Vol. 139, No. 9, November 5, 2004. 12 pages. View this issue
A projected budget deficit at JACL and a threat to Utah’s Japantown shared the front page. Lynda Lin reported that the national board, meeting Oct. 23-24, expected a $165,483 shortfall and still saw a $50,000 deficit even if fundraising and membership goals were met. A later page covers the board’s response, including the Spirit of 76 campaign. Caroline Aoyagi wrote about Japanese Americans in Utah organizing to protect what remains of Salt Lake’s Japantown as the neighboring convention center plans an expansion. She also covered the Pacific Southwest District’s tribute dinner to the generations.
Elsewhere in the issue, an Italian town dedicated a monument to the 100th Infantry Battalion, and the Midwest District held its first council meeting after its merger. A Heart Mountain veteran got his dog tags back after 61 years. Sports pages followed Michelle Wie and Apolo Anton Ohno, and Yumi Sakugawa wrote on ethnic identity storylines and holiday books.
What’s in this issue
National
- JACL National Board Projects Budget Deficit, by Lynda Lin, page 1. At the Oct. 23-24 quarterly meeting, JACL’s national board reported a projected $165,483 shortfall in revenue versus expenditures due to factors like unreceived grant money, an increased liability insurance cost, and convention-year expenses. Even with fundraising and membership pushes, JACL still expects a $50,000 deficit by year’s end.
- Italian Town Honors 100th Infantry Battalion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Italian town of Sant Angelo d’Alife dedicated a monument honoring the 34th Division’s 131st Regiment and the 100th Infantry Battalion who helped liberate the town 60 years ago. The ceremony included reading the names of soldiers killed in the October 1944 battles, attended by Brigadier General Jason Kamiya and JAVA president Bert Mizusawa.
- UCLA Celebrates Creation of AA Studies Dept., by P.C. Staff, page 3. UCLA celebrated the creation of its Asian American Studies department and the 35th anniversary of its Asian American Studies Center with a community reception in Chinatown drawing over 400 attendees. The university has produced more scholars in the field than any other institution and offers the nation’s largest AA studies teaching program.
- National Newsbytes, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 3. This roundup covers the closure of Asian American Renaissance arts nonprofit due to financial troubles, Senator Daniel Inouye’s wife undergoing cancer surgery, a rejected Smithsonian fireworks art project, Kamehameha Schools’ defense of its admissions policy, and Buddhist monks’ plans to build a temple in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Each brief describes a distinct national news item affecting Asian Pacific American communities.
Community
- Utah JAs Fight to Preserve J-town, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. As the Salt Lake Convention Center plans an expansion, Japanese Americans in Utah are fighting to preserve what remains of their historic Japantown, which already lost two blocks to the center’s original construction in 1969. Community members have formed the Japanese Community Preservation Committee to negotiate with city and county officials to protect the two remaining churches and revitalize the area.
- In Search of Her Father’s Killer, by Lynda Lin, page 1. Jana Yoshizumi is searching for the hit-and-run driver who killed her father Kenji Yoshizumi, a celebrated graphic designer, in Long Beach on Oct. 2. She has launched an internet-based campaign to find leads while police say the case may go cold without public tips.
- APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 3. This roundup highlights Dr. Cissy Furosho’s inauguration as president of the American Association of Women Dentists, Mary M. Tadano’s Caring Spirit Award for her volunteer work in Phoenix, and former Long Beach Mayor Eunice Sato’s Excellence in Leadership Award. Each honoree is recognized for contributions to their professional and community fields.
- After 61 Years, JA Vet Has His Dog Tags Returned, by P.C. Staff, page 4. World War II veteran Beans Sogioka had his dog tags stolen from a pool in Wyoming in 1943 while visiting family at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center. More than 60 years later, a local metal detector hobbyist found the tags in a friend’s yard and returned them to Sogioka.
- First-ever Nat’l APA Student Conference to be Held in L.A., by P.C. Staff, page 4. The first-ever National Asian American Student Conference will convene Asian Pacific American students from across the country at the University of Southern California Nov. 5-7. The event aims to build a nationwide APA student network and educate participants on the history of APA student activism.
- J-Town Task Force Releases Draft Report, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 4. The Japantown Task Force released a preliminary draft report identifying targets for historical preservation in San Francisco’s Japantown, one of only three remaining Japantowns in the U.S. The report aims to guide future redevelopment and preservation priorities based on community input about both tangible and everyday cultural resources.
- Watsonville-Santa Cruz Chapter Celebrates 70th, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL celebrated its 70th anniversary alongside the JACL Senior Center’s 33rd anniversary at the Seacliff Inn in Aptos. The event honored four outstanding Senior Center leaders and recognized chapters and members for community, district, and national awards received in 2004.
JACL
- PSW District Honors the Generations at Annual Dinner, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. The Pacific Southwest District celebrated JACL’s 75th anniversary with a tribute dinner honoring the Issei, Nisei, Sansei, and Yonsei generations, featuring speakers including Dr. Akemi Kikumura-Yano, Warren Furutani, Alayne Yonemoto, and Eric Nakano. Each speaker reflected on the unique struggles and contributions of their generation to the Japanese American community and JACL’s legacy.
- Newly Merged Midwest District Meets in Milwaukee, by Andrea K. Parker, page 4. The newly merged Midwest District of JACL held its first council meeting in Milwaukee, where Sharon Ishii-Jordan became interim governor after a coin toss broke a tied vote. The district also voted to donate $1,000 toward a memorial for Min Yasui in Denver and discussed merging treasuries and future meeting locations.
- JACL Budget Deficit Details and Spirit of 76 Campaign, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Following the projected deficit, the JACL national board approved a four-tier chapter insurance payment plan, requested resignations from the Investment Policy Committee for reappointment, and launched the ‘Spirit of 76’ fundraising campaign to celebrate JACL’s 76 years of service. Executive Director John Tateishi and other leaders expressed cautious optimism about improving the organization’s finances going forward.
Commentary
- Your Angst-Ridden Ethnic Identity Crisis No Longer Amuses Me, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 5. In this youth forum column, the author reflects on writing and directing her college’s Nikkei Student Union Cultural Night Show and laments the overused trope of ethnic identity crisis storylines in Asian American creative work. She argues young Asian Americans should explore new storylines beyond the clichéd narrative of cultural rediscovery.
Sports
- Teen Golf Star Michelle Wie Leads a Double Life, by Ken Peters, AP Sports Writer, page 7. Fifteen-year-old golf prodigy Michelle Wie balances her celebrity status on the LPGA tour with a normal high school life in Honolulu, including hanging out at the mall and managing a cell phone budget. Her parents strive to keep her childhood as ordinary as possible while she continues to compete against professional golfers as an amateur.
- UB to Offer Degree in Martial Arts, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The University of Bridgeport received approval to offer what may be the first bachelor’s degree program in martial arts in the United States. The program will combine martial arts practice with study of world religions, international political economy, and civilization.
- Ohno, Wang Take Golds in Short Track Speedskating, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Apolo Anton Ohno won the men’s 500-meter sprint at the world short track speedskating championships in Harbin, China, adding to his earlier win in the 1,500 meters. China’s Wang Meng also claimed two titles in the women’s events at the tournament.
- Sacramento Releases Liu Wei, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Sacramento Kings released Chinese guard Liu Wei along with two other players, following his brief stint with the team during their preseason tour of China. Liu is a star with the Shanghai Sharks, the former club team of Yao Ming.
- Former Iolani Star Low Breaks Foot, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Washington State freshman point guard Derrick Low, a standout from Iolani School in Honolulu, broke a bone in his foot during practice and underwent surgery. Low was expected to take over as the Cougars’ primary ball-handler this season.
- Hanshin Pitcher Yabu Interested in Major Leagues, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Hanshin Tigers pitcher Keiichi Yabu announced he will exercise his free agent rights and is considering pursuing a career in North American major league baseball. The 36-year-old right-hander has spent 11 seasons with the Central League team.
Arts & Entertainment
- Just Ken: An Interview with Ken Oak, by Lynda Lin, page 9. In this Q&A, classically trained cellist-turned-pop/rock musician Ken Oak discusses his upcoming record deal, his songwriting process, and the challenges of being an Asian American artist trying to gain mainstream appeal. Oak also reflects on his musical influences and his journey from Michigan to USC to Washington D.C.’s open mic scene.
- Early Holiday Shopping Ideas … Books!, by Yumi Sakugawa, page 12. This roundup reviews several new books relevant to the Japanese American and Asian American community, including Tanuja Desai Hidier’s coming-of-age novel ‘Born Confused,’ Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston’s ‘The Legend of Fire Horse Woman,’ and Eric Muller’s ‘Free to Die for Their Country’ about Japanese American draft resisters. Also featured are books on Japanese POWs in WWII and the history of Portland’s Chinatowns.
Obituaries
- Alfred Song, First AA in Calif. Legislature, Dies, by Associated Press, page 11. Alfred H. Song, the first Asian American elected to the California State Legislature, died at age 85 in Irvine after a long political career marked by both achievements and controversy. He was known for passing legislation to protect minority voters and served in both the Assembly and state Senate before his career ended amid an FBI probe.
- Peter Okada, Credited With Introducing U.S. Football to Japan, Passes, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 11. Peter Kazunori Okada, credited with introducing American football to Japan after World War II, died of cancer at age 85. He was active in the Japanese American community as a founding director of the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation and a longtime JACL member.
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