Vol. 154, No. 6, April 6, 2012. 16 pages. View this issue
Redistricting and community voice ran through this 16-page issue. Nalea J. Ko reported on how San Francisco’s Japanese American and African American communities worked together to keep Japantown whole within District 5. Harry K. Honda examined the Los Angeles map that split Koreatown and moved Little Tokyo out of its historic district. Christine McFadden profiled photographer Paul Kitagaki Jr., who pairs wartime incarceration photos with portraits of survivors and their descendants, and wrote about former national JACL president Helen Kawagoe.
Elsewhere, the National Park Service awarded grants for confinement sites, including a JACL youth education project at Manzanar, Minidoka and Tule Lake. USC announced degrees for Nisei students affected by Executive Order 9066. Gail Sueki and Hugh Burleson previewed the Bellevue national convention, and Floyd Mori and David Kawamoto wrote on the grant and the Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Magnifying the Voice of JACL Members, by Paul Niwa, page 2. Paul Niwa recalls his grandfather’s lifelong subscription to the Pacific Citizen and how the newspaper connected generations of JACL members. He urges readers to support the paper’s Spring Campaign, which funds printing, mailing, and reporting beyond JACL’s basic contribution.
- Update on Staff Reviews and Bellevue Convention, by Gail Sueki, page 2. As national JACL vice president for general operations and personnel committee chair, Gail Sueki details the process of hiring new National Director Priscilla Ouchida and the status of staff performance reviews. She also previews the upcoming Bellevue, Wash. national convention, urging chapters to prepare nominations, resolutions, and credentials.
- Asians Are Finally Making It Into Mainstream Pop Culture, by Gil Asakawa, page 8. Gil Asakawa reflects on the documentary ‘I Am Bruce Lee’ and the historical struggle of Asian American actors to secure leading roles in Hollywood. He argues that while a major Asian male star has yet to emerge, progress is evident through actors like Maggie Q and increased Asian representation in commercials and television.
- Redistricted Koreatown Raises a Hornet’s Nest, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda examines the controversial Los Angeles City Council redistricting that split Koreatown and moved Little Tokyo out of its historic council district, prompting outrage from Korean American and Japanese American community leaders. He contrasts L.A.’s 15-district system with larger councils in New York and Chicago, questioning whether L.A. needs more districts for fair representation.
- Pvt. Danny Chen Update, by Stanley N. Kanzaki, page 16. Stanley Kanzaki reports on a press conference update regarding the death of U.S. Army Pvt. Danny Chen, who took his own life after suffering physical abuse and racial taunting in Afghanistan, with eight soldiers facing charges. OCA has led advocacy efforts including petitions and rallies demanding a transparent investigation and trial held in the United States.
In-Depth
- San Fran’s Japanese American and African American Communities Collaborate in Redistricting Process, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 3. San Francisco’s Japanese American and African American communities united to protest a redistricting proposal that would have split Japantown from the adjacent Fillmore district. Their coordinated advocacy led the city’s Redistricting Task Force to revise the map to keep Japantown intact within District 5.
- Photographer Paul Kitagaki Chronicles WWII Incarceration With Before/After Images, by Christine McFadden, Contributor, page 4. Sacramento Bee photographer Paul Kitagaki Jr. has spent eight years tracking down and rephotographing subjects from historic WWII incarceration photos, including his own family members captured by Dorothea Lange. His ongoing project pairs original wartime images with present-day portraits and oral histories of survivors and their descendants.
- Female Sumo Wrestlers Step Up to the Ring, by Christine Fukushima, Correspondent, page 5. Natasha Ikejiri, a national champion sumo wrestler, discusses her unlikely path from sibling wrestling matches to international competition, including the SportAccord World Combat Games in Beijing. The article also explores the growing but still niche world of women’s amateur sumo in the U.S. and its long-shot prospects for Olympic inclusion.
JACL
- JACL Convention 2012: The Setting: Bellevue, Wash. — Not Too Big, Not Too Small, by Hugh Burleson, page 6. Hugh Burleson describes the geography, climate, and attractions of Bellevue, Washington, host site of the 2012 JACL National Convention. He highlights nearby lakes, mountains, dining options, and the Downtown Park fireworks display for conventioneers.
- Nominations Open for JACL National Office, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The National JACL Nominations Committee is seeking candidates for national board positions ahead of the 2012-2014 biennium election, with an initial filing deadline of April 7. Candidates after that date must run from the convention floor and meet additional requirements.
- JACL/OCA Hosts Successful Summit, page 11. JACL and OCA national co-hosted 30 participants at the annual D.C. Leadership Summit, featuring speakers including Senator Daniel Inouye and White House Chief of Staff Tina Tchen. Sponsored again by State Farm, the three-day training enhanced participants’ leadership and coalition-building skills on AAPI community issues.
- Applications Now Available for Masaoka Congressional Fellowship, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 12. JACL is accepting applications for the Mike M. Masaoka Congressional Fellowship for 2012-2013, which places a fellow in a U.S. Congressional office for six to eight months. The fellowship honors Masaoka’s legacy of public service, including his role in forming the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
- It Takes a Lot of Hard Work, by Floyd Mori, page 13. National Director Floyd Mori celebrates JACL’s National Park Service grant for its youth confinement sites education program and credits the hard work of staff like Craig Ishii and Jean Shiraki in securing such funding. He reflects on the decade-long effort behind Japanese American Redress as an example of how meaningful outcomes require sustained advocacy.
- A Well Deserved Honor, by David Kawamoto, page 13. National JACL President David Kawamoto reflects on attending Congressional Gold Medal ceremonies honoring Nisei WWII veterans, including one in San Diego where his own father was honored. He emphasizes the importance of sharing this history of civil liberties denied and courage displayed with future generations.
National
- Former National JACL President Helen Kawagoe Continues to Inspire Across All Generations, by Christine McFadden, Contributor, page 7. Former national JACL president and longtime Carson City Clerk Helen Kawagoe, 84, is recovering from a stroke after 37 years of civic service and two terms as JACL’s second female national president. Community members, including Mayor Jim Dear and past JACL president Lillian Kimura, praise her legacy and push to rename Carson’s City Hall council chambers in her honor while she is still living.
- Interior Awards Grants to Preserve WWII Japanese American Confinement Sites, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. The National Park Service awarded $2.9 million in grants to preserve WWII Japanese American confinement sites, including $150,130 to National JACL for a youth education project at Manzanar, Minidoka, and Tule Lake. Secretary Ken Salazar and JACL leaders emphasized the importance of teaching this history to future generations.
- USC Joins Long List of California Universities Awarding Degrees to Former Nisei Students, by Pacific Citizen Staff, page 10. The University of Southern California announced it will award honorary and master’s degrees to former Japanese American students forced to abandon their studies due to Executive Order 9066, joining other California universities in righting this historical wrong. Student advocates like Sally Kikuchi and Albert Le pushed for the recognition, which will be presented at USC’s May 11 commencement.
- AA Groups, Including JACL, Call for Further Investigation in Trayvon Martin Killing, by P.C. Staff and Associated Press, page 11. Asian American civil rights groups, including JACL, joined calls for a thorough investigation into the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman in Florida. The Asian American Center for Advancing Justice drew parallels to the 1982 killing of Vincent Chin, demanding justice to prevent history from repeating itself.
Arts & Entertainment
- How Ming Chen Became One of the ‘Comic Book Men’, by Nalea J. Ko, Reporter, page 9. Ming Chen, a longtime employee of filmmaker Kevin Smith, discusses his unexpected rise to reality TV fame on AMC’s ‘Comic Book Men,’ which follows the staff of Smith’s New Jersey comic shop. Chen shares stories about his career with Smith, his experiences with fan attention, and hopes for a second season.
Community
- Local San Jose Ceremony Honors Gold Medal Winners, by Leon Kimura, “My P.C.” Contributor, page 11. A San Jose ceremony honored 159 Nisei WWII veterans, widows, and family representatives with replica Congressional Gold Medals for those unable to attend the November Washington, D.C. event. Local Congress members Zoe Lofgren, Anna Eshoo, and Michael Honda personally presented medals at the event held at the San Jose Buddhist Church Annex.
Obituaries
- Shigeki Hiratsuka, page 15. Shigeki Hiratsuka, 95, a retired mechanical engineer who spent his career with the Army Corps of Engineers, was interned at Amache during WWII before earning a second engineering degree. He was an active JACL member in Washington, D.C. and later enjoyed 25 years of retirement in Tucson, Arizona before his death on January 14, 2012.
- Dave Teruo Kawagoye, page 15. Dave Teruo Kawagoye, a Los Angeles-born 442nd RCT Anti-Tank Nisei veteran, died March 11, 2012 at age 92 after residing in Gardena, CA. He is survived by his wife Mary Toshiko, daughters, and several grandchildren including Christine Sato-Yamazaki.
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