Body image, young Japanese Americans and Day of Remembrance

Vol. 152, No. 4, March 4, 2011. 16 pages. View this issue

Body image and cultural connection led the March 4, 2011 issue. Nalea J. Ko wrote about eating disorders among Asian Americans and the blog Thick Dumpling Skin, co-created by actress Lynn Chen. Christina McFadden looked at a growing distance between young Japanese Americans and their family history, including limited knowledge of the World War II incarceration (often called internment), and at programs such as Project: Community! meant to draw them in.

Day of Remembrance ran through the issue, from Floyd Mori’s column on Executive Order 9066 events to the observances in Hawaii and the Twin Cities. News from Minidoka, Amache and Honouliuli covered efforts to preserve camp sites. Ko also profiled Poston artist Tomi Kobara and interviewed dancer Cheryl Burke. Other pages covered Hawaii’s civil unions law, Filipino American veterans seeking benefits, and the 1882 Project on the Chinese Exclusion Act.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Poston Girl Scouts’ Story Is Important, by Debra Nakatomi, page 2. A reader praises a previous Pacific Citizen article about Marian Masada and the Poston Girl Scouts, calling it an important part of Girl Scouts history as the organization approaches its 100th anniversary. The reader asks if other Girl Scout troops existed in other internment camps and thanks the paper for the story.
• Saving Amache, by Floyd Shimomura, page 2. A reader whose parents and grandparents were imprisoned at Amache reflects on visiting the site in 2006 and welcomes news that more of the historic water tank structure was found. He argues history must be preserved so future generations cannot deny the internment happened.
• Ariz. Immigration, by ‘Brittanicus’, page 2. A reader criticizes government spending on benefits for undocumented immigrants, arguing veterans, single mothers and pensioners are neglected while illegal immigrants receive housing assistance. The letter responds to a story about Arizona’s governor countersuing the federal government over immigration law.
• Oshogatsu Part 2, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda continues sharing an anonymous year-end letter from a friend describing his busy life helping run a pizza restaurant, staying active in his 80s, and his commitment to the Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center project honoring internment history. Honda reflects on the value of personal holiday letters and reveals that longtime P.C. contributor Budd Fukei passed away at age 92.
• The People Are Calling, by Peter Shigeki Frandsen, page 8. Frandsen reflects on the 2011 uprisings in Egypt and the Middle East calling for democracy, contrasting them with U.S. protests like those in Wisconsin. He criticizes partisan politics in Congress and advocates for open primaries as a way to push American politics toward the center.

JACL

• Day of Remembrance Events Are a Good Reminder, by Floyd Mori, page 2. National JACL Director Floyd Mori reflects on the history of Day of Remembrance events commemorating Executive Order 9066 and highlights recent DOR events he attended in Merced and Fresno, California. He also recalls past DOR observances honoring Wat Misaka and Judge Raymond Uno in Utah and thanks JACL organizers and attendees nationwide.
• JACL PSW Regional Director to Step Down April 30, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. Craig Ishii, JACL Pacific Southwest regional director credited with launching Project: Community! and Bridging Communities programs, announced he will step down April 30 after four years in the role. JACL leaders praised Ishii’s leadership and vision in developing youth programs and engaging young people with the Japanese American community.

In-Depth

• Asian Americans Weigh In on Body Image Issues, by Nalea J. Ko, page 3. The article explores eating disorders and body image struggles among Asian Americans through personal stories from Jessica Chu and others, along with commentary from health experts like Lynn Grefe and researchers. It highlights the website Thick Dumpling Skin, co-founded by actress Lynn Chen and Hyphen publisher Lisa Lee, which aims to give Asian Americans a community to discuss body image issues often considered taboo.
• Cultural Disconnect Among Japanese American Youth, by Christina McFadden, page 4. The article examines a growing disconnect between Japanese American youth and their family history and culture, citing survey data and interviews with young Yonsei and Gosei about limited knowledge of internment history. Experts and JACL leaders discuss reasons for this apathy and new programs like Project: Community! and Heritage Academy aimed at engaging younger generations.

Arts & Entertainment

• How Tomi Kobara Found Art, by Nalea J. Ko, page 5. Nisei artist Tomi Kobara, now 84, discovered her passion for painting later in life after a door-to-door artist taught her sumi-e techniques while she raised her children. Her work, inspired by her Japanese American heritage and internment experience at Poston, has since been displayed in galleries and featured on the cover of American Artist magazine.
• Dancing With Cheryl Burke, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. In an interview, ‘Dancing With the Stars’ professional dancer Cheryl Burke discusses her new book ‘Dancing Lessons,’ which reveals personal traumas including childhood sexual abuse and a violent relationship. Burke talks about media scrutiny of her body, her healing process, and her hopes to encourage other survivors to share their stories.

National

• Hawaii’s Gov. Signs Civil Unions Bill Into Law, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed a civil unions bill into law, granting same-sex couples the same state rights as married partners starting Jan. 1, 2012. The law follows decades of court fights and debate, making Hawaii the seventh state to allow civil unions, with local JACL member Gary Okabayashi expressing support for the measure.
• Filipino American WWII Vets Seek Equal Benefits, by Associated Press, page 6. Filipino American World War II veterans are pushing for legislation introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier that would grant them the same benefits as other U.S. military veterans, after Congress rescinded promised benefits in 1946. Veterans say the fight is about dignity and recognition rather than money, despite a one-time $15,000 stimulus payment given to survivors in 2009.
• National Newsbytes, by Pacific Citizen Staff and Associated Press, page 6. A roundup of national briefs includes APA hotel owners disrupting a congressional hearing over unresolved BP oil spill claims, Obama signing a temporary extension of the PATRIOT Act, Honolulu airport’s new Hawaiian-language greetings, a lawsuit over a Los Angeles war memorial site, and Utah’s House passing an Arizona-style immigration law. Each brief covers a distinct news item affecting APA communities or related issues.
• APAs in the News, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 7. This roundup covers several Asian Pacific Americans in prominent roles, including Julie Su’s appointment as California’s labor commissioner, Judy Chu becoming the new CAPAC chair, Ted Lieu winning a state senate seat, Gloria Chan’s hiring at APAICS, Ameya Pawar’s election as Chicago’s first APA alderman, and Ming Hsieh being honored by the Boy Scouts of America. Each brief highlights an individual’s achievement or new position.
• 1882 Project Seeks Congressional Recognition for 130 Year-Old Injustice, by Joseph Craig, page 10. The 1882 Project, a coalition of Asian Pacific American groups, is seeking congressional acknowledgment of the civil rights violations caused by the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Leaders including Kimberley Goulart and Michael Lin explain the group’s goals of education rather than monetary compensation, with support from Rep. Mike Honda and pro bono legal counsel.
• Leaders Mark 40th Anniversary of Seattle Central, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. Student leaders who led a 1971 protest for greater Asian Pacific American representation at Seattle Central Community College reunited to mark the 40th anniversary of the demonstration, often credited with sparking the local APA civil rights movement. Former Oriental Student Union leader Al Sugiyama reflected on the ongoing relevance of the fight for civil rights and representation.
• WWII Internment Campsite in Idaho Gets More Land, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 11. The National Park Service purchased 138 additional acres to expand the Minidoka National Historic Site, preserving the former locations of the camp’s fire station, water tower, and barrack blocks. JACL National Director Floyd Mori praised the preservation effort as an important step in telling the story of Japanese American incarceration during World War II.
• Park Service to Hold Meetings on Internment Camps, by Associated Press, page 11. The National Park Service is holding public meetings across Hawaii’s six islands to gather input on preserving 13 identified internment camp sites used during World War II. The meetings aim to help determine the best way to preserve and share the history of these sites, including Honouliuli, the largest camp in Hawaii.
• Oregon Congressman Expresses ‘Regrets’ After Being Urged to Get Psychiatric Help, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 12. Rep. David Wu, the first Chinese American elected to the U.S. House, acknowledged seeking medical help after reports emerged of erratic behavior that prompted staffers to demand he seek psychiatric treatment before the November election. Wu has since lost several senior staff members amid the fallout from the reports.
• Study Says Asian Americans Are Not Viewed as Ideal Leaders, page 16. A UC Riverside study finds that Asian Pacific Americans, despite being viewed as competent and hardworking, are perceived as less ideal leaders than Caucasian Americans due to a lack of perceived charisma. Researcher Thomas Sy notes this bias persists even when APAs have equal or greater technical competence, helping explain their underrepresentation in senior leadership roles.

Community

• Hawaii Japanese Americans Mark Day of Remembrance at Honouliuli, page 11. More than 200 people attended the 2011 Day of Remembrance and second Honouliuli Pilgrimage event in Hawaii, featuring a keynote speech by historian Gary Okihiro and updates on the push for National Historic Site status. The event included the first public scoping session for the National Park Service’s Special Resource Study evaluating Hawaii’s WWII confinement sites.
• Japanese American Volunteers Needed to Take Health Survey, page 12. Researchers at the University of Vermont College of Medicine are seeking Japanese American volunteers for a survey examining end-of-life cancer care preferences among Japanese and Japanese Americans. The anonymous survey, supported by the New York JACL, aims to identify cultural differences in end-of-life care preferences between the U.S. and Japan.
• Twin Cities Marks Day of Remembrance, page 13. The Twin Cities JACL held a Day of Remembrance program titled ‘Looking Forward by Looking Back,’ featuring 17 youth reading personal accounts of internees drawn from a chapter compilation of memories. Over 200 people attended the Feb. 12 event, which included candle lighting and a reading by Emily Tani-Winegarden in honor of her grandmother.
• ‘The Sisters of Manzanar’ to Benefit Fresno Memorial, page 13. Proceeds from the West Coast premiere of the one-act opera ‘The Sisters of Manzanar’ will support the Fresno Assembly Center Memorial honoring Central Valley Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II. The benefit performance will feature actor George Takei and composer Paul Stuart, with the memorial project aiming for completion by October.
• Scholarships Available for Cultural Program to Japan, page 16. The Nikkei Youth Cultural Heritage Program is offering scholarships for college students to participate in a month-long cultural immersion trip to Japan, with an application deadline of March 11. The program, sponsored by Japanese cultural centers in several U.S. cities, includes language classes, traditional art instruction, and homestays in the Kansai region.

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