Vol. 156, No. 9, May 17, 2013. 12 pages. View this issue
Santa J. Ono’s investiture as the 28th president of the University of Cincinnati, the first Asian American in that role, anchored the 12-page issue of May 17, 2013. Connie K. Ho profiled his career, and she also reported on the Congressional Gold Medal tour stopping at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles to honor the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service. Nalea J. Ko covered the anger of Asian American groups over a city video that mocked accents and dress.
Harry K. Honda traced JACL’s long work on immigration reform, and Lily Liu wrote about Asian American daughters who care for aging parents. Other items covered a White House meeting with President Obama attended by Priscilla Ouchida, a call for Redress photographs tied to the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act, and Dodgers Community Night tickets.
What’s in this issue
Commentary
- Spring Campaign: A Worthy Cause, by John Saito Jr., page 2. John Saito Jr. reflects on his introduction to JACL in 1979 through his father’s position and his later career at the Rafu Shimpo before joining the Pacific Citizen Editorial Board. He urges readers to support the P.C.’s annual Spring Campaign as part of a tradition of volunteerism within the Japanese American community and newspaper industry.
- Immigration Reform Isn’t New to JACL, by Harry K. Honda, page 3. Harry K. Honda traces JACL’s historical involvement in immigration reform, starting with the 1947 Soldier Brides Act and Mike Masaoka’s lobbying efforts in Congress. The piece details the political battles surrounding the 1952 Walter-McCarran Omnibus Immigration Bill, which eliminated race as a factor for naturalization and allowed Issei to become citizens.
- Forget About Tiger Mothers, What About Us Draggin’ (Dragon) Daughters!, by Lily Liu, page 3. Lily Liu discusses the unique challenges faced by Asian American women who serve as family caregivers for aging parents, coining the term ‘Draggin’ Daughters’ to describe their fatigue and responsibility. She highlights AARP research on family caregivers and the cultural, linguistic and financial burdens multicultural caregivers face.
- Immigration Reform Isn’t New to JACL (continued), by Harry K. Honda, page 12. This continuation details the political entanglement of Issei citizenship bills with 1948 internal security matters, including the Alger Hiss perjury case and Sen. Joe McCarthy’s Communist infiltration fears. It also covers the 1952 Omnibus Act’s implementation of Americanization classes for Issei and Mike Masaoka’s later recognition with Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun.
- Dragon Daughters (continued), by Lily Liu, page 12. Liu continues her discussion of caregiver challenges, citing statistics on lost workdays and financial costs, and highlights AARP’s Caregiving Resource Center as a valuable tool for family caregivers. She closes with a personal reflection on caring for her mother and hoping to transform from a ‘Draggin’ Daughter’ into a ‘Dragon Daughter’ who honors her mother’s immigrant legacy.
Community
- Tickets on Sale Now for Los Angeles Dodgers Japanese American Community Night Fundraiser, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Los Angeles Dodgers, in partnership with the Japanese American community, will host a Japanese American Community Night Fundraiser on July 12 against the Colorado Rockies. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit partner nonprofit organizations chosen by ticket buyers, including Go For Broke National Education Center and JANM.
- Congressional Gold Medal Tour Stops at Japanese American National Museum, by Connie K. Ho, page 4. Hundreds gathered at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles to celebrate the Smithsonian Tour of the Congressional Gold Medal, honoring Nisei WWII veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service. Dignitaries including Irene Hirano Inouye and Los Angeles officials spoke about the veterans’ sacrifice and the importance of preserving their story.
- JACL PSW Now Accepting Registrations for 2013 Katarou Histories Program, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The JACL Pacific Southwest District announced the second year of its Katarou Histories intergenerational oral history program, designed to engage Nikkei youth and adults in preserving Japanese American history through storytelling workshops. The 10-week summer program will run simultaneously in the South Bay and San Fernando Valley regions starting in June.
JACL
- Photos Sought of JACLers and Community Allies Who Fought for Redress, by P.C. Staff, page 5. JACL’s National Youth/Student Council is seeking photos of JACL members and community allies who participated in the Redress Movement for a slideshow at the National Convention’s Legacy Luncheon in Washington, D.C. The luncheon will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 and honor the grassroots activists who fought for redress.
National
- President Obama Meets with JACL and AAPI Groups to Discuss Immigration and Health Care, by P.C. Staff, page 5. National JACL Director Priscilla Ouchida joined other AAPI organization leaders in a White House meeting with President Obama to discuss immigration reform, affordable health care and civil rights protections. Ouchida called the meeting historic, noting the president’s commitment to working with the AAPI community on issues of national importance.
- Japan Pulls Back on Denials of Wartime Sex Slavery, by Associated Press, page 8. Japan acknowledged it conducted only a limited investigation before claiming there was no official evidence that Imperial troops coerced Asian women into wartime sexual slavery, following a parliamentary inquiry by opposition lawmaker Tomoko Kami. Documents from a postwar international military tribunal containing testimony from Japanese soldiers about abducting women as sex slaves were not included in Japan’s original 1991-93 investigation.
- Asian American Community Groups Remain Outraged by Taxpayer-Funded ‘Anti-Asian’ Video Despite City Apology, by Nalea J. Ko, page 9. Community groups expressed continued outrage after the Los Angeles Department of Public Works used taxpayer money to produce a video mocking Asian Americans with stereotypical accents and geisha garb at a Japanese garden. Despite a formal apology from the Board of Public Works and plans for cultural diversity training, activists including Mark Masaoka and Stephanie Nitahara vowed to bring the issue to the new City Council’s attention.
In-Depth
- UC’s First Asian American President: Santa J. Ono, by Connie K. Ho, page 6. Santa J. Ono was formally invested as the 28th president of the University of Cincinnati, becoming the first Asian American to hold the position, in an emotional ceremony attended by family, friends and dignitaries. The article details Ono’s career path through Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Emory and UC, his engagement with the Japanese American community, and his active use of social media to connect with students and alumni.
Obituaries
- Shigeki Marumoto, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Shigeki Marumoto, 88, of Los Angeles died at Keiro Nursing Home; he grew up in Hollywood delivering the Rafu Shimpo before WWII forced his family into Heart Mountain internment camp. He served with the 442nd’s 100th Infantry Battalion in Europe and later worked as a technical illustrator, remembered as a warm, big-hearted uncle to his extended family.
- Yukiko Janet Sato, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Yukiko Janet Sato, an 88-year-old West Los Angeles resident, passed away on May 2, 2013, with private family funeral services held at West Los Angeles United Methodist Church. She is survived by her sister, nieces and nephews, and the family requested donations to the church in lieu of koden and flowers.
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