Redress anniversary, the JACL budget and Tule Lake grants

Vol. 156, No. 8, May 3, 2013. 16 pages. View this issue

Plans for the JACL national convention in Washington, D.C. ran through this issue, with Floyd Mori previewing a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and the long Redress movement behind it. Nalea J. Ko reported that the national board forecast a $17,000 year-end deficit for the Pacific Citizen. Connie K. Ho wrote about National Park Service grants for the Tule Lake Segregation Center, including money to restore its jail. Columns by John Tateishi and Marsha Aizumi looked at immigration and what it means to be American, and at a mother’s love.

Also inside: Gil Asakawa’s review of Jan Morrill’s novel The Red Kimono, the dedication of the Jerome-Rohwer visitor center in Arkansas, and Ventura County JACLers sharing their incarceration stories at a university conference. Allison Haramoto spoke with Keo Woolford about his film The Haumana.

What’s in this issue

Commentary

• Yours, Mine and Ours, by Roberta Barton, page 2. Roberta Barton urges readers to support the Pacific Citizen’s Spring Campaign, describing the newspaper as a vital voice for civil liberties and AAPI news. She calls on readers to donate and share the publication with others to keep it strong amid ongoing challenges.
• A Mother’s Love Redefined, by Marsha Aizumi, page 3. Marsha Aizumi reflects on her journey of understanding and redefining love after her daughter transitioned to become her transgender son, Aiden. She describes the support of her family, including her husband and younger son, and how the experience deepened her capacity for love and acceptance.
• Just Whose America Is This?, by John Tateishi, page 3. John Tateishi examines how immigration reform debates are entangled with racial politics and questions what it truly means to be an American. He argues that being a ‘better American’ cannot be defined by skin color or birthplace, citing personal anecdotes to make his point.
• Just Whose America Is This? (continued), by John Tateishi, page 16. Continuing his column, Tateishi recounts an anecdote about a Japanese national in his Army unit who declared America his home and later died in Vietnam. He concludes that no one can be defined as more American than another based on race or birthplace, since democracy is an idea worth dying for.

Arts & Entertainment

• ‘The Red Kimono’ Captures the Tragedy of Internment and the Larger Context of Racial Injustice, by Gil Asakawa, page 2. Gil Asakawa reviews Jan Morrill’s novel ‘The Red Kimono,’ which explores Japanese American internment intertwined with African American racial issues during WWII. The review praises the book’s vivid historical detail and compares it favorably to classics like ‘Farewell to Manzanar’ and ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’
• Keo ‘Talks Story’, by Allison Haramoto, page 13. Multitalented performer Keo Woolford discusses his directorial debut film ‘The Haumana,’ which premiered at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. The film explores hula culture through the story of an unlikely new teacher for a high school boys’ hula class, drawing from Woolford’s own experiences as a hula dancer.

National

• JACL Board Forecasts Year-End Budget Deficit, by Nalea J. Ko, page 4. At its April 27 meeting, the JACL national board heard that the Pacific Citizen’s revenues and membership dollars continue to decline, forecasting a $17,000 year-end deficit. The board also discussed hiring a permanent executive editor for the P.C. and received updates on the upcoming national convention in Washington, D.C.
• Celebrate Redress at the JACL 2013 Convention, by Floyd Mori, page 6. Floyd Mori previews the JACL 2013 National Convention in Washington, D.C., which will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. The article recounts the history of the Redress movement, from Edison Uno’s 1970 resolution to the bill’s passage, and highlights key figures who will attend the convention.
• First Confirmed Japanese Tsunami Debris Found in California, by Associated Press, page 11. A fishing boat that washed ashore in Crescent City, Calif., was confirmed by NOAA as the first debris from the 2011 Japan tsunami to reach California. The boat, traced back to a marine sciences program at a high school in Rikuzentakata, was identified through handwritten characters translated with help from a librarian.
• Smithsonian Commemorates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will open the exhibition ‘I Want the Wide American Earth: An Asian Pacific American Story’ on May 4 in honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The exhibit tells the stories of Asian immigrants throughout American history and will later tour to the Japanese American National Museum and 13 other cities.
• Senate Confirms Derrick Kahala Watson to the U.S. District Court in Hawaii, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The U.S. Senate confirmed Derrick Kahala Watson to the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii, making him the sole Native Hawaiian serving as an Article III judge. Rep. Judy Chu praised the decision as reflecting the diversity of the American people.
• Farmer/Author David Mas Masumoto Appointed to National Council on the Arts, by P.C. Staff, page 12. Organic farmer and author David Mas Masumoto has been appointed to the National Council on the Arts after being nominated by President Obama in 2012. His six-year term expires in September 2018, and his latest book, ‘The Perfect Peach,’ will be published in June.
• Jenny Yang Confirmed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, by P.C. Staff, page 12. The U.S. Senate confirmed Jenny Yang as a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Yang, a partner at Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, said she looks forward to ensuring equal opportunity for all Americans.

JACL

• 2013 JACL Youth Delegate Campaign: Engaging Young Leaders in Decision Making, by Mariko Newton, page 7. The JACL’s National Youth/Student Council launched its 2013 Youth Delegate Campaign to increase youth representation at the national convention in Washington, D.C. The campaign aims to sponsor youth delegates through scholarships and attract 20 young delegates to participate in JACL’s decision-making process.
• Southwest Airlines Offers Flight Discount for 2013 JACL Convention Attendees, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Southwest Airlines is offering a 15% discount to attendees traveling to the JACL National Convention in Washington, D.C. The discount applies to flights to/from BWI, Dulles and Reagan airports between July 22-30, excluding July 28.

In-Depth

• National Park Service Grants Support Education and Preservation on Tule Lake Segregation Center, by Connie K. Ho, page 8. The National Park Service awarded grants totaling over $1.4 million to preserve WWII Japanese American confinement sites, including two projects focused on the Tule Lake Segregation Center. The Tule Lake Committee received $192,467 to restore the jail, while the ORE-CAL Resource Conservation Council received funding for a traveling exhibit on Tule Lake’s history.

Community

• Ventura County JACLers Participate in University Conference, by Anne Chilcott, page 10. Ventura County JACL members Lily Sugino, George Wakiji and Carol Asari shared their internment camp experiences at California State University Channel Islands’ fifth annual Conference for Social Justice in Education. Former national JACL president Harry Kajihara was also present, having witnessed President Reagan’s signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, a moment highlighted during Asari’s presentation.
• The Jerome-Rohwer Interpretive and Visitor Center Is Dedicated in Arkansas, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Actor George Takei spoke at the dedication of the Jerome-Rohwer Interpretive and Visitor Center in McGehee, Ark., commemorating the Japanese American internment experience during WWII. Takei, who was interned at Rohwer as a child, emphasized the importance of remembering this history and understanding American citizenship.

Sports

• Takuma Sato Becomes First Japanese Driver to Win an IndyCar Race, by Associated Press, page 11. Takuma Sato became the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 19. The victory, Sato’s 52nd career start, was also the first for A.J. Foyt Racing since 2002 and pushed him to second in the IndyCar standings.

Obituaries

• Yoneo Kariya, page 15. Yoneo Kariya, 88, passed away at his Pauma Valley, Calif., home on April 16, 2013, after a life that included internment at Poston during WWII and decades running Pauma Vista Ranch with his brothers. He is remembered as a devoted family man and active community member, serving on the Pauma Valley Municipal Water Board and Lions Club for nearly 52 years.
• Mary Harumi Nakagawa, page 15. Mary Harumi Nakagawa (nee Shimojima) passed away on April 16, 2013, at age 99, predeceased by her husband Jack Yoshio. She is survived by her children Carol and Terry, siblings, and grandchildren, with a memorial service held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Chicago.

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