generation with a choice between apathetic comfort and using awareness of mortality to motivate meaningful change in the world.
• What’s in a Name?, page 47. In a whimsical, mock-epic narrative, Sansei writer Kristin Mariko Iwata recounts her quest with a friend to discover the kanji characters for her Japanese middle name, Mariko, meaning ‘Million Miles.’ She eventually learns from her Japanese teacher that the kanji actually mean ‘10,000 ri child,’ finding closure in understanding a missing part of her identity.
• Embracing Empowerment Through Organizational Structure: What the JACL Can Do to Develop Youth, by Haruka Roudebush, page 49. A San Francisco JACL member argues that the organization must shift its focus to better engage youth, who increasingly struggle to find relevance in JACL’s mission. She proposes creating student-run membership bodies within districts and chapters to give youth more active roles in planning events and developing leadership skills.
• Four Days of Asian Pacific American Political Nourishment, by Leilani Savitt, page 52. A JACL national board youth representative describes how attending the 2006 JACL/OCA Washington, D.C. Leadership Conference reignited her passion for civil rights activism after a period of waning motivation. She encourages other JACL youth to attend the conference to build leadership skills and networks regardless of their proximity to a chapter.
• The New Nikkei Movement?, by Christopher Toshiro Jocson, page 53. A UCLA student and Nikkei Student Union president argues that today’s Nikkei youth are defined by a movement of redefining Japanese American community rather than a single unifying cause like the Sansei’s fight for redress. He describes NSU’s Culture Show and Field Studies course, funded by CCLPEP, as examples of youth actively engaging with JA history and culture.
• Let’s Have Our Voice – Our Youth Voice – Be Heard, by Megumi J. Kaminaga, page 58. The NCWNP district youth representative reflects on her role in the National JACL Youth/Student Council and encourages fellow youth members to take a more active stand in changing perceptions of youth involvement within JACL. She calls for youth to speak up about issues affecting them and to help plan the upcoming Biennial National Youth/Student Conference.
• Leadership, Community and Fun, by Kimberly Shintaku, page 58. The current national JACL youth chair describes how attending the 2005 Salt Lake City JACL Youth Conference, despite initial hesitation, motivated her to become more active in her community and help plan a subsequent youth conference in Little Tokyo. She encourages other youth to seek out similar conferences as opportunities for involvement and leadership development.
• Are We There Yet?, by Lisa Hanasono, page 59. The JACL Midwest District Council youth representative argues that the civil rights movement is not dead and that organizations like JACL remain necessary to combat ongoing discrimination and ignorance in society. She expresses pride in being part of JACL and hopes the organization continues to thrive as a leader in the civil rights movement.
• The Changing Identities of Nikkei Youth, by Jessica Kawamura, page 61. A Berkeley JACL member and college senior traces how her conception of Japanese American identity evolved from a narrow view shaped by family activities to a broader, more complex understanding gained through high school exchange programs, college involvement, and a semester in Tokyo. She reflects on the JA community’s historical strength in adapting and changing over generations.
• The Below Statements Are True (or False), by Gregory Kikkawa, page 64. The writer argues that society is saturated with lies, from government deception to interpersonal white lies, and that lying has become an accepted social norm rather than a moral failing. He suggests that while a society without any lies is unimaginable, people should be more cautious about overusing dishonesty in everyday situations.
• United Over Punch Lines, by Tim Koide, page 65. The writer recounts a night at the Sundance Film Festival where he participated in a comedic protest against a controversial film and later met a documentarian who made a film about moustaches. He reflects that his generation, despite constant exposure to serious global issues, needs humor and laughter to find unity and avoid being overwhelmed.
• Michelle Malkin, the Midterm Elections and Why JACL Should Take Note, by Conrad Ohashi, page 67. The writer criticizes conservative columnist Michelle Malkin for mocking supporters of Lt. Ehren Watada and calls on the national JACL board to take a stronger stance backing Watada’s refusal to deploy to Iraq. He argues the Democrats’ takeover of Congress and subsequent subpoena power validates Watada’s claim that the Iraq war is unlawful.

Arts & Entertainment

• Fast Food, a Feature Film and Autographs: On Tour with Wong Fu, by Ken Kanesaka, page 10. The internet filmmaking group Wong Fu Productions, whose short films have been downloaded millions of times, reflects on touring with their first feature-length film. Member Wesley Chan discusses redefining what success means to the group as their achievements and aspirations continue to grow.
• Food, the Universal Language, by Kimberly Kan, page 46. The writer describes how living with culturally diverse college roommates from Japanese, Filipino, and Thai backgrounds expanded her appreciation of foods beyond her own extensive food knowledge growing up in Rowland Heights. Sharing meals with her roommates led her to explore other aspects of their cultures, including dramas and traditions.

In-Depth

• Connecting with His Classical Dreams, by Ken Kanesaka, page 13. Ken Kanesaka, stage name Nakamura Gankyo, is the youngest and only Japanese American to break into the ancient world of kabuki theater in Japan. He describes his rigorous training, the discipline and etiquette required, and his grandmother’s wish that inspired his pursuit of this traditional art form.
• The Chibi-K Run Litmus Test, by Eric M. Nakano, page 15. The writer recalls childhood memories of the annual Chibi-K Run in Little Tokyo, a Japanese American children’s race marking Children’s Day that was canceled indefinitely in 2004 due to lack of staff and funding. Revisiting Little Tokyo as an adult, he realizes how much he actually loved and misses the cultural tradition he once dreaded as a kid.
• Envisioning Our Future: UC Berkeley Nikkei Bridge History and College Youth, by Sally Kikuchi, page 39. The writer describes her transformative summer internship with the Nikkei Community Internship program at the Little Tokyo Service Center, which deepened her connection to the Little Tokyo community and her own Japanese American identity. Through organizing events and observing community meetings, she came to appreciate the effort required to sustain Little Tokyo as a cultural community.
• Yonsei Writers and Sisters Kimberly and Kaleigh Komatsu Talk About Inspiration, History, and Lessons Learned in Their Debut Book, page 42. Fourth-generation Japanese American sisters Kimberly and Kaleigh Komatsu discuss their book ‘In America’s Shadow,’ which tells the story of Japanese American internment through the eyes of a young girl and her grandfather. The East Los Angeles JACL members explain their inspiration from family stories and hope the book sparks intergenerational conversations about this history.

Sports

• Young JACLer Stars at Princeton, page 60. Brigham Walker, a Princeton starting linebacker and JACL Philadelphia chapter member, helped lead the Tigers to an Ivy League Championship and a dramatic double-overtime win over Penn. Walker, who serves as JACL Eastern District Council youth representative, plans to travel after graduation and recently became a JACL life member.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.