PAClFlCCITIZEN.ORG HISTORIC ISlAND HOLE-IN-ONE! Help fund the new House agrees to 'Saving Face' writer/ Get out those golf P.e. Web site. fund Angel Island director Alice Wu clubs and support Support the S.C.! restoration. talks about love. Nat'l JACL. PAGE 2 PAGE 3 . PAGE 9 PAGE 10 Since1929 __________~--~~----------------- Michelle Kwan to go for Olympic gold ITIZEN in 2006. The National Publication of the Japanese American Citizens League PAGE 7 Starbucks include Cafe Tan Tan and IN FOCUS Benkyodo, a coffee and manju shop Not In Our Backyard that has been in Bobby Okamura's family for close to 100 years . ing the occasional visit to the annu­ S.F. Japantown merchants "It's not a good idea, community al Cherry Blossom festival or an and community groups say and business-wise," said Okamura, outing to a favorite restaurant. no to a proposed Starbucks. 50, of Starbucks moving into Today, like most often these days, Japantown. "I think the commuiiity business at Cafe Hana is slow with By CAROLINE AOYAGI is dead against it." only a trickling of customers com­ Executive Editor "I think my customers are pretty prised of workers from the loyal but [having a Starbucks] might Japantown area or the occasional Carol Murata has owned Cafe affect my new customers," added Hana, located in the heart of San tourist. With the recent news that Okamura, who currently owns Francisco's Japantown, for close to coffee magnate Starbucks is about Benkyodo with his brother. to open shop across the street, two decades now; her sister runs It was early last month that neighboring May's Coffee Shop, Murata fears for the survival of her Japantown merchants and commu­ which has been in the family for business. nity members first learned of the "A big business like Starbucks over 30 years. The cafes are places San Francisco Redevelopment where you can grab a cup of joe and could do us in. This is serious," said Agency's ' approval of proposed Murata, who speculates that even a a manju or scoop of green tea ice leases to Starbucks and the UPS one percent decrease in her business cream as you experience a glimpse Store at the 1600 Webster Street of the Japanese American commu­ could be devastating. "We don't building. For many, the address is nity of northem California. need Starbucks. You can get familiar for this was once the loca­ Cafe Hana and May's Coffee [Starbucks] in any old place. We tion of the Japantown Bowl, a com­ Shop are part of what was once a need to be Japantown .... not ·any­ munity landmark demolished in bustling center of JA activity, where thing else." 2002 - even after much communi­ families would come to live, work, In addition to Cafe Hana and ty discontent - to make room for and play. But in recent decades, . May's Coffee Shop, other 48 condominiums. more and more families have cho­ Japantown mom and pop businesses Community members may have sen to move out of Japantown, leav- that would be affected by a lost the battle in 2002 but this time around many are detennined to take Equipping APAs wi h Tools on the Redevelopment Agency and developers Anasazi Properties to to Break the 'Bamboo Ceiling' ensure Starbucks does not make According to this new book, Photos courtesy of Lucy Kishiue inroads into Japantown. shame and reticence are Cafe Hana (above) and Benkyodo, long established mom and pop "We've been working to preserve Asian values that impede businesses in San Francisco's Japantown, worry that a proposed career success in the · Starbucks coffee shop nearby could negatively affect them. See STARBUCKSI Page 12 Western corporate world. By LYNDA LIN Radio Hosts Apologize lor Remarks About AA Candidate Assistant Editor By ASSOCIATED PRESS While discussing the candiaate, Chinese should never dictate the Jun Choi, Carton repeated the man's outcome of an American election, When Jane Hyun worked as a TRENTON, NJ.-Two talk name several times in a stereotypi­ Americans should." graduate recruiter for Fortune 500 radio show hosts have apologized cal Asian accent and criticized Choi was in the station's Ewing companies, it was her job to scour on-air for comments they made in politicians Township studios on May 25 to college campuses and cut through JANE HYUN April about a Korean American that cater to receive the apology in person. "Man to man, I'm sorry," rehearsed lines of half-truths to fmd man who is running for mayor of minority Carton told Choi, adding that he the strongest candidates for coveted ues. Edison, remarks that Asian voters. "I came to this country at the age American groups called racist. "Here's also apologized to any listener job openings. But in her many who was offended by the remarks. of eight ... and it's this sort of bi­ The controversy stemmed from the bottom searches, she noticed some familiar ''TIle intent was never to hurt you cultural experience where you are statements Craig Carton and Ray line," Carton traits in Asian Pacific American said, accord­ personally or hurt your mayoral raised one way and then you enter Rossi made in their April 25 interviewees that she saw in herself "Jersey Guys" show on NJ 101.5 ing to a tran­ campaign." when she graduated from Comell the corporate world and suddenly, WKXW-FM. script of the Choi said he accepted their apol­ you have to operate on different University and first entered the The duo are known for their CHOI show. "No ogy. "It wasn't that I was offended workforce - a manifest conflict standards," said Hyun, who is crude humor and earlier this year -- ,;- - specific personally or found your com­ between her built~in Asian values Korean American. "I wanted to do infuriated acting Gov. Richard 1. minority group or foreign group Codey over disparaging comments should ever dictate the outcome of ments hurtful, (but) I believe it and adopted Westem corporate val- something about that experience for they made about Codey's wife, an American election. I don't care if crossed a line," he told the hosts. "By saying these groups were un­ See BAMBOO/Page 2 Mary Jo, and her experience with the Chinese population in Edison postpartum depression. has quadrupled in the last year, American, that was what hurt me." SPRING CAMPAIGN • • The Lifeline of JACL House Committee Approves Funding Restoration 01 WWII Camps By GRACE KIMOTO including many living in California, CCDe RC. Board Rep. By Associated Press and P.C. Staff faces a tight budget and mainte­ nance backlogs at parks. to "assembly centers" and then . to It is spring and what a great WASHINGTON-The House Thomas' bill would authorize the camps. The camps were closed in 1945 time it is! I just returned from a Resources Committee on May 18 spending for the 10 internment ....-_____ spring adven- approved spending $38 million to camps that were established and 1946, and President Ronald Reagan and Congress formally ture tour of restore and preserve internment throughout the country, including apologized in 1988 for the treatment Japan and I camps used to hold Japanese two in California, Tule Lake and was awed by Americans during World War n. Manzanar. The money could also go of the people held there. ''TIle clock is ticking," Thomas the sakura The legistation by Rep. Bill for other sites where people were said in a statement. "As we move season. The Thomas, R-Bakersfield, was assembled. further in time from the period in cherry blos­ approved on a voice vote and now The internment happened after which over 120,000 Japc;mese som is revered goes to the full House. It faces oppo­ President Franklin Roosevelt signed Americans were forced from their as a national treasure in Japan and sition from the Bush administration, an executive order in 1942 authoriz­ which objects to the expenditures ing removal of over 120,000 JAs See CAMPAIGN/page 2 because the National Park Service and others of Japanese ancestry, See WWII CAMPSIPage 8 2 NA110NAL/LETTERS PACIFIC CITIZEN, JUNE 3-16, 2005 BAMBOO to human resources, which she a phrase that originated as an illus­ world as a minority.' It could be that there are not a lot of minority human PACIFIC CITIZEN (Continued from page 1) described as being more nebulous. tration of women struggling to "Certainly, from an Asian par­ climb the corporate ladder. resources professionals." 7 Cupania Circle, a real long time." ent's standpoint, it's a move that With increasing population num­ When Hyun started in the human Monterey Park, CA 91755 So when Hyun visited campuses demands the question 'What are bers and a growing presence in the resources business in the 1990s, she Tel: 3231725-0083, noticed that the only company-run 800/966-6157, Fax: to recruit new hires and saw the you doing?' There's no real license, labor force, APAs only make up a 3231725-0064 same characteristics in young APAs, no graduate degree needed to back it dismal 0.29 percent of corporate diversity awareness resources E-mail: [email protected] who were resume perfect but gener­ up. I did feel that type of pressure officers and up to 1 percent of board offered were sensitivity training ses­ letters2pc@ aol.com ally not will- ,...-----: within myself wonde~g, 'Do I seats in Fortune 500 con'l.panies, a sions. ing to aggres­ have the wherewithal?''' reality which Hyun says creates a Now, she travels the country Executive Editor: operating an extensive speaking Caroline Y.